Day 7 in Midyat

I took an early bus to Midyat and headed for the old city, 3km from the newer sections. While most of the city consists of the usual trash, dirty children, kebab shops and what not that one finds anywhere in the Middle East, the old city boasts some amazing architechure similar to Mardin. In addition, it is home to 9 churches, perhaps the only city I know of that has as many church steeples and minarets. While trying to find someone to open one of the churches for me, bells rang out. I headed in their direction hoping to find an open church to visit. Although there are nine churches, they are rarely open and hold services on a rotating basis for the few Assyrian Christians who still live here. I walked into the courtyard and was quickly whisked inside as a service was just beginning.

Afterwards, a man approached me asking whether I was German. I responded no, in German, and we established that he lived in Switzerland where he’d immigrated to and that I was an American living in Germany. After the usual introductions, I inquired about visiting Morgabriel, a monastary a half hour outside the city and seat of the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch for this region. A phone was quickly produced and within a few minutes, a van pulled up driven by a fellow Assyrian who had lived in Germany for quite some time. I hopped in and we conversed in German as I listened to the usual anti-Muslim stories. Christians have never had it easy here and most of the Assyrians have emigrated to the US, Germany and Sweden.

We arrived at lunch, technically during closing hours but since he was a friend, we were let in and invited to lunch with the Patriarch and a number of young boys who worked around the vast property. I later was given a tour by one who’d grown up in Holland and had returned to help out. Afterwards I headed back into the city, walked around a bit more and called it a day. Save a handful of buildings and the churches, Midyat has little to offer. Tomorrow I’m off to Hasankeyf. Here are today’s pictures: