Maaloula

Just over 50 kilometres from Damascus, Maaloula is most famous for being one of the few remaining places in the world where Aramaic is still spoken, but it is also an important site of pilgrimage, both for Muslims as well as Christians.

For pilgrims and tourists alike, the two places within Maaloula of most interest are the two monasteries, the monastery of Mar Sarkis and the monastery of Mar Taqla.

Monastery of Mar Sarkis

Built in 4th century, the monastery of Mar Sarkis is named after Mar Sarkis (St Sarkis), otherwise known as St Sergius, who was a soldier in the Roman army. St Sergius was first tortured, then executed in Resafa in Syria, for his belief in Christianity.

Mar Sarkis is an important saint in the region, and there are a number of other monasteries dedicated to his memory, most notably in Bsharre and in Ehden, both of which are in Lebanon.

Monastery of Mar Taqla

The monastery of Mar Taqla holds the remains of St Taqla, otherwise known as St Thecla. St Thecla is one of the most famous Christian virgin martyrs. She was the daughter of a Seleucid prince.

Influenced by St Paul, St Thecla’s decision to take a vow of chastity, changed the course of her life. Her vow of chastity apparently – and perhaps understandably - caused consternation with her fiancé, and also her mother, but it also got her arrested for assaulting a man who subsequently tried to take advantage of her, and sentenced to be eaten by wild beasts! Finally, she was forced to make good her escape. Legend holds that St Taqla’s father set his soldiers in pursuit and that when she came to the mountain on which Maaloula now rests, she prayed and in answer to her prayers, the mountain split open allowing her to escape.

Click here to see our Syria tours

Other places of interest in Syria:

Qasr Al Heer Ash Sharqi

Shahba

St Simeon & the Dead Cities

Ugarit