Turabdin

The name Turabdin ("The Mountain of the Servants") was taken over by the Romans from older peoples in the Middle East. Later on, it referred to the monks in the many monasteries which had been founded there from the fourth Century onwards and which, from a Christian viewpoint, converted Turabdin into "The Mountain of the Servants of God". Today this high limestone plateau in southeast Turkey, between the Tigris and the Syrian border, with its hills and valleys, seems remote. But, once upon a time, Romans and Byzantine emperors, reigning in Rome or Constantinople, ruied not only over regions and countries in the West, but also over Turabdin in the East. This far-off region has long captured public attention, at one time as a stronghold on the border of the Empire, later on as the centre of the Syriac Church and nowadays as a cornerstone of Christianity in the Middle East.

The inhabitants of Turabdin are impressiv by their originality and simplicity, by their attachment to their native soil, by their fortitude in difficult times, by their self-confidence and lack of pretentiousness. In daily life they use the language spoken by Jesus, an Aramaic dialect which is now known as Turoyo. This makes them the bearers of an uninterrupted tradition from the beginnings of Christianity until the present day. Here, on the plateau of Turabdin, formerly isolated and cut off from the world, they have been able to preserve their culture, a culture which cannot be transferred to any other region.

In very early times Christianity was preached in Turabdin. We know of a bishop in Beth Zabday (Azakh) in 120 A.D. (Often errone-ously Gziro [Cizre] was given the name Beth Zabday). The monks, however, who fmally converted the inhabitants of Turabdin to Christianity in the fourth Century taught them to live ascetic lives. In return, almost every town and village built its own monastery, which they visited in search of advice and strength in difficulties, and to honour the saints buried there. As a result, a religious people developed, deeply influenced by Christianity, that supported their monasteries and in return were spiritually enriched by them. So up to the present day, the monasteries are of central importance - also for the survival of the Christians in Turabdin in our times.

The present heart of Turabdin is Mor Gabriel Monastery, which in former times was called the Monastery of Kartmin after the nearby village. From this monastery Archbishop Timotheos Samuel Aktas administers the diminished diocese of Turabdin of the Syriac Orthodox Church and carries out many epis-copal duties in the patriarchal de-pendency of Mardin; the present vicar of Mardin is Ibrahim Türker, abbot of the Monastery of Deyrulzafaran. Although monastic life is very varied, it is centred on the celebration of the Liturgy. The opportunity of experiencing the precious legacy of the West Syriac Liturgy, both in Mor Gabriel Monastery and at the liturgical Services in the bishop's church, Mort Shmuni in Midyat. When the clear voices of the boy choristers join in the pow-erfui chanting of the male choir in this monastery church dating from 512 A.D., unifying the liturgical room with the celebration itself, we really become aware of the soil in which

this liturgy has its roots and of the strength it imparts, is given. In addition to the monasteries, the numerous ancient village churches are unique cultural treasures. Many are already in ruins, many others of great value are empty, but others are visited for prayers in common, three times a day, morning, noon and evening. This rich inheritance from former times is also a treasure for Christians of other denominations which they should seek out, rediscover and keep.

Most of the Christians of Turabdin and its surroundings are members of the Syriac Orthodox Church, but there are also Christians of other denominations there. All These Christians have a deep feeling of affinity and celebrate the Liturgy together. Their numbers have shrunk. Again and again, in the course of history, they have been endangered and their very ex-istence has been threatened. As a result of involvement in the con-flicts of the twentieth Century many have left the region in which their anceslors had lived since pre-Christian times. Those who remain need the solidarity of the whole Christian world. This would give them confidence and strengthen them in their belief that the Christian faith is stronger than all opposing forces.

It is important to point out that Diyarbakir, Mardin and its surroundings, the villages in the Mesopotamian plain, Cizre and Hassana, do not really belong to Turabdin. It seemed to make sense, however, to include these towns and villages in this website and to refer in the text to their independence in church matters.

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