HISTORY AND IMPORTANCE OF DIYARIBAKIR ST. MARY CHURCH  Built in the 3rd  century, Diyarbakir St. Mary Church has been a surviving landmark of Syriac history, tradition, and culture. Over the years, this church of ours has contained very valuable literature, books, pictures, and even a piece of wood from the Cross, on which JESUS himself was crucified.Before this city was named Diyarbakir, it was called Ameda, which was used in the Syriac language testifying to the fact that it once was the seat of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch is also a known fact that five Patriarchs and Saints ham been buried on the Mar Yakup section of the church. St. Mary Church, along with its historical and religious importance, is also famous for its one of a kind architecture with its unique portraits of oar Saints, hand-carved walnut tree doors, stone and brick walls, and silver lanterns (kandiller).Diyarbakir St. Mary Church has survived eighteen centuries throughout history till today. In the last years, the church started to deteriorate and is in need of renovation, refurbishing, and physical maintenance_ St Mary Church needs to stay as Suryani church. We are all obligated lo keep our church as one often oldest landmarks of Suryani Culture and Achievement. Our forefathers have left a priceless monument tons and now it is our responsibility and duty to be able to pass it on to new generations.IT IS EVERY SURYANES PRIDE.Every one of us should support the restoration project through generous donations so that we can assure the survival of Diyarbakir St. Mary church, Our dedicated brothers in Turkey already started project Naturally, the cost of such a project is too high. To support this holy project, we would like to ask every parishioner to help as much as they can. ST_ MARY MUST KEPT ALIVE; ST. MARY IS IN NEED OF YOUR GENEROSITY. GOD BLESSES YOU ALL.

The Syriac-Orthodox St. Mary Church plundered in Diyarbakir  SOLNews Diyarbakir (9.1.03). In the night of Monday G on Tuesday 7 January 2003, the St. Mary Church in Diyarbakir, also known as "Men/ern Ana Kitisesi" in Turkish, had been plundered by Muslims; cf. the first picture, which was taken from a Westernperspective. The actual perpetrators, who first broke in and subsequently caused great damages to the Church, are hitherto unknown.According to the information given by the teacher (malfono) Saliba Acis, who resides in the Church itself, to Suryoyo Online (www.suryoyo-online.org), the pillagers had stolen valuable liturgical objects. Among the stolen objects were: The great 18th century "Gospel Book / Ewangetyun," which usually stands in the place of the attar (madbho) - standing in the midst of the second picture. It is handwritten and covered with pure silver; Three crosses of silver, dating from the 17th century;A very old icon of St. Mary, the God-Bearer (yoldath Aloho / Theotokos), that stood above the grave of the famous 12th century Syriac theologian and metropolitan Dionysios Bar Salibi (d. 1171);Two rare 18th century liturgical vessels, viz. an out of silk crafted chalice and a gold covered plate (see the third and fourth pictures of the wooden altar, where the aforementioned crosses and vessels are displayed).Other sacred icons and paintings were, according to Saliba Acis, thrown on the ground and seriously damaged. The bandits penetrated into the church after they climbed on the external watt of stone, of which one never had thought that it would be an option to enter the church, and sawed off the strips of metal in the window of the Church. The act was discovered early in the morning of Tuesday 7 January when the Priest of the Church, Father Yusuf Akbulut, wanted to start with the regular morning prayers. The local authorities were informed immediately thereafter.The Syriac community of Diyarbakir, as well as the metropolitan of Tur-'Abdin, Timotheos Samuel Aktas who resides in the Saint (Mori Gabriel convent, were sincerely worried after- they heard about the plundering of the Church. Once again they were remembered by their insecure future in an environment that is strongly Islamized today. The readers should be reminded that it was about two years ago (2001) that in the very same Syriac community a similar political