Our Lady of Saidnaya Monastery

Our Lady of Saidnaya Monastery
دير سيدة صيدنايا
Monastery information
Full nameOur Lady of Saydnaya Patriarchal Monastery (Arabic: دير سيدة صيدنايا البطريركي)
OrderGreek Orthodox Church of Antioch
Established547 AD
Dedicated toMary, mother of Jesus
People
Founder(s)Justinian I
Site
LocationSaidnaya, al-Tall District, Rif Dimashq Governorate, Syria
Coordinates33°41′58.5″N 36°22′30.1″E / 33.699583°N 36.375028°E / 33.699583; 36.375028

Our Lady of Saidnaya Patriarchal Monastery (Arabic: دير سيدة صيدنايا البطريركي) is a monastery of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch located in Saidnaya, Syria. It is one of the most ancient monasteries in the world and in the region of the Middle East and North Africa, traditionally held to have been founded by Byzantine emperor Justinian I in 547 AD. It is run by a religious order of nuns. It is an important pilgrimage site for Christians, who visit an icon of Saint Mary which is attributed to Saint Luke.