Perched majestically atop Mount Maqlub, also known as Mount Alfaf, the Mar Mattai monastery commands a stunning presence in the northern reaches of Niniveh Province, approximately 38 kilometers from Mosul. Steeped in tradition, Mar Mattai himself is said to have hailed from the village of Abkarchat in the southeastern region of modern-day Turkey’s Diyarbakir.
The monastery’s strategic perch on a rocky ledge offers a unique vantage point, affording visitors an extraordinary double vista. From the valley below, the monastery seems to hover ethereally between the heavens and the earth, invoking a profound sense of contemplation and spiritual introspection. Meanwhile, from its terrace, one can soak in a sweeping 180° panorama, keeping a silent vigil over the bustling world below – the world of the Niniveh people.
Undoubtedly, the Mar Mattai monastery stands as the beating heart of one of the most breathtaking regions of ancient Christian Assyria. As a Syriac-Orthodox (Jacobite) monastery, it holds the distinction of being one of the largest in all of Mesopotamia. Its influence and grandeur rival even some of the most prominent Syriac-Orthodox monasteries of Tur Abdin, known as the “mountain of the worshippers,” situated in modern-day southeastern Turkey.