BARTELLA – Ishtar TV.com

Photo source: Syriac Orthodox Church of Bartella

The Syriac Orthodox Church of Bartella celebrated the Feast of St. Daniel the Hermit on the morning of Sunday, 18 October 2026, with the traditional Teshmesht prayer service at his historic monastery on Mount St. Daniel in the Nineveh Plain. A large gathering of faithful took part in the observance.

The prayers were held under the patronage and in the presence of His Eminence Mor Timotheos Mousa Al-Shamani, with the participation of priests from the diocese serving Bartella and Merghe. The celebration reflected the community’s enduring commitment to its ecclesiastical traditions and spiritual heritage.

Mar Daniel Monastery: A Monastic Heritage Dating Back to the Fourth Century

The Monastery of St. Daniel the Hermit is one of the historic Syriac monastic landmarks in the Nineveh Plain. It stands on the mountain bearing the saint’s name, approximately 30 kilometres east of Mosul and about five kilometres northeast of Bartella.

According to historical and ecclesiastical traditions, the monastery’s origins date back to the fourth century AD, when Syriac monks sought refuge in the region’s mountains for a life of prayer and asceticism following the persecutions suffered by Christians.

The monastery’s history is associated with the monk St. Daniel, who accompanied St. Matthew the Hermit on his journey from southeastern Turkey to the Nineveh Plain.

According to tradition, St. Matthew chose Mount Maqlub for his life of prayer and asceticism, while Daniel settled on a neighbouring mountain that later became known by his name. He established his monastery at its summit, making the site one of the monastic centres associated with the history of Syriac Christianity in the region.

A Monastery That Fell into Ruins but Remains Alive in Bartella’s Memory

Local sources indicate that the monastery was abandoned in the fourteenth century AD, when its monks moved to the nearby Monastery of Mar Mattai. Much of the original complex subsequently fell into ruin, leaving behind remnants and historical traces.

The monastery is also popularly known as the “Monastery of the Beetles.” According to local oral tradition, the name is linked to the appearance of small beetles in the surrounding area during the feast of St. Daniel.

Despite centuries of deterioration and abandonment, the monastery retains a special religious and emotional significance for the people of Bartella and the wider Nineveh Plain.

Every year, members of the community continue to climb the mountain to commemorate the saint’s feast and take part in prayers at the historic site. Their annual pilgrimage helps preserve their spiritual heritage, ecclesiastical traditions and collective historical memory.