The Patriarchal Monastery of Saint Thecla – Maaloula

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Rural Damascus

The Patriarchal Monastery of Saint Thecla – Maaloula

Religious Monuments

Perched in Maaloula, approximately 65 km northeast of Damascus at an elevation of 1600 meters, the Monastery of Saint Thecla stands around a cave said to have miraculously opened for Saint Thecla as she fled Roman persecution. Within this cave, she is believed to have unearthed a spring renowned for its healing properties.
The site has attracted pilgrims since the 5th century. A church was constructed in 1906, and the main monastic building was erected in 1935, with an additional floor added in 1959. A guesthouse was also built in 1934. Today, the monastery encompasses two sacred caves, two small churches, and a collection of historic icons. It continues to welcome both Christian denominations and Muslims for rituals and prayers.

Special Details

Cave of Saint Thecla with a rock fissure and sacred spring; early 20th-century church above older remains; nuns’ cells and guest accommodations; icons from the 18th–19th centuries (Patriarch Sylvester, Jerusalem school). Byzantine era