• Home

The Complete Pilgrim - Religious Travel Sites

Howard Kramer's, The Complete Pilgrim, Religious Travel Site

  • AMERICAN RELIGIOUS SITES
  • CHRISTIAN SITES
  • JEWISH SITES
  • CATHOLIC SITES
  • ISLAMIC SITES
  • INDIAN/HINDU SITES
  • HOLIDAY SITES
  • CASTLES
  • BATTLEFIELDS
  • MOUNTAINS
  • NATURE
  • WILDLIFE SITES
  • PHOTO GALLERIES
  • ARCHIVES
  • ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ISIS, WAR IN SYRIA THREATEN JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN SITES

July 27, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Shrine of Jonah, Mosul, Iraq (photo source unknown)

Shrine of Jonah, Mosul, Iraq (photo source unknown)

Mesopotamia, the heartland of the Middle East, is home to many sacred sites that predate the arrival of Islam in the 7th century.  Ancient synagogues and tombs of Biblical prophets can be found here, some of which can be traced as far back as the Babylonian Captivity; while monasteries, churches and other legacies of the Christian expansion eastward have been dated to the height of the Roman imperial era.

Today, dozens of these important historical and religious sites are severely threatened by the ongoing Syrian civil war as well as the growing menace of ISIS in Syria and Iraq.  One major religious site, the Shrine of the Prophet Younis, was already destroyed in recent days by ISIS militants.  This mosque, built amidst the ruins of Biblical Niniveh, was revered by Christians and Muslims alike as a possible burial site of the Prophet Jonah.  Its deliberate destruction is one of the greatest historic travesties since the Taliban’s dynamiting of the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan in 2001.

The civil war that has ravaged Syria since 2011 has swept through some of the oldest inhabited cities in the world.  In addition to the thousands of combatants and civilians who have been killed in the conflict, the war has laid waste to thousands of buildings which date back centuries, even millennia, including some of Christianity’s and Judaism’s oldest architectural treasures.

Aleppo in northern Syria has seen some of the fiercest fighting in the conflict.  One of the oldest trade centers in the Middle East, much of the historic city center has already been reduced to rubble.  Fortunately, the medieval Central Synagogue of Aleppo is as yet still standing.  This synagogue, which according to tradition was founded around 1000 BC by one of King David’s generals, was reconstructed in the 15th century, making it one of the world’s oldest active synagogues.  For over 500 years the Aleppo Codex, one of the oldest intact copies of the Hebrew Bible, was kept here, before being moved to Israel for safety.  Unfortunately, the magnificent Great Mosque of Aleppo was not so lucky.  Not too far from the synagogue, the mosque was badly damaged during the fighting, and its thousand-year-old minaret completely destroyed.

Monastery of Thecla, Ma'loula, Syria

Monastery of Thecla, Ma’loula, Syria

Ma’loula, an ancient town just north of Damascus, witnessed some less intensive combat, during which two of Christianity’s oldest monasteries were put in danger: the Mar Sarkis, named for the Roman soldier Sergius and home to one of the oldest surviving paintings of the Last Supper; and the Mar Thecla, named for Thecla, one of Christianity’s first female martyrs.  Although both locations were spared, twelve Orthodox Christian nuns from Ma’loula were taken hostage for several months.  Fortunately, these survived the ordeal and were later released.

On the Syrian-Iraqi frontier are the ruins of the Roman city of Dura Europos.  This little known historic jewel is right in the middle of the territory now controlled by ISIS, which has effectively declared war on any sacred site that they feel violates Sharia law.  In Dura Europas, this includes the remains of a synagogue and a church, both of which date from the 3rd century AD.  While neither of these buildings is intact, they have essentially been untouched for over 1700 years, and are thus archaeologically irreplaceable.  In particular, the Dura Europos House Church is home to the oldest known images of Jesus that have been discovered anywhere in the world to date, making the place a prime target for militants.

During the 6th century BC, large numbers of Jews lived in exile in what is now eastern Iraq and western Iran.  Some of the most prominent figures of the later books of the Hebrew Bible are believed to be buried in the region.  One tomb outside of Mosul, long revered as a possible burial site of the Prophet Daniel, has already been destroyed.  Fortunately, the more likely site of Daniel’s tomb is in the city of Shush, safe in Iran (despite current Jewish-Iranian relations, Iran has traditionally respected Biblical sites, which includes the tomb of Ester in the city of Hamadan).

Archaeological Site, Dura Europas, Syria

Archaeological Site, Dura Europas, Syria

While still outside of ISIS territory, Ezekiel’s Tomb in the city of Al Kifl in Iraq is certainly less safe.  This sacred shrine was once the heart of Iraq’s Jewish community which dated back thousands of years.  Although most of the Jews left in the mid-20th century, the tomb has since been preserved by the local Muslim community.  It is fortunately beyond the reach of both conflicts, at least for the moment.

Both Syria and Iraq are home to many more such historic religious sites: the Tomb of John the Baptist and the Chapel of Ananias in Damascus; the Pillar of St. Simeon Stylites outside of Aleppo; and a possible tomb of the Hebrew Prophet Ezra in southern Iraq, just to name a few.  For over thirteen centuries such sacred places were largely respected, and often revered, by the local Muslim populations.  Sadly, this tradition of forbearance is breaking down throughout Mesopotamia: by accidental collateral destruction in the west and by the deliberate, thoughtless efforts of a handful of extremists in the east.

And it doesn’t seem as though there will be a respite on either front anytime soon.

Filed Under: Articles

Where would you like to go?

Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

About Howard Kramer

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is a culmination of years of his work and passion.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

THE COMPLETE AMERICAN PILGRIM – NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

THE COMPLETE PILGRIM

Welcome to The Complete Pilgrim(TM)! This site, created by Howard Kramer, is a combination travel blog and online guide to the world's greatest sites of religious interest (with some historic and recreational places thrown in for good measure). All written content has been originally researched and produced and is provided free for public research and enjoyment. Thank you for visiting!

Site of the Week

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

Wittenberg, Germany The … [Read More...]

Friends of TCP Spotlight

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

by Glory Ali The City of Brotherly Love offers tons to see and do and get this, it’s FREE. That’s right you heard it right it’s FREE. Click here for complete article  

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

by Mary Neuhauser President Trump recently announced his intentions to move the United States Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, thereby recognizing Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel. The purpose of this article is to give you a brief overview of what this decision means and why it matters. Click here for […]

Photo of the Week

BASILICA OF ST. DENIS

Last month, I visited one of the most fascinating churches I have ever been to, the almost completely ignored Basilica of St. Denis in the northern suburbs of Paris.  Almost every French monarch is buried here, and almost nobody goes here.  Here are some pics I took:

Basilica of St. Denis

Tomb of Clovis

Tomb of Clovis

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Royal Tombs

Royal Tombs

The Crypt

The Crypt

 

 

 

 

Follow us!

Where would you like to go?

Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

Contact Us

Have a comment, a great photo or a religious site you'd like to nominate for the weekly spotlight? We would love to hear from you. Email us at hkramer@thecompletepilgrim.com.

About the Author

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is the culmination of years of his work and passion.

Return to top of page
Copyright © 2023 The Complete Pilgrim, LLC || Marietta, GA 30068 || Legal Disclaimers

Website by: Kristina McInerny, Notes From Kris, Inc.