The Mariamite Cathedral of Damascus, also known as the Maryamiyya Church ( ar, الكَنِيسَة المَرْيَمِيَّة, al-Kanīsah al-Maryamīyah), is one of the oldest
Greek Orthodox
The term Greek Orthodox Church (Greek language, Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the Eastern Orthodox Church, entire body of Orthodox (Chalced ...
churches in
Damascus
)), is an adjective which means "spacious".
, motto =
, image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg
, image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg
, seal_type = Seal
, map_caption =
, ...
,
Syria
Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
and holds the seat of the
Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch ( el, Ελληνορθόδοξο Πατριαρχείο Αντιοχείας), also known as the Antiochian Orthodox Church and legally as the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East ( ar ...
. The church complex is located on the
Street Called Straight
Straight Street, from the Latin Via Recta ( ar, الشارع المستقيم ''al-Shāriʿ al-Mustaqīm''), known as the Street called Straight ( gr, τήν ῥύμην τήν καλουμένην εὐθείαν) in the New Testament, is the ol ...
.
[Daniel Demeter: ]
Damaskus – al-Mariyamiyeh Church.
' Syria Photo Guide, 16 July 2014.
History
A first church was built during the 4th century AD or probably earlier.
After the
Muslim conquest of Damascus the church was closed until 706 AD when
al-Walid ordered that it be returned to the Christians as a compensation for the Church of John the Baptist which was turned into the
Umayyad Mosque
The Umayyad Mosque ( ar, الجامع الأموي, al-Jāmiʿ al-Umawī), also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus ( ar, الجامع الدمشق, al-Jāmiʿ al-Damishq), located in the old city of Damascus, the capital of Syria, is one of the ...
.
The church was destroyed and rebuilt several times in later years.
It was described by
Ibn Jubayr
Ibn Jubayr (1 September 1145 – 29 November 1217; ar, ابن جبير), also written Ibn Jubair, Ibn Jobair, and Ibn Djubayr, was an Arab geographer, traveller and poet from al-Andalus. His travel chronicle describes the pilgrimage he made to M ...
as:
In 1342, the Patriarchal See of Antioch was transferred from
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes (; grc-gre, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου, ''Antiókheia hē epì Oróntou'', Learned ; also Syrian Antioch) grc-koi, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου; or Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπ ...
to
Damascus
)), is an adjective which means "spacious".
, motto =
, image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg
, image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg
, seal_type = Seal
, map_caption =
, ...
and the church served as the seat of the Greek Orthodox Church in the East.
The church was burned down by mobs, along with most of the Christian quarter, when the
1860 Druze-Christian conflict in
Lebanon
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
spilt over into Damascus, and was rebuilt three years later. It was last renovated in 1953.
Sections
Church of Mary
The Church of Mary is the main church building, and dates back to the late 4th century.
[الكنيسة المريمية - تاريخ الكنيسة (Mariamite Church – Church History)](_blank)
Chapel of Saint Tekla
The chapel was added to the complex after the restoration of the cathedral in 1840. It comprises the patriarchal seat of the
Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch ( el, Ελληνορθόδοξο Πατριαρχείο Αντιοχείας), also known as the Antiochian Orthodox Church and legally as the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East ( ar ...
.
Chapel of Catherine
The chapel was added after restoration works. It contains a small museum dedicated to the history of the church.
Gallery
File:Damascus Greek Orthodox Patriarchate 1573.jpg, Mariamite Cathedral, Damascus, with the 'Umariyya Minaret at the front, to the right
File:Damasco cattedrale ortodossaHPIM3223.JPG, Façade of the cathedral in 2010
File:Damascus Mariamite Cathedral the belfry.jpg, Belfry of the cathedral
File:Mariamie-8-12-21032013-12-17-095100.jpg, Divine Liturgy led by patriarch John the tenth at the Mariamite Cathedral of Damascus
External Links
Get a 360°
virtual tour
A virtual tour is a simulation of an existing location, usually composed of a sequence of videos, still images or 360-degree images. It may also use other multimedia elements such as sound effects, music, narration, text and floor map. It is dis ...
on the
Ministry of tourism The Minister of Tourism is the head of the governmental department that specializes in tourism, recreation and/or culture.
The position exists in many different countries under several names:
*Ministry of Tourism and Environment (Albania)
* Minist ...
's website: https://syriatourism.org/Virtual_Tours/Maryameyya%20Church/
References
2nd-century churches
Mariamite Cathedral
Christian organizations established in the 2nd century
Eastern Orthodox church buildings in Syria
2nd-century establishments in the Roman Empire
7th-century disestablishments in the Byzantine Empire
1860 disestablishments in Ottoman Syria
1863 establishments in Ottoman Syria
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