al-Zeitoun Church (كنيسة الزيتون), located in the Bab Sharqi (باب شرقي) neighborhood of the old city of Damascus (دمشق), is the seat of the Greek Catholic patriarchate and one of the most attractive churches in the city. The church was built in 1833-1834 after Sultan Mahmoud II (محمود الثاني) eased restrictions placed upon Christians under the Ottoman Empire that prohibited the construction of new churches. …
Saint Paul Church (كنيسة القديس بولس) is a Greek Catholic chapel constructed from the remains of Bab Kissan (باب كيسان), the historic southeastern gate to the old city of Damascus (دمشق). Except for a few stones incorporated into later constructions, nothing remains from the original Roman gate, which was once connected to Bab Touma (باب توما) by a cardo (north-south street). Nur al-Din (نور الدين) …
al-Mariyamiyeh Church (كنيسة المريمية), located in the center of the old city, is the seat of the Greek Orthodox patriarchate and one of the most important churches in Damascus (دمشق). There has been a church at this site dating back to the Byzantine period, at least as early as the fourth century and possibly earlier. The present-day structure is considerably more modern, however, dating mostly …
One of the more interesting churches in Damascus (دمشق) is the small underground chapel known as the Church of Saint Hananiya (كنيسة القديس حنانيا) in the old city neighborhood of Bab Sharqi (باب شرقي). According to local tradition, the church was originally part of the Roman-era home of Hananiya (also known as Ananias). While it is roughly five meters below ground level today, this was …
The modest Church of Saint John of Damascus (كنيسة القديس يوحنا الدمشقي) is a Greek Orthodox church dedicated to Youhana Mansour Bin Sarjoun (يوحنا منصور بن سرجون), one of the most important figures of the Eastern Christianity during the Umayyad period. Born to a prominent Christian family in 676, his father was an official responsible for tax collection under the Umayyad caliphate. Saint John of …
The Syrian Catholic Church of Saint Asia al-Hakim (كنيسة مار اسيا الحكيم السريان الكاثوليك) was constructed in 1500, one of the earliest churches built in the historic neighborhood of Jdeideh (جديدة). The church was originally called the Cathedral of Our Lady of Syrians and was the seat of the Syrian Catholic Patriarchate between the 17th and 19th centuries. It continued to serve as the main …
An Armenian presence in the city of Aleppo (حلب) dates back to the short-lived Armenian Empire in the 1st century BC. Armenians have had a significant community in the city since the 14th century, their population exceeding 100,000 by the early 20th century. The oldest church serving that community is the Armenian Orthodox Church of Forty Martyrs (كنيسة الأربعين شهيدا للأرمن الأرثوذكس), located in the …
The Greek Catholic Church of Our Lady (كنيسة السيدة للروم الكاثوليك) is one of the largest churches in the historic Jdeideh (جديدة) neighborhood of Aleppo (حلب). Construction of the church began in 1834 and was completed by 1843. This was during the reign of Sultan Mahmoud II (محمود الثاني), who had eased a number of restrictions placed upon Christians by the Ottoman Empire, including a …
The Armenian Catholic Church (كنيسة الأرمن الكاثوليك) is located on the northern side of Farhat Square (ساحة فرحات) in the historic Jdeideh (جديدة) neighborhood of Aleppo (حلب). Construction of the church began in 1823 and was completed by 1832. This was during the reign of Sultan Mahmoud II (محمود الثاني), who had eased a number of restrictions placed upon Christians by the Ottoman Empire, including …
The old city of Homs (حمص) has several historic churches (كنائس) worth visiting. Most interesting is the Roman Orthodox St. Elian Church (كنيسة مار إليان), in the far eastern end of the old city. The church is most noteworthy for its frescoes, which date from the late 12th century or early 13th century. These frescoes decorate the apse of the church, which stands on the …
