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Mar Oraha Monastery

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Affiliation
  
Chaldean Catholic

Address
  
Iraq

Completed
  
6th century

Mar Oraha Monastery

Location
  
Batnaya, Nineveh,  Iraq

Similar
  
Rabban Hormizd Monastery, Mar Mattai monastery, Mar Behnam Monastery, Dair Mar Elia, The Immaculate Church

Dayra d'Mar Oraha (Syriac: ܕܝܪܐ ܕܡܪܝ ܘܪܐܗܐ‎) (Saint Abraham Monastery) is a Chaldean Catholic monastery in northern Iraq close to the town of Batnaya.

The monastery is traditionally attributed to Mar Oraha, who was forced to abandon his hermitage in Mount Alfaf due to a draught, and descended to the plains of Nineveh, where he built his monastery during Ishoʿyahb I's patriarchy (581-596). It was occupied by monks of the Church of the East until 1719, when it passed to the Chaldean Catholic Church. The monastery was completely destroyed and its monks were killed at the hands of Nadir Shah during his campaign in the region in 1743. In 1921, it was rebuilt with the help of the Dominican Order.

The feast of Mar Oraha is held twice at the monastery: the first Sunday of the Great Lent, and the second Sunday after Easter.

References

Mar Oraha Monastery Wikipedia