Monastery of the Virgin Mary (Meryem Ana Manastırı, Mardin)

Marian Advocation of Mardin (Mardin (Tur Abdin))
Recognized by the Church

The monastery of the Virgin Mary (Meryem Ana Manastırı), of Orthodox Syrian rite, is located near Mardin, in the region of Tur Abdin, in south-east Turkey. It is a monastery and church dedicated to the Mother of God, of late origin; the exact dates vary, but one speaks of a structure at least medieval. It works as a pilgrimage place for the Syrian Christians of Turkey and the diaspora.

Main data

Origin and history

The monastery of the Virgin Mary (Meryem Ana Manastırı), of Orthodox Syrian rite, is located near Mardin, in the region of Tur Abdin, in south-east Turkey. It is a monastery and church dedicated to the Mother of God, of late origin; the exact dates vary, but one speaks of a structure at least medieval. It works as a pilgrimage place for the Syrian Christians of Turkey and the diaspora.

The image and the sanctuary

The whole is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Mother of God. It does not contain, in verifiable sources, a catalogue of concrete miracles with names and dates; general testimonies of protection and comfort attributed to the Mother of God, collected in community chronicles of the Tur Abdin, are preserved.

Sponsorship and coronation

There is no record of formal patronage or canonical coronation.

Party and devotion

The Marian festivities are celebrated with internal processions and prayer vigil around the monastery church. The faithful report that Mary has protected the Syrian communities of the Tur Abdin during incursions and persecutions, especially at the end of the Ottoman Empire and in years of conflict.

Link to the Rosary

The Latin Rosary does not belong to the Orthodox Syrian tradition, which venerates the Theotokos with its own hymns and pleas. Even so, this ancient Marian cenobium bears witness to the veneration of the Mother of God that the Rosary contemplates and prolonges in the universal Church.