Deir Mar Elian al-Sheikh | |
Monastery information | |
---|---|
Other names | Mar Elian |
Order | Syriac Catholic |
Established | 5th century |
Disestablished | 21 August 2015 |
Dedicated to | St. Julian (Mar Elian) |
Abbot | Jacques Mourad |
Site | |
Location | Al-Qaryatayn, Homs, Syria |
Coordinates | 34°14′10″N37°13′30″E / 34.23611°N 37.22500°E Coordinates: 34°14′10″N37°13′30″E / 34.23611°N 37.22500°E |
Visible remains | ? |
The Monastery of St. Elian was a Syriac Catholic monastery near the town of Al-Qaryatayn, along a trade route between the two major cities of Palmyra and Damascus in the Homs Governorate of central Syria. It was destroyed on 21 August 2015 by members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS), whose acts of terror in the Syrian Civil War include widespread vandalism and violence against non-Salafists and historical heritage. St. Elian Monastery housed a 5th-century tomb and served as a major pilgrimage site, particularly to those seeking a cure for bodily ailments. [1] Parts of the monastery, including the foundations, were 1,500 years old. [2] [3]
ISIL released images showing the demolition of the monastery. [4] The group had captured the area earlier in August. The group also imprisoned a number of Christian civilians. [4] The monastery's superior, Jacques Mourad, was abducted by ISIL in May 2015 and escaped after 5 months of captivity. [5] Threatened with execution, he escaped from the ISIL-held territory. [6] The area around the monastery was recaptured by the Syrian Arab Army from ISIS in April 2016. The bones and broken sarcophagus of Mar Elian were rediscovered and recovered in the ruins of the site at that time. [7]
The Monastery of St. Elian was constructed using stone decorated with circular patterns. It notably featured graffiti left behind by worshippers from other faiths, including Stars of David and Arabic script. The building also bore an inscription stating the monastery was under the protection of a local Muslim ruler, Emir Sayfudullah, reflecting the peaceful coexistence of Muslims and Christians living in region around the fifteenth century. [8]
The monastery was renovated extensively in the early 2000s, replacing the facade and restoring the recently excavated lower level.[ citation needed ]
Through various excavation efforts throughout the 21st century, the original structure is believed to have been a basic one, consisting of mud and brick walls with simple post and lintel entrances. Archeologists have also unearthed a large plastered iconostasis and a stone sarcophagus at the site, which some believe contained the bones of Mar Elian himself. [9]
Mosul is a major city in northern Iraq, serving as the capital of Nineveh Governorate. The city is considered the second largest city in Iraq in terms of population and area after the capital Baghdad, with a population of over 3.7 million. Mosul is approximately 400 km (250 mi) north of Baghdad on the Tigris river. The Mosul metropolitan area has grown from the old city on the western side to encompass substantial areas on both the "Left Bank" and the "Right Bank", as locals call the two riverbanks. Mosul encloses the ruins of the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on its east side.
Palmyra is a city in central Syria, administratively part of the Homs Governorate. It is located in an oasis in the middle of the Syrian Desert 215 kilometres (134 mi) northeast of Damascus and 180 kilometres southwest of the Euphrates River. The ruins of ancient Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are situated about 500 metres southwest of the modern city centre. Relatively isolated, the nearest localities include Arak to the east, Al-Sukhnah further to the northeast, Tiyas to the west and al-Qaryatayn to the southwest.
Bartella is a town that is located in the Nineveh Plains in northern Iraq, about 21 kilometres east of Mosul.
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Al-Qaryatayn, also spelled Karyatayn, Qaratin or Cariatein, is a town in central Syria, administratively part of the Homs Governorate located southeast of Homs. It is situated on an oasis in the Syrian Desert. Nearby localities include Tadmur (Palmyra) to the northeast, Furqlus to the north, al-Riqama and Dardaghan to the northwest, Mahin, Huwwarin and Sadad to the west, Qarah, Deir Atiyah and al-Nabk to the southwest and Jayrud to the south. Al-Qaryatayn translates as "the two villages".
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The Palmyra offensive of May 2015 was a military operation launched during the Syrian Civil War by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) on May 13–26, 2015, in an attempt to capture the government-held Tadmur District of the Homs Governorate, including the administrative centre of Tadmur, known in English as Palmyra. The ruins and ancient monuments of Palmyra, which lie on the south-western fringe of the modern city, have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980. The ruins were part of a desert oasis that was one of the most significant cultural centers of the ancient world, linking the civilizations of Persia, India, China with the Roman Empire through trade. The offensive was one of the largest offensives launched by ISIL, the largest one conducted by ISIL in Syria since the 2014 Eastern Syria offensive, with the result of the offensive increasing ISIL's control of Syria to at least 50%.
This article contains a timeline of events from January 2015 to December 2015 related to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/ISIS). This article contains information about events committed by or on behalf of the Islamic State, as well as events performed by groups who oppose them.
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