Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi – Syriac Catholic Archdiocese of Homs, Hama, and Nebek

Rural Damascus

Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi – Syriac Catholic Archdiocese of Homs, Hama, and Nebek

Religious Monuments

Preserved

August 8, 2025

Nestled in the Qalamoun Mountains valley at an elevation of 1320 meters, Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi (the Monastery of Saint Moses the Abyssinian) stands on the remains of a Roman tower that was transformed into a monastery in the 6th century. Tradition recounts the story of Mar Musa al-Habashi, an Abyssinian king who renounced his worldly life and journeyed to the monastery.
A church was constructed in 1058 CE, featuring three layers of frescoes depicting scenes such as the Annunciation and the Day of Judgment. The monastery was abandoned in 1831 but underwent extensive restoration between 1980 and 1994, with support from Syria and Italy. The monastic community was re-established in 1991.
Today, the monastery preserves its ancient frescoes and archaeological treasures. It remains a vital spiritual and agricultural center, and a community dedicated to interfaith dialogue and ecological development.

Special Details

Three-aisled church (nave and sanctuary) with three layers of fresco: mid-11th century, late 11th century, early 13th century; murals depicting the Annunciation, the Dormition, Judgment Day, and scenes of the Evangelists and martyrs; relic of Saint Moses’s thumb in the Nabk church; monks’ caves and a modern ecological/agricultural school. Byzantine era