Throughout its long history, Syria has been home to adherents of various religious traditions – Muslims, Christians, and Jews have all made their home here.
Today, the country’s religious makeup is estimated to be around 79% Sunni Islam, 10% Alawite, 4% Shiia, 4% Christian, and 3% Druze. (Sunni Islam, Alawite, Shiia, and Druze are, depending on who you ask, regarded as various sects of Islam.)
While the precise percentages are ever-changing – and some are altogether disappearing – each of Syria’s religious communities have left their mark on the country’s cultural landscape.
Keep reading to learn more about some of the most important religious sites in Syria!
Table of Contents
Islamic sites
Umayyad Mosque
Location: Damascus
It’s fitting that what is perhaps Syria’s premier religious site has been associated with several of its major religions.
What is now the Umayyad Mosque was first a pagan temple for a local god, then a Roman temple dedicated to the god Jupiter. It later became a church before finally becoming a mosque in the 8th century.
According to some, the Umayyad Mosque is the fourth holiest site in Islam, but it remains important for Christians as well. Both Muslims and Christians come to venerate the Prophet Yahya, also known as St. John the Baptist, whose famously severed head is believed to be buried here.
Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque
Location: Damascus
This stunning mosque is the burial site of the Ruqayya bint al-Ḥusayn, the daughter of Husayn ibn Ali, the third imam in Twelver Shia, and a great-granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed. Just four years old when she died, Ruqayya’s legacy is entwined with the Battle of Karbala, where her father was killed. She is considered a martyr.
The mosque is a major pilgrimage site, particularly for Shiia Muslims. Originally just a mausoleum, the mosque was built in 1985 in Iranian style and features elaborate tilework including gold and mirrors.
Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque
Location: near Damascus
Another significant Shiia mosque is the shrine of Sayyidah Zaynab. It is said to be the resting place of Zaynab bint Ali, a granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed, who after the Battle of Karbala defied the victors and spread news of the battle before dying shortly afterwards.
Zaynab’s actual burial place is disputed; there’s a mosque in Cairo with the same name that also purports to be her gravesite. Nevertheless, the mosque is a popular place for pilgrimages, particularly for Shiia Muslims, who in the summer visit in droves.
Built in 1990, the mosque’s most prominent architectural features are its intricate tilework and gleaming gold dome.
Khalid ibn al-Walid Mosque
Location: Homs
Khalid ibn al-Walid ibn al-Mughira al-Makhzumi was an important military commander during the rise of Islam. Initially an opponent of the Prophet Mohammed (Khalid defeated him at the Battle of Uhud), he eventually converted to Islam and fought on Mohammed’s side. Khalid was said to have never lost a battle.
The mosque was built over Khalid’s mausoleum, which itself dates from the 11th century. The mosque building, which dominates the surrounding neighborhood, dates from the late 19th or early 20th century and is Ottoman in style. It was heavily damaged during the Syrian Civil War, when it was used as a focal point by rebel forces.
Khalid’s tomb is a major pilgrimage site for Muslims.
Christian sites
Ananias Church
Location: Damascus
Saul of Tarsus used to persecute Christians until one day on the road to Damascus, he was blinded by a light, thrown from his horse, and heard the voice of Jesus. He made it to the city and was taken in by Ananias, who housed him, taught him about Christianity, and baptized him. Thus Saul became Paul, one of the most pivotal leaders in the history of Christianity.
The small (now underground) chapel is said to be Ananias’ house, where Paul lived for three years and where he converted to Christianity. Pope John Paul II visited the chapel as part of his pilgrimage to sites associated with the saint.
Mariamite Cathedral
Location: Damascus
Also known as the Maryamiyya Church, this church is one of the oldest in the city. The church serves as the seat of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch, which has over 4 million adherents worldwide, making it one of the most important Christian sites in Syria.
The site of the present church was given to the Christian community by Caliph Walid I, in compensation for converting the Umayyad Mosque, formerly a church, into a mosque. Over the centuries, it has been rebuilt several times; its most recent renovation was in 1953.
Convent of Our Lady of Saidnaya
Location: Saidnaya
Some 20 miles north of Damascus lies the Convent of Saidnaya. Legend has it that it was founded by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I in 547; what is certain is that it is one of the most ancient monasteries in the world.
Its fortunes fluctuated over the centuries (including suffering damage during the Syrian Civil War), but it has remained a popular and important pilgrimage site throughout the ages; it was mentioned in medieval pilgrimage accounts. The current church dates from the 19th century.
While the convent houses many priceless manuscripts and icons, its most prized treasure is an icon of the Virgin Mary said to have been painted by St. Luke the Evangelist. It is kept behind a silver grill and is known as the Shaghoura, “the Illustrious.”
Saint Mary Church of the Holy Belt
Location: Homs
Christianity is full of rather unusual relics. This church in the city of Homs houses – as you may have guessed from its name – a belt said to have belonged to the Virgin Mary.
Early Christians gathered here to pray during Roman persecutions. You can still visit the ancient underground space where they worshipped.
The present church structure dates from 1852. It was heavily damaged during the Syrian Civil War but has been restored. The famous belt was hidden during the war and is now on display again.
Want to check out more Christian sites in Syria? Check out my article here.
Jewish sites
Jewish Quarter of Damascus
Location: Damascus
The Jewish Quarter of Damascus was once home to many of the city’s Jewish residents. Most Syrian Jews have left the country; now only a handful of elderly adherents are thought to remain.
While the Jewish population may be gone, their houses are still standing, albeit mostly abandoned and in a dilapidated state. Inscriptions in Hebrew and Stars of David can be seen while walking through the neighborhood. If you’re lucky, you can enter houses that once belonged to wealthy families and admire the large courtyards and graceful stonework of these former homes.
The quarter’s three synagogues are also still in existence, though only one, the Elfrange Synagogue, continues to hold services.
Leave a Reply