Mor Kiryakus Monastery The Mor Kiryakus Monastery, located in Ayrancı Village within the Beşiri District of Batman Province, Turkey, is an impressive three-story edifice. While its exterior appears rectangular, the interior reveals two spacious square layouts, featuring a closed courtyard surrounded by rooms situated behind each wing supported by flying buttresses. During the 4th century, missionary monks from Aleppo spread Christianity by establishing monasteries atop hills and rocky outcrops overlooking the Northern Mesopotamian Plain. The Mor Kiryakus Monastery stands as a notable example of this tradition, located within the sacred Turabdin region, which holds deep spiritual significance for Syriac Christians. The Turabdin area is home to nearly 80 churches, and the founding of Mor Kiryakus Monastery in 457 A.D. laid the foundation for the construction of subsequent monasteries. The monastery remained active until the 1940s. Clergy who completed their training here earned the title of "archpriest" and were then assigned to various churches across the Turabdin Region. Since there was no nearby residential community, valuable artifacts were relocated to Mor Gabriel Monastery for safekeeping—a practice that continues to this day. Although much of the Mor Kiryakus Monastery is now in a state of ruin, many adjacent chambers of different sizes still remain intact. If you have any questions or would like more information about Mor Kiryakus Monastery, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] or simply contact us via Whatsapp. We will respond promptly.