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{{Inprogress|Ixthis888Style}}[[Image:Saydnaya Monastery.jpg|right|thumb|Convent of Our Lady of Saydnaya, Syria.]]The '''Convent of Our Lady of Saydnaya''' is located in the mountains north of the city of [[Damascus]] of Syria, the seat of the ancient Patriarchate of [[Church of Antioch|Antioch]].

The convent of '''Our Lady of Sadnaya''' ==History==It is located in the mountains north of the city of said that [[DamascusJustinian]] I, Emperor of Byzantium, while crossing Syriawith his troops either on his way to the Holy Land or on a campaign against the Persians, came to this desert, where his army encamped and soon suffered thirst for lack of water. The convent is under When they despaired, the emperor saw a beautiful gazelle off in the distance. He vigorously gave chase, hunting the jurisdiction animal until it tired and stopped on a rocky knoll and approached a spring of fresh water, but without giving the emperor the opportunity to shoot it. Suddenly, it transformed into an icon of the Most-holy [[Church of AntiochTheotokos]], which shone with a brilliant light. A white hand stretched forth from it and a voice said, "No, thou shalt not kill me, Justinian, but thou shalt build a church for me here on this hill." Then the strange heavenly light and majestic figure disappeared.

The Upon his return, Justinian related what he had seen to his subordinates and ordered them immediately to draw up a plan for the contemplated [[church]]. After some time had passed and the architects were unable to resolve the problems of the plan, the Holy Virgin&mdash;the gazelle&mdash;reappeared to Justinian in a dream and confided a magnificent plan to him for a convent was founded c, of which she would be the Protectress. 547 <ref> This date has been documented by It is said that the basic structure of the conventfollows this plan to this day. The convent soon gained such renown that it came to be ranked second only to Jerusalem as a place of pilgrimage, in its library which contains hundreds and nuns from every corner of valuable manuscriptsSyria, Egypt, and other lands flocked to it. </ref>

== Saidnaya ==The city holy [[icon]] El Chagoura appeared many years after the convent was constructed. In the late eighth century, a certain venerable Marina was [[abbess]] of the convent, and she was widely revered for her piety and sanctity of Saidnaya is closely associated life. It happened that a [[hermit]] [[monk]], a Greek [[pilgrim]] from Egypt named Theodore, stopped at the convent on his way to ancient ecclesiastical history from within the [[Holy BibleLand]]. It is considered When he was leaving, Abbess Marina asked him to buy in Jerusalem a precious and fine icon of the Holy Virgin. While at Jerusalem, he utterly forgot the task entrusted to him and started on his return journey. However, when he had not gone far from the city, he was stopped short by many scholars an unfamiliar voice: "Have you not forgotten something in Jerusalem? What have you done in regard to be second in importance the commission from Abbess Marina?" Monk Theodore returned at once to Jerusalem and pilgrims from found an icon of the Theotokos. During the journey back to the convent, he was astounded by the [[miracle]]s accomplished through the icon. He and his whole caravan were ambushed by bandits, and then attacked by wild beasts. Amidst these dangers, the hermit always invoked the aid of the Holy Virgin while holding her icon, and he and all over the world visitcaravan were saved from every peril.

== Icon The village of Our Lady Saydnaya has many ancient associations with the Holy [[Bible]]. The local inhabitants can show you the reputed place where Cain slew his brother Abel. It is also an area renowned for its faithfulness to Orthodoxy. In former times when many cities and villages in Syria apostatized from Christianity, Saydnaya always remained a zealous defender of Sadnaya =={{stub}}the Orthodox Faith.

== The Miracle in Syria ==convent rises above the town like a veritable fortress and is dedicated to the [[Nativity of the Theotokos|Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos]]. One may not enter the small chapel without removing one's sandals; inside, the walls are covered with myriad signs of gratitude to the all-pure one. The icon of the All-holy Virgin is believed to be one of four icons extant that were painted by St. [[Apostle Luke|Luke the Evangelist]] himself. In the Syriac language this icon is called the Chahoura or Chagoura, which means "illustrious," "celebrated," or "renowned." The word is a loan-word from the Arabic "''chahira''" or "'Miracle in Syria'el mash hura'' was first reported in December 2004 when a Saudi Arabian muslim man appeared live on TV" which have the same meaning. There are also many other fine icons of the holy Virgin and the [[saint]]s, which date from the Internet, radio, various printed media and pamphlets in Saudi Arabiafifth, Syriasixth, Palestine and various other countriesseventh centuries. One of the

=== There are about 50 nuns in the convent, presided over by an abbess, and it owns several inalienable properties in Syria and Lebanon. Thousands of pilgrims from all parts of the world visit this holy place every year, particularly for its feast, the Nativity of the Theotokos on [[w:Interfax|InterfaxSeptember 8]] report ===Headline . In its library, which contains hundreds of valuable manuscripts, it can be documented that the [[w:Interfax|Interfax]] story convent was '''A dismembered Arab sheikh raised from founded about the dead after visiting an Orthodox convent'''year 547.

:One of Many other churches have been built in the Saudi Arabia sheikhs ‘rose village from donations of Orthodox rulers, wealthy persons, and by others in the dead’ after visiting Panagia Saidnaya [“Our Lady” fulfillment of vows, but in Syriac]the course of centuries, an old convent near Damascus, the Trud daily writes on Fridayfew remain.

:…According to The terraces and domes of the newspaper, convent are the sheikh subject of many stories and his wife could not have children. They decided to go on their last journey together to Syria accounts of miracles, similar to venerate local Muslim shrines. One taxi-driver there advised them to visit those we hear about the Sidnay Convent with its miracle-working Icon towers of Constantinople, where many special processions and intercessions were celebrated during the wars, plagues, and other dangers that assailed the Mother Christians of GodByzantium.<ref>Reprinted from ''The Word''; May, 1984, which often helped to childless familiespp. 8-9.</ref>

==Miracle in Syria==The sheikh "Miracle in Syria" was first reported in December 2004 when a Saudi Arabian Muslim man appeared live on TV, the Internet, radio, various printed media, and pamphlets in Saudi Arabia, Syria, Palestine, and various other countries, stating that he had been decapitated by his wife took the driver’s advice, taxi driver and shortly thereafter miraculously healed by the wife conceivedTheotokos.<ref>[http://www.interfax-religion. Nine months oncom/?act=news&div=940 A dismembered Arab sheikh raised from the dead after visiting an Orthodox convent - newspaper] ''Interfax'', February 3, 2006.</ref><ref>[http://www.pigizois.net/agglika/the_miracle_in_siria.htm Panagia the sheikh returned to Syria Surgeon: Decapitated Saudi's head stitched back on in order to make the boot of a donation to car, by the mother of God!] from the Brotherhood of the conventHoly Sepulchre, Patriarchate of Jerusalem, by Father Ignatios, Abbot, Holy Monastery of The Shepherds Bt Ahur-Bethlehem, compiled by Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes, Boise, Idaho.</ref>== Recent events ==On January 29, 2012, and an aggression was picked up at committed against the Convent of Our Lady of Saydnaya. According to the airport by Patriarchal Press Service, on the same driver. HoweverSunday, when many worshippers including pilgrims come to the driver knew that his passenger was loadedconvent, and so he and two friends chopped extremists shot at the old cloister from a portable gun. But the sheikh up Lord and placed His Most Holy Mother disgraced the remains in sacrilegers as the boot shell which hit a wall of the car. But all did not go according convent failed to planexplode<ref>[http://www.mospat.ru/en/2012/01/31/news57552/ Another attack on Christians in Syria] '''Department for External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church'''</ref>. It has become the second attack committed by "fighters for democraty" against Christians in Syria in 2012 after the killing of hieromonk [[Basil Nassar]] on January 26.

:After a few kilometers the car suddenly stalled. A man who was driving by offered his help, but it was rudely rejected. But this Syrian felt something was wrong and called to the police, who came and caught the three accomplices unawares. :They all experienced an even greater shock after they opened the boot. The motionless and blooded body suddenly began to stir, then revived and stood up slightly rocking. The first words he said were: ‘This same Panagia has just finished sewing up my neck here…’ === Ethnikoi article ===A few more details are available at the website Ethnikoi, where an English-language account has been compiled by Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes of Boise, Idaho (here the recipient of the miracle is just a "Saudi Arabian", rather than a sheikh): :The Saudi Arabian went to a medical facility to undergo examination by doctors and medical examiners who confirmed and attested that the stitching was done very recently, thereby validating the miraculous event. The stitches were, and still are, obvious. When the Saudi Arabian came out of the car's trunk, he had the appearance, literally, of just having been refabricated (put back together) to which he continuously confessed that the PANAGIA had rejoined his body and resurrected him with the help of her Son. :Immediately after this, the Saudi Arabian called his relatives to come to Syria and they all went together to the monastery of Panagia Saidnaya and offered up prayers, praises, and glorification, and instead of the initial gift of $80,000 US (which was promised), he gave $800,000 US to the Theotokos [the “God-Bearer", i.e. Virgin Mary]. Today, as this man relates the details of that overwhelming miracle, he starts his narration with "When I was a Moslem this happened to me" this indicating he is not longer a Moslem, as neither is his family. == Notes ==

== References Sources==*[http://www.balamandmonastery.org.lb/MonastSaydnaya.htm Antiochian Orthodox Monasteries - Syria: Holy Patriarchal Convent of Our Lady of Saydnaya, Syria] (Baland Monastery)*[http://saidnaya.com/ Holy Patriarchal convent Convent of Our Lady of Saidnaya, Syria] (Saidnaya.com) == External links ==*[http://www.all-saints.ca/news/herald_2005_aug.pdf/ This is the Miracle by Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes, p 4.] All Saints website*[http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message207386/pg1 Non-orthodox Discussion page]*[http://www.ethnikoi.org/drpanagia.htm "Panagia the Surgeon"] (Greek and English) - From the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulcher, Patriarchate of Jerusalem. By Father Ignatios, Abbot, Holy Monastery of The Shepherds Bt Ahur-Bethlehem and compiled by Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes, Boise, Idaho USA.