View source for Mor Mattai Monastery

{{Short description|Syriac Orthodox Monastery in Iraq. Founded 363 AD}}
{{Infobox monastery
| name = Monastery of St. Matthew
| image = Views around the Syriac Orthodox Monastery of Saint Matthew 04.jpg
| alt = 
| caption = Mor Mattai Monastery
| full = 
| other_names = Dayro d-Mor Mattai
| order = [[Syriac Orthodox Church]]
| established = 363 A.D.
| disestablished = 
| nodislink = 
| mother = 
| dedication = [[Mar Mattai|Mor Mattai]]
| diocese = 
| churches = 
| founder = 
| abbot = 
| prior = 
| people = 
| location = near [[Bartella]], [[Nineveh Governorate|Nineveh]]
| country = Iraq
| map_type = Iraq#Near East
| map_relief = yes
| coord = {{coord|36.49|43.442778|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| oscoor = 
| remains = 
| public_access = 
| other_info = 
}}
'''Dayro d-Mor Mattai''' ({{langx|syr|ܕܝܪܐ ܕܡܪܝ ܡܬܝ}}; {{Langx|ar|دير مار متى}}; ''The Monastery of St. Matthew'' or ''Dayro d-Mor Mattai'')<ref>Thomas A. Carlson et al., “Mor Matay — ܕܝܪܐ ܕܡܪܝ ܡܬܝ ” in The Syriac Gazetteer last modified June 30, 2014, http://syriaca.org/place/227.</ref> is a [[Syriac Orthodox Church]] monastery on [[Mount Alfaf]] in northern [[Iraq]]. Located 20 kilometers northeast of the city of [[Mosul]], it is recognized as one of the oldest Christian monasteries in existence and the oldest [[Syriac Orthodox]] monastery in the world.

The monastery was famous for the number of monks and scholars it housed, and for its large library and considerable collection of [[Syriac Christian]] manuscripts.<ref>[[Michael Goldfarb (author and journalist)|Michael Goldfarb]], ''Ahmad's War, Ahmad's Peace'' (New York: Carroll & Graf, 2005).</ref> Today, it is an [[archbishopric]]; the current archbishop is Mor Timothius Mousa Alshamany.

==History==
===Founding===
[[File:Mor Timothy Mosa Alshamany.jpg|thumb|Mor Timothy Mosa Alshamany (2015), Archbishop of the monastery]]
[[File:St. Matthew Monastery - Mosul.jpg|thumb|right|Mor Mattai Monastery]]
The monastery was founded in 363 AD by [[Mar (title)|Mor]] [[Matthew the Hermit|Mattai the Hermit]] who fled persecution in [[Amida (Mesopotamia)|Amid]] under the Roman Emperor [[Julian the Apostate]] with 25 other monks and took residence in Mount Alfaf.<ref name="Jacob" /> According to Syriac tradition, he converted [[Behnam, Sarah, and the Forty Martyrs|Mor Behnam]] to Christianity and healed his sister, Sarah, whom he converted too. Their father, Sennacherib, was the Governor of the area of Nimrud, and appointed by the Persian King Shapur. He killed his son and daughter when he learned they became Christians, but he later recanted and built a church and a monastery per Mor Mattai's request on the [[Mount Alfaf]].<ref name="Jacob" />

The church and monastery were surrounded by a strong wall and contained water tanks. The monks that came with Mor Mattai lived in huts and caves around the monastery and on the mountain itself. Mor Mattai became the monastery superior and under his leadership the community developed a true monastic ethos. When Mor Mattai died, he was interred in the monastery.<ref name="Jacob" /> He was succeeded by Mor Zakai, one of the monks who came with him from Amid.

===12th–16th centuries===
In the 12th century, after storming a nunnery in Khudida, [[Kurds]] attacked the monastery for four months with 1,000 horsemen and foot soldiers. The monks burnt the ladders to prevent their entry. The Kurds rolled two large boulders against the walls from above, breaking a hole through which the Kurds tried to force entrance. The monks successfully fought back with stones and darts before repairing the walls. Abbot Abu Nser, the monastery superior, lost an eye in this battle. Eventually, the Kurds were bribed with gold and silver from the churches and retreated.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Howorth|first=Henry|title=History of the Mongols: From the 9th to the 19th century, Part III|publisher=Burt Franklin|year=1888|location=New York|pages=180}}</ref>

In 1171, tribal [[Hadhabani]] [[Kurds]] led several attacks on the monastery and were repelled by a coalition of monks and local Christians. The Kurds promised the monks they would cease their attacks and paid them 30 dinars; believing their monastery would be safe, the monks sent the local Christians back to their villages. Later, a force of 1,500 Kurds pillaged the monastery and killed 15 monks who could not find refuge in the upper citadel. The monks who survived the attack abandoned the monastery and relocated to Mosul. Upon hearing of the attack, the governor of Mosul attacked the Kurds, killing many; in retaliation the Kurds destroyed nine [[Assyrian people|Assyrian]] villages, killing their inhabitants and attacked the Monastery of Mar Sergius.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.syriacstudies.com/AFSS/Syriac_Articles_in_English/Entries/2012/4/28_The_Christians_Under_Turkish_RuleCrusades_Conflict_Between_Christendom_And_Islam_Dr._Matti_Moosa.html|title=The Christians Under Turkish Rule|last=Moosa|first=Matti|date=28 April 2012}}</ref>

In 1369, another attack by Kurds on the monastery damaged many manuscripts. During the 19th century, Kurds looted the monastery numerous times.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cso-france.voila.net/Monastere_Saint_Mattai.htm|language=fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303004713/http://cso-france.voila.net/Monastere_Saint_Mattai.htm|title=Monastère de Mor Mattai - Mossul - Irak|archive-date=3 March 2014}}</ref>

===20th century–current===
The monastery is the center of archdiocese of by the [[Syriac Orthodox Church]] that includes a number of villages below it and around it. Every year, Christians of various church denominations gather in the monastery on September 18 to commemorate the day of Mor Mattai's death.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.syrian-orthodox.com/readnews.php?id=215|title=القديس مار متى الناسك والشهداء مار بهنام وسارة ورفاقهما الأربعين|access-date=2014-06-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226035732/http://www.syrian-orthodox.com/readnews.php?id=215|archive-date=2018-12-26|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Councils==
A [[synod]] (or council) is a large church conference attended by many of the [[Metropolitan bishop|metropolitans]] and [[bishop]]s of the church. It is usually headed by the Patriarch. There were three synods that convened in Mor Mattai Monastery throughout its history.

===First Synod (628 AD)===
The first synod was held to renew the union between the Mor Mattai Monastery and the Syriac Orthodox Church. It was headed by Mor Mattai Monastery's Metropolitan Mar Christophorus and attended by [[John III of the Sedre|John]] (secretary of the Patriarch Mar Athanasius I), Bishop Jirjis of Sinjar, Bishop Daniel of Banuhadra (modern Duhok), Bishop Gregroius of Baremman, and Bishop Yardafne of Shahrzoul. After long discussions, the attendees, along with other monks from the Monastery, traveled to [[Antioch]] to meet with the Patriarch Mar Athanasius to conclude the discussions of union and obtain his blessing to ordain three monks as bishops to fill some vacant [[diocese]]s in the east.<ref name="Jacob">IGNATIUS YACOUB III, History of the Monastery of Saint Matthew in Mosul, Translated by Matti Moosa. Gorgias Press LLC, New Jersey 2008</ref>

===Second Synod (628 AD)===
The second synod was held in November 628 after returning from the trip to Antioch mentioned above. It was headed by Mar Christophorus I and attended by Mar Marutha (the newly ordained metropolitan of [[Takrit]]) and many of the other Eastern bishops. They organized the dioceses of the East into twelve bishoprics. By the authority of Christophorus I, the council issued twenty-four canons intended to enhance the position of the metropolitan of Mor Mattai Monastery while overlooking the interest of the metropolitan of Takrit.<ref name="Jacob" />

===Third Synod (1930)===
The third synod was presided over by Syrian Orthodox Patriarch [[Ignatius Elias III|Mor Ignatius Elias III]] (1917–1933) and moderated by Mor Severus Aphrem Barsoum (1889–1957), then Archbishop of Syria and Lebanon (later Patriarch [[Ignatius Aphrem I|Ignatius Aphrem I Barsoum]]). The Synod discussed post-war challenges such as the huge numbers of refugees, issued new canon laws, and sought to organize church affairs. Particular challenges included managing properties and endowments in different emerging nation-states in the Middle East and the globally scattered diaspora. Special attention was given to the situation of the Syriac Orthodox Church in India. The Synod issued 41 resolutions and enacted general law for the denominational synods for the Syriac Orthodox church that had 32 articles.<ref name="Jacob" />

==Manuscripts==
[[File:Twenty of the XL Martyrs of Sebaste, Syriac lectionary, copied at the monastery of Mar Mattai, near Mosul, Iraq; 1219–20 (Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Syr. 559, fol. 93v.jpg|thumb|Twenty of the XL Martyrs of Sebaste, Syriac lectionary, copied at the monastery of Mar Mattai, near Mosul, Iraq; 1219–20 ([[:Commons:Category:Vatican Library, Ms. Syr. 559|Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Syr. 559]], fol. 93v.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Eastmond |first1=Antony |title=Tamta's World: The Life and Encounters of a Medieval Noblewoman from the Middle East to Mongolia |date=2017 |doi=10.1017/9781316711774 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |ISBN= 9781316711774}}</ref>]]
Mor Mattai Monastery had rich libraries containing thousands of manuscripts throughout its long history. However, most manuscripts were lost during a huge fire in 480 AD and in many attacks from hostile enemies. Today, only 224 manuscripts remain in its library. The oldest manuscript is a copy of the [[New Testament]] which dates back to 1222 AD.<ref>Ghanim Al-Shamani, St. Matthew’s Monastery Manuscripts List. Oriental Cultural Center, Duhok, 2010</ref>

==Patriarchs==
{{See also|List of Syriac Orthodox patriarchs of Antioch}}
The Syriac Orthodox Church had three [[patriarch]]s that studied and graduated from Mor Mattai Monastery:<ref name="Jacob" />
* [[Ignatius George II|Ignatius Jirjis II]] (1687–1708)
* [[Ignatius Isaac II|Ignatius Ishaq]] (1709–1723)
* [[Ignatius Jacob III|Ignatius Yacoub III]] (1958–1980)

==Maphrians==
{{See also|List of maphrians}}
This is a list of all the [[maphrian]]s that studied and graduated from Mor Mattai Monastery. "Maphrian of the East" is a church title that was bestowed as a position below the patriarch to manage the affairs of the eastern dioceses of the Syriac Orthodox Church. This position was created in the past because of the political divisions and wars between the Byzantine Empire in the west and the Persian Empire in the east. This office was abolished in 1860, by which time it had become a [[titular see]], due to the decline in population of Syriac Orthodox Christians in the region.<ref name="Jacob" />

* [[Marutha of Tikrit|Mar Marutha]] (628–649)
* [[Denha I of Tikrit|Denha I]] (649–659)
* John I Saba (686–688)
* John II Kionoyo (759–785)
* Gregorius IV Matthew (1317–1345)
* [[Basil Matthew II]] (1713–1727)
* Basil Li’azar IV (1730–1759)

==Mor Mattai Monastery metropolitans==
This is a partial list of Mor Mattai Monastery's [[Metropolitan bishop|metropolitans]]. There are gaps in time where the monastery didn't have a residing metropolitan for various reasons, such as when the monastery was abandoned for long periods of time due to attacks from hostile armies.<ref name="Jacob" />
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* Bar Sohde (480)
* Garmay (544)
* Tubana
* Yeshu' Zkha
* Sahda
* Simon
* Christophorus I (628)
* John I (686)
* Anonymous (686)
* John II (752)
* Daniel (817)
* Quryaqos (824)
* Sarjis (Segius) Christophorus II (914)
* Timothy Soghde (1075–1120)
* Bar Kotella (1132)
* Anonymous (1152)
* Saliba (1189–1212)
* Severus Jacob I (1232–1241)
* Gregorius John III (1242–?)
* Ignatius (1269)
* Sawera (Severus) Yeshu' (1269–1272)
* Basilius Abrohom (1278)
* Iyawannis (1290)
* Jumu'a, son of Jubayr (1665)
* Severus Ishaq (1684–1687)
* Severus Malke (1694–1699)
* Iyawannis Matta I (1701–1712)
* Gregorius Li'azar (1728–1730)
* Timothy 'Isa (1737–1739)
* Iyawannis John IV (1743–1746)
* Cyril Rizq Allah (1760–1770)
* Cyril Matta II (1770–1782)
* Cyril 'Abd al-'Aziz (1782–1793)
* Eustathius Musa (1793–1828)
* Gregorius Elias I (1828–1838)
* Cyril Matta III (1846–1858)
* Cyril Denha (1858–1871)
* Cyril Elias II (1872–1921)
* Qlemis (Clement) V, John (1926–1930)
* Dionysius John VI (1935–1942)
* Timothy Jacob II (1946–1966)
* Severus Zakka Iwas (1966–1969) (later [[Ignatius Zakka I]])
* Dioscorus Luka Shaya (1980–2005)
* Timothy Mosa Alshamany (2006–present)
{{div col end}}

==Mor Mattai Monastery superiors==
The monastery [[Abbot|superior]] is person who would manage the daily activities inside and outside the monastery. This person was usually a priest or a monk (''Rabban''). Some of them went on to be metropolitans or bishops in the Monastery or other Syriac Orthodox dioceses. This is a partial list.<ref name="Jacob" />
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* Mor Mattai
* Mar Zakai (late 4th century – early 5th century)
* Mar Abrohom
* Addai (628) 
* Hawran (914)
* Bar Kotella (1130–1132)
* Anonymous (1174)
* Hasan Bar Shamma' (1243–1253)
* Rabban Abu Nasr (1261–1290)
* Rabban Matta II, Bar Hanno (1317)
* Rabban lshaq I (1675–1684)
* Rabban Tuma I (1712–1721)
* Rabban Li'azar (1727–1728)
* Rabban Matta III (1831–1833)
* Rabban Jacob (1917–1918, 1920–1921, and 1928–1929)
* The Chorepiscopus Sulayman (1921–1923, and 1926–1928)
* Rabban lshaq II (1929–1935)
* The Chorepiscopus Elias Sha'ya i (1942–1943 and 1945)
* Rabban Saliba (1943)
* Priest Tuma II (1945–1946)
* Priest Elias Bihnam (1964)
* Rabban Hanna Daoud Al-Kass (1967–1970)
* Rabban Ishaq III Saka (1970–1980)
* Metropolitan Dioscorus Luka Shaya (1980–2005)
* Metropolitan Timothy Mosa Al-Shamany (2015–Present)
{{div col end}}

==Metropolitans and bishops==
This is a list of Syriac Orthodox church [[Metropolitan bishop|metropolitans]] and [[bishop]]s that studied and graduated from Mor Mattai Monastery but served in different dioceses. The list also contains two brothers' names who were neither metropolitans nor bishops.<ref name="Jacob" />
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* Ith Alaha, bishop of Marga and Gomel (628)
* Aha, bishop of Firshapur and al-Anbar (628)
* Hananya, metropolitan of Mardin and Kafartut (793–816)
* Shamu'il, metropolitan of Sijistan
* Ishaq, bishop of Armenia
* Tuma, metropolitan of Tiberias
* Philotheous, metropolitan Afra-Khurasan
* Athanasius, bishop of Sadad
* Athanasius Behnam bar Sammana, bishop of Banuhdra (Duhuk in northern Iraq) (1265–1279)
* Iyawannis Denha, bishop of Baghdad (1265)
* John Wahb, bishop of Jazirat ibn 'Umar (1265–1280)
* Sawera Yeshu', bishop of Azerbayjan, Mor Mattai Monastery, and Tabriz (d. 1277)
* Dionysius Joseph, bishop of Tabriz (1277)
* Mikha'il Mukhlis, bishop of Baremman (1278)
* Denha John, bishop of the Mu'allaq Monastery (1278)
* Iyawannis Ayyub Gob), bishop of Banuhadra (modern Duhok) (1284)
* Dioscorus Gabriel of Bartulli, bishop of Jazirat ibn 'Umar (1284–1300)
* Abd Allah of Bartulli, metropolitan of Jazirat ibn 'Umar (1326)
* Dioscorus Jirjis, metropolitan of Jazirat ibn 'Umar (1677)
* Ishaq Saliba, metropolitan of the monastery of Mar Abai (1697)
* Athanasius Tuma, metropolitan of the Patriarchal Office and then of Jerusalem (1731–1748)
* Dionysius Behnam Samarchi, metropolitan of Mosul (1867–1911)
* Julius Behnam of 'Aqra, metropolitan of the Jazira (1871–1927)
* [[:ar:بولس بهنام|Gregorius Bulus Behnam]], metropolitan of Mosul, then Baghdad (1952–1969)
{{div col end}}

==Burials==
This is a list of Syriac Orthodox Church fathers and other clergy that are buried in Mor Mattai Monastery:<ref name="Jacob" />
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* Mor Mattai
* Mar Zakai
* Mar Abrohom
* Bishop Mar Bar Sohde (d. 480)
* Maphryono John V, of Sarug
* Maphryono Gregorius Jacob of Melitene
* Maphryono Gregorius Bar Hebraeus
* Maphryono Gregorius Barsoum al-Safi
* Maphryono Gregorius I, Matta of Bartulli (1317–1345)
* Maphryono Basilius IV, Li'azar of Mosul (1730–1759)
* Bishop Severns Jacob of Bartulli (1232–1241)
* Bishop Athanasius Behnam bar Sammana, bishop of Banuhadra, Duhok (1265–1279)
* Bishop Eustathius Musa Lashshi of Mosul (1793–1828)
* Bishop Cyril III, Matta of Mosul (1846–1858)
* Bishop Dionysius VI, John Mansurati (1935–1942)
* Bishop Cyril Denha of Hbob (1858–1871)
* Bishop Cyril II, Elias of Mosul (1872–1921)
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Wikivoyage|Mar Mattai}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Nineveh Plains}}
{{Syriac monasteries}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Christianity in Nineveh Governorate]]
[[Category:363 establishments]]
[[Category:Christian monasteries established in the 4th century]]
[[Category:Syriac Orthodox monasteries in Iraq]]
[[Category:Christianity in the Sasanian Empire]]
[[Category:History of Nineveh Governorate]]
[[Category:Syriac Orthodox dioceses]]