Ma`loula
Encyclopedia
Name
Ma'loula or Maaloula ' onMouseout='HidePop("43977")' href="/topics/Aramaic_language">AramaicAramaic language
Aramaic is a group of languages belonging to the Afroasiatic language phylum. The name of the language is based on the name of Aram, an ancient region in central Syria. Within this family, Aramaic belongs to the Semitic family, and more specifically, is a part of the Northwest Semitic subfamily,...
word , ma‘lā, meaning 'entrance') is a town in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
until recently dominated by speakers of Western Neo-Aramaic
Western Neo-Aramaic
Western Neo-Aramaic is a modern Aramaic language. Today, it is spoken in three villages in the Anti-Lebanon mountains of western Syria. Western Neo-Aramaic is the only modern living Aramaic language drawn from the branch of Western Aramaic languages...
.
General
The town is located 56 km to the northeast of DamascusDamascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, and built into the rugged mountainside, at an altitude of more than 1500 meters.
Population
As of 2005, the town has a population of 2,000.. However, during summer, it increases to about 6000, due to people coming from Damascus for vacations. Half a century ago, 15,000 people lived in Maalula.Religiously, the population consists of both Christians (mainly Melkite Greek Catholic) and Muslims. For the Muslim inhabitants, the legacy is all the more remarkable given that they were not Arabized
Arabization
Arabization or Arabisation describes a growing cultural influence on a non-Arab area that gradually changes into one that speaks Arabic and/or incorporates Arab culture...
, unlike most other Syrians who like them were Islamized over the centuries but also adopted Arabic and shifted to an "Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
" ethnic identity.
Language
With two other nearby towns Bakh'a and Jubba'din , it is the only place where a dialect of the Western branch of the Aramaic languageAramaic language
Aramaic is a group of languages belonging to the Afroasiatic language phylum. The name of the language is based on the name of Aram, an ancient region in central Syria. Within this family, Aramaic belongs to the Semitic family, and more specifically, is a part of the Northwest Semitic subfamily,...
is still spoken. Scholars have determined that the Aramaic of Jesus
Aramaic of Jesus
It is generally agreed that the historical Jesus primarily spoke Aramaic, perhaps along with some Hebrew and Greek . The towns of Nazareth and Capernaum, where Jesus lived, were primarily Aramaic-speaking communities, although Greek was widely spoken in the major cities of the Eastern Mediterranean...
belonged to this particular branch as well, however, as many media coverage has erroneously stated, it isn't the exact dialect Jesus of Nazareth spoke during the first century. Ma'loula represents, therefore, an important source for anthropological linguistic studies regarding first century Aramaic, hence, Jesus' own Aramaic dialect. The distance from other major cities and its isolating geological features only aided the longevity of this linguistic oasis for over one and a half thousand years. However, modern roads and transportation, as well as accessibility to Arabic-language television and print media - and for some time until recently, also state policy - have eroded that linguistic heritage.
Monasteries
There are two important monasteries in Ma`loula: Greek Catholic Mar Sarkis and Greek Orthodox Mar TheclaThecla
Thecla was a saint of the early Christian Church, and a reported follower of Paul the Apostle. The only known record of her comes from the apocryphal Acts of Paul and Thecla, probably composed in the 2nd century.-Biography:...
.
Mar Sarkis
One of the oldest surviving monasteries in Syria. It was built on the site of a pagan temple, and has elements which go back to the fifth to sixth century Byzantine period. Mar Sarkis is the Arabic name for Saint Sergius, a Roman soldier who was executed for his Christian beliefs. This monastery still maintains its solemn historical character.Mar Taqla
This monastery holds the remains of St. Taqla (TheclaThecla
Thecla was a saint of the early Christian Church, and a reported follower of Paul the Apostle. The only known record of her comes from the apocryphal Acts of Paul and Thecla, probably composed in the 2nd century.-Biography:...
); daughter of one of Seleucid princes, and pupil of St. Paul. Also to have been thought as a disciple and married to Paul. According to legend, in the 1st century C.E, St. Taqla was being pursued by soldiers of her father to capture her because of her Christian faith. She came upon a mountain, and after praying, the mountain split open and let her escape through. The town gets its name from this gap or entrance in the mountain. However, there are many variations to this story among the residents of Ma`loula.
Other Monasteries
There are also the remains of numerous monasteries, convents, churches, shrines and sanctuaries. There are some that lie in ruins, while others continue to stand, defying age. Many pilgrims come to Ma`loula, both Muslim and Christian, and they go there to gain blessings and make offerings.External links
- A web site dedicated to Maaloula
- New York Times article on Aramaic language in Ma'loula and other villages in Syria
- Syrian village clings to Aramaic language at Al Jazeera English
- An episode from Australian program, Foreign Correspondent, about Maaloula.
- The dialect of Ma’lula. Grammar, vocabulary and texts. (1897-1898) By Jean Parisot (in French): Parts 1, 2, 3 at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
.