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**frequensearules** · 12-23-2005, 01:08 AM

Not far from Damascus there are several christian villages, and among them Saydnaya. it's of a great spiritual importance for christians, but muslims come to it as well. its name means either Our Lady or the hunting place. It is said that when emperor Justinian travelled across Syria he and his soldiers came around this place and became thirsty. Still, then Justinian saw an extremly beautiful gazelle, he chased it until it reached a source of a stream and then it changed into an icon of Mary the Virgin shining with great light. A bright hand reached out from it and a voice told Justinian that he should build a church to her in this place, and so he did.
It's said to be the second most holy place in the M.East after Jerusalem, especially since Jerusalem can't be reached by most of arab christians.
here is a part of female monastery, a very noble one, where the holy icon is kept.

12-23-2005, 01:08 AM	#20
frequensearules Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 507 Senior Member	Not far from Damascus there are several christian villages, and among them Saydnaya. it's of a great spiritual importance for christians, but muslims come to it as well. its name means either Our Lady or the hunting place. It is said that when emperor Justinian travelled across Syria he and his soldiers came around this place and became thirsty. Still, then Justinian saw an extremly beautiful gazelle, he chased it until it reached a source of a stream and then it changed into an icon of Mary the Virgin shining with great light. A bright hand reached out from it and a voice told Justinian that he should build a church to her in this place, and so he did. It's said to be the second most holy place in the M.East after Jerusalem, especially since Jerusalem can't be reached by most of arab christians. here is a part of female monastery, a very noble one, where the holy icon is kept.
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