St. Mary Church ( `''Idto d-Yoldat Aloho'', ), is a

Syriac Orthodox The Syriac Orthodox Church (), also informally known as the Jacobite Church, is an Oriental Orthodox denomination that originates from the Church of Antioch. The church currently has around 4-5 million followers. The church upholds the Mia ...

church in Diyarbakir. It is under the jurisdiction of the Syriac Archdiocese of Mardin, headed by Metropolitan Mor Filüksinos Saliba Özmen. The church was first constructed as a pagan temple in the 1st century BC, and the current construction dates back to the 3rd century. The church has been restored many times, and is still in use as a place of worship today. The church is open to visitors for a 5 lira entrance fee.

History

When Diyarbakir was known by its Syriac name Amid, it was the seat of some of the Patriarchs of the

Assyrian Church of the East The Assyrian Church of the East (ACOE), sometimes called the Church of the East and officially known as the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East, is an Eastern Christianity, Eastern Syriac Christianity, Syriac Christian denomin ...

and thus an original Assyrian/Syriac stronghold that produced many famous theologians and Patriarchs. There are many

relics In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains or personal effects of a saint or other person preserved for the purpose of veneration as a tangible memorial. Reli ...

in the Church, such as the bones of the

apostle Thomas Thomas the Apostle (; , meaning 'the Twin'), also known as Didymus ( 'twin'), was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Thomas is commonly known as "doubting Thomas" because he initially doubted the resurrection of ...

and St. Jacob of Sarug. The church also has a large and very significant collection of manuscripts.

References

Churches in Diyarbakır Oriental Orthodoxy in Turkey Syriac Orthodox churches in Turkey 1st-century BC religious buildings and structures Assyrians in Turkey {{Syriac-Orthodox-church-stub