Mar Oraha Monastery

The monastery during the 1960

The Santa Oraha Monastery ( Syriac -Aramaic ܕ ܝ ܪ ܐ ܕ ܡ ܪ ܝ ܘ ܪ ܐ ܗ ܐ ) is a Chaldean Catholic monastery of the 6th century in northern Iraq near the city of Batnaya, which was destroyed during the Muslim rule.

The monastery is traditionally ascribed to the Holy Oraha, who was forced to abandon his hermitage in the mountain Alfaf due to a drought, and settled in the Nineveh Plains, where he built his monastery during the Patriarchate of Ischo ʿ yahb I ( 581-596 ). It was occupied by monks of the Church of the East, until 1719, when it was handed over to the Chaldean Catholic Church. The monastery was completely destroyed by the hands of the Persian despot Nadir Shah during his campaign in the region in 1743 and massacred the monks. In 1921 it was rebuilt with the help of the Dominican Order.

The Feast of Mar Oraha is held twice in this monastery: On the first Sunday of the Great Lent and on the second Sunday after Easter.