2nd Kurdistan Road Trip - Part II

This is the 2nd part of the continuing story of our 2nd road trip in Kurdistan.  After our visit to the Monastery of Mar Matta, we drove to the Christian town of Alqosh. It is about 31 miles northeast of Mosul.  Alqosh traces its history back into the ancient Assyrian empire and perhaps even further back into history. The earliest mentioning of Alqosh appears in Sennacherib's era of around 750 BC.  We went directly to a retreat center that was at the base of the mountains.  The center is situated on a high hill that had a commanding view over all of Alqosh.  We got situated then went to visit more monasteries.  The first monastery we visited was on the north side of town.  This was the Virgin Mary's monastery (Guardian of the Plants) which was built in 1856 AD. It is a huge monastery where the friar life still exists. The monks built this monastery because the one they have up in the mountains (Rabban Hormizd monastery) does not get enough water to take care of their needs.

This the entrance to the Virgin Mary's Monastery.

We are gathering to go into the church at the monastery.

The inside of the church.  Note the polished marble columns.  The marble came from turkey.

The priest is telling us about the monastery and the church.  Hank McCormick interprets because he is fluent in the arabic language.  The altar area is off limits to all but a few due to the liturgical rites and customs of the Chaldean Church here.

This is the mural of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child above the main altar.  She is standing in a wheat field.  It is symbolic of the blessings from heaven for a bountiful wheat harvest.  Alqosh is a town on the Nineveh Plains, which is known for being a rich breadbasket of the Middle East.

This is a painting of Rabban Hormizd (rabban is the Syriac for monk) who founded the Rabban Hormizd monastery in the seventh century.  That monastery is located 2-3 miles to the northeast of the Virgin Mary monastery.  It also clings to the side of a mountain like the monastery of Mar Matta.
I will get to that monastery later.  In this painting, Rabban Hormizd is performing an exorcism on the son of a Persian prince.  Rabban Hormizd's reputation as an effective exorcist was known far and wide.

This is a smaller altar in the church in the back, just to the left as you enter the door from the courtyard.

Brothers and sisters-  It is with great awe and wonder that Kathy and I and many of our travelling companions visit these ancient sites where the early church first took root.  The hardships that were endured to bring the Good News to those who had never heard it can not even be imagined by us.  Indeed, even today, the lives that the Christian have in order to maintain a centuries old presence in the region is very inspiring.  May God continue to bless them in spite of the difficulties that they face, and may they not lose heart.