Mor Gabriel Monastery (Deyrulumur Monastery) is located 23 kilometers southeast of Midyat district. The monastery is one of the famous and great works of the Syriac Ancient Community. It was built on a high hill covered with oak trees. The foundations of the monastery were laid by Mor Smuel and Mor Semun in 397 and the building was completed in a short time.
Additions were made inside and outside on different dates. In the monastery, which was the Metropolitan Center in 615 and 1049, shelters and places of worship were built by Mor Semun during the reign of King Arcadius (395-408). During the reign of King Theodosius (408-450), there were the monumental house where the sarcophagus would be placed, the Virgin Mary Church, the Ambassadors Church, Kirksehit Church, Mor Smuel Temple, Theodora Dome and Mor Slemun Temple. It was built by Mor Shmuel to rescue the king’s daughter Theodora.
An Old Monastery
Mor Gabriel Monastery is at least 400 years older than any monastery founded on Mount Athos, Greece. It is about 80 years earlier than Mor Saba Monastery in Palestine and a century and a half before Mort Katherina Monastery in Egypt’s Sinai region. The monastery has been called by different names from time to time in the historical process. It was originally known as Mor Shmuel and Mor Shemun Monastery after the names of its founders. It is also known as “Dayro d’Umro” meaning “House of Priests” in Syriac, and Deyr-el Umur, derived from “Deyrulumur” with the Turkish adaptation of this expression. Kartmin is also known as “Kartmin Monastery” because of its proximity to today’s Yayvantepe Village. The name “Mor Gabriel Monastery”, which is still used today, comes from the name of Turabdin Metropolitan Mor Gabriel (634-668).
