Monastery of Saint Moses the Abyssinian

The Christian monastery of Saint Moses of Abyssinia (Arabic دير مار موسى الحبشي Dair Mār Musa al - Habashi, DMG Dair Mār Musa al - Ḥabašī ) stands on a rocky outcrop in a narrow wadi on the slope of Anti-Lebanon Mountains in Syria. It stands on the site and on the foundations of an even built by the Romans watchtower. After a long vacancy, it was revived in the late 20th century as a place of dialogue between denominations and religions.

Prehistory

The name of the monastery dates back to an Abyssinian prince named Moses about 1500 years ago in one of the small caves at the side of the gully retired here to lead an ascetic life. As a result, here gathered over centuries a small group of pious men to seek the seclusion of the mountains close to - Nebek (about 80 km north of Damascus ) in the monastic basic virtues God. The first mention of a monastery can be found in the 586 years

The ruins of a small Roman border fortifications were thereby expanded into a small basilica and was for a long time the only building of the monastery; has lived in the surrounding caves. In the 11th and 12th century, the monastery experienced a strong upswing. The church was repeatedly decorated with frescoes and overall the monastery expanded and fortified. In the 17th century eventually crack under the Muslim rule of the territory from the always small stream of seekers after God and the monastery went under.

Revival

In 1982, the Jesuit Father Paolo Dall'Oglio from Italy to Syria. He turned away from the Christian claims to power and sought in the country of origin of Christian asceticism his vocation and dialogue. From 1984 he began to build the dilapidated monastery again. At first only supported by volunteers from the area and individual Europeans. It formed an informal living and working community under his leadership.

The historic building was soon too small to house. First, it was built a short distance to using natural caves one known today as Deir el- Huqab accommodation for male monks and the goats of the monastery. Still not quite finished, the woman began accommodation since 1998, Deir el- Hayek, with guest quarters and seminar rooms. The former garage with generator room, which was in the valley below the monastery was expanded and now houses now, among other things the goat pen and a space to be able to read there fairs.

Since 1991, from the informal community a recognized monastic community under the auspices of the Syrian Catholic Church. The monastic basic virtues " prayer " (Arabic: Salat ) and work ( ' Amal ) were purchased from Father Paolo extended by the Arab elements of hospitality ( Dayafa ) and dialogue ( Hiwar ). The community has only seven permanent members (2008) and today women ( 2) and men ( 5) open next are always volunteers present, for a few weeks, but partly also for months or years, the lives of the brothers and sisters share.

A particular focus of the work is ecumenism, due to the situation in Syria, especially by Catholic and Orthodox Christians, and the dialogue between Christianity and Islam. To this end, we maintain the monastery a small library with these priorities.

Moreover, it has the monastery, starting to supply the efforts of the monastery itself with food, developed into a center for organic farming under the conditions of a semi-desert. In the neighborhood there is a national park was established, at the touristic development, the monastery is also involved, although the monastery is dependent on donations from the outside.

In 2007, two monks of Deir Mar Musa also about 50 km to the north near the village of Al- Qaryatayn lying Dair Mar Elyan was revived.