Mor Elias Syriac Orthodox Church, Amuda

Mor Elias is the Syriac Orthodox church of Amuda and one of the oldest Syriac churches in the Jazira, the plain of north-east Syria. Its origins go back to 1902, and sources date its official opening to 1927 or 1928. The church stood closed and derelict for more than 40 years, was restored, and reopened on 20 July 2017. Since then the feast of Mor Elias has been celebrated here every 20 July.

Who built it

It was among the first churches built in Amuda by Syriac families who came from Mardin and Tur Abdin after the massacres of the First World War years. The first building was mud brick; a witness who spoke to North Press recalled that it could not stand up to snow and rain. The sources differ by a year: North Press gives 1928, while SyriacPress gives 1927 and traces the church’s origins to 1902.

Why it closed

The congregation thinned out with the emigration that followed the drought of 1958-1960. The same witness says there were more than 400 Christian families in Amuda at the time. The church then stayed shut for over 40 years and fell into ruin. According to the English Wikipedia, only one Assyrian family was left in the town by 2017.

How it reopened

Maurice Amsih, Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan of Jazira and the Euphrates, had the church restored and reopened it on 20 July 2017, the feast of Mor Elias. As the witness remembers it, the interior is 30 metres long and 13 metres wide, and the outer courtyard about 50 by 44 metres. These are one person’s recollection, not official measurements. The feast-day service is now held every year and has become a gathering day for families from Amuda who live abroad. In May 2026 Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II visited the church.

Can you visit

The church is standing and in use, but no visiting hours are published. With so few Christians left in the town, the door may be locked on any day other than the feast. The region came under a new administration in early 2026, and present conditions for visitors could not be confirmed from an independent source. Ask the Syriac Orthodox community before going.

Don’t miss

Tell Mozan. The mound of ancient Urkesh lies right next to Amuda, close enough to see the church and the mound on the same day.