Maalula

Last week Josh and I visited Maalula, one of the few remaining places where Aramaic (the language Jesus spoke) is still spoken. I am sad to report that we did not overhear much Aramaic, but we did have a lovely day wandering around the town in the rain. Maalula is situated against rock cliffs, and if you look closely at these cliffs you will see caves. Some of these caves may have been inhabited by early Christians.

Our first stop was the Convent of St. Thelca. According to the Lonely Planet guide book, St. Thelca was a pupil of St. Paul, and one of the earliest Christian martyrs. As legend has it, she was being pursued by soldiers sent to execute her for her faith. Cornered against the cliffs, she prayed to God for help and a cleft appeared in the rock face, facilitating her flight to safety. In this cleft now sits a convent dedicated to her. We were fortunate to be some of the only visitors on that day, and were able to get a glimpse of what it’s like to live in a convent on rainy winter days.

We also visited the Convent of St. Sergius, parts of which date to the 4th century AD. This monastery seemed especially equipped to cater to touring groups, and we read that they had received nearly 13,000 visitors the previous year, around 1,200 of whom were from the US. This monastery is famous for its wine, which we were fortunate to be able to sample. When you visit, we’ll take you there!