This is very different from the old photographs taken by Gertrude Bell one hundred years ago. Today Mor Gabriel is beautifully restored. A monastery has stood here in one form or another since the fourth century. There are squabbles over ownership of the land and the Turkish court has awarded the Kurds with some of Mor Gabriel's land. The monastery has predated any Kudish incursion in the area. Mor Gabriel is an important center for the preservation of the Aramaic language, the language of our Lord Jesus. It was also the language used by the people at the time of our Lord Jesus. Today Mor Gabriel not only welcomes visitors, it also welcomes students. One can stay for a while with permission. A lot of returning Syriac Orthodox church members are returning to learn about their roots.
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