754 Items

Grotto of Gethsemane

Type: Painting

St. George

This east-facing equestrian saint above the western spandrel of the southern arcade is popularly believed to have been St. George. Only the bottom of a white horse crossing a fish-filled sea is still extant.

Type: Painting
Tags: An Nabk, Church, Deir Mar Musa, Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi, Equestrian, Fish, Fresco, Mar Musa al-Habashi, Monastery, St. George, Syria

Unknown female saint

This figure faces west under the most westerly arch of the southern arcade. The identification is unclear, but this is the only female saint to be shown with her hair uncovered and appears to represent an aristocratic or imperial figure. This picture was taken shortly before the painting was cleaned and consolidated.

Type: Painting
Tags: 1207/08, An Nabk, Church, Deir Mar Musa, Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi, Fresco, Mar Musa al-Habashi, Monastery, Saints, Syria

Unknown female saint

This saint faces St. Elizabeth as a west facing image underneath the central arch on the southern arcade. The bottom part dates from the third level of fresco, but the top section is more damaged and the first cycle is revealed. This picture was taken before the painting was cleaned and consolidated.

Type: Painting
Tags: 1207/08, An Nabk, Church, Deir Mar Musa, Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi, Fresco, Mar Elian esh-Sharqi, Monastery, Saints, St. Elizabeth, Syria

St. Elizabeth

St. Elizabeth faces east underneath the central arch of the southern arcade. This image was taken shortly before the fresco was cleaned.

Type: Painting
Tags: 1207/08, An Nabk, Church, Deir Mar Musa, Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi, Fresco, Mar Musa al-Habashi, Monastery, St. Elizabeth, Syria, Syriac Inscription

Unknown monastic saint

This figure faces south and is on the northern pier adjoining the west wall. The figure is wearing the distinctive monastic hood of a Syrian Orthodox monk and carries a cross with one hand raised in blessing. The Syriac inscription is too damaged for the saint to be identified. Above the saint are people who are presumed to be members of pagan cults destined for hell.

Type: Painting
Tags: 1207/08, An Nabk, Church, Deir Mar Musa, Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi, Fresco, Mar Musa al-Habashi, Monastery, Monk, Pagan, Saints, Syria, Syriac, Syriac Inscription, Syrian Orthodox

Samson and the lion

This fresco of Samson and the lion dates from the first level of painting and was therefore painted between 1058 and 1095. In this picture it is partially cleaned and that process was completed shortly after this image was taken. It is located on the north side of the southern aisle of the church and faces the viewer as they enter the church.

Type: Painting
Tags: An Nabk, C11th, Church, Deir Mar Musa, Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi, Fresco, Lion, Mar Musa al-Habashi, Monastery, Samson, Syria

St. John the Baptist

This picture of St. John the Baptist was taken shortly before the fresco was cleaned and consolidated in the summer of 2003 and is located facing east on the pillar adjoining the west wall.

Type: Painting
Tags: 1207/08, An Nabk, Church, Deir Mar Musa, Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi, Fresco, Mar Musa al-Habashi, Monastery, St. John the Baptist, Syria

View of the north arcade looking west

The north west spandrel has St.Luke the evangelist above it and damaged female saints are visible underneath the arches.

Type: Painting
Tags: 1207/08, An Nabk, Church, Deir Mar Musa, Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi, Evangelist, Fresco, Mar Musa al-Habashi, Monastery, Saints, St. Luke, Syria

View of the east end of the church

The original iconostasis was destroyed at some point between the 1960s and 1982 when restoration of the monastery commenced. The chancel screen has fragments believed to show the parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins and the triumphal arch above the semi-dome has Christ amidst the Apostles with the Annunciation above it on either side of the window. Unfortunately most of the Annunciation scene was stolen by fresco thieves in the 1980s.

Type: Painting
Tags: 1207/08, An Nabk, Annunciation, Apostles, Chancel Screen, Church, Deir Mar Musa, Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi, Fresco, Iconostasis, Mar Musa al-Habashi, Monastery, Syria, Wise and Foolish Virgins