Jabal al-Sayyida, Our Lady’s Hill in Mashta al-Helu

A volcanic hill above the town of Mashta al-Helu, with a small old church on its summit. It is named after the Virgin Mary: local tradition says she appeared here several times. A statue of Mary stands on the slope. For most of the year it is a quiet place of pilgrimage, but every year on the night of 14 August the hilltop fills with people.

Where it is and how to get up

Mashta al-Helu is a summer resort town 35 kilometres east of Tartus, on the eastern slopes of the coastal mountains. Its people are mostly Christian, Greek Orthodox and Maronite. The hill is visible from town, and a road lined with trees on both sides leads to the summit. Duraykish and the Valley of the Christians are in the same stretch of mountains.

What the church is like

The church is small, and no source gives a date for its construction. Photographs taken in 2009 show that its old walls were left as they were, while the roof has been covered with new tiles. At the entrance are hearths for burning incense and candles. The statue stands on the slope of the hill.

What happens on the night of 14 August

Every year on the night of 14 August, people gather on the summit to pray for the Assumption of Mary; the feast itself falls the next day, 15 August. That night people climb the hill from different Syrian cities and from different churches and faiths. According to a 2020 report by Safir Press, more than 50 thousand people visit the hill each year.

How long it takes

An hour is enough to walk up to the church, come back down and take in the view. The summit is also a place people come to watch the sunset. The Duwayat Cave in the same town fits into the same day: it was found in 1914 and has been explored to a depth of 400 metres.