Monastery of Saint Mark, Syriac Orthodox monastery in Armenian Quarter, East Jerusalem, Israel
The Monastery of Saint Mark is a stone structure with a main church dedicated to the saint and a smaller chapel within its confines. The building complex sits in a historic neighborhood and is actively maintained and used by a small religious community.
A first church structure at this location dates to the 6th century, but was later completely rebuilt during the Crusader period. The present building was constructed in that medieval era and has remained on the site since then.
During worship services, the community here speaks an ancient language connected to the earliest days of Christianity in this city. The congregation preserves a form of speech that links directly to the period when the first followers of Jesus gathered in Jerusalem.
This monastery is located on Ararat Street in the northeastern section of a historic neighborhood and can be explored on foot. Visitors should keep in mind that this is an active place of worship, so certain behavior and visiting hours need to be respected.
Inside the monastery sits a baptismal font linked to ancient traditions about the family of Jesus. The building also houses manuscripts created by learned scribes from the early Christian period.
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