Zehra DOĞAN – JINHA

MARDİN- Assyrians are the first public  who make reform for women in the Christianity world. St. Mor Afrem ,who call out women after the reform ; ‘’O women! come to the church and pray with a loud voice. If men object to this and says ' our mother gave birth to us from ferdus place ' accept it. But do not let them to forget  that our re-unite will be through the Virgin Mary.  It will be women who unites us to one another.’’ says.

Mardin, which is home to numerous people and  religious communities throughout history, around the castle hosts 7 different religion and ethnic identy  including the Muslim, Armenian Catholic, Syriac, Syrian Catholic, Chaldean, Shams, and the Jewish. At the same time, it is a city where the  required social adjustment has lived. One of these groups is  Assyrians Ancients, too. Syrians, a large number of whom live in Mardin and who are even the only non-Muslim public, have a population of 20 million in the world. In mardin there are churches where the Syrians can do their religious worship. Syriac ,the language used by members of the Church and  also known as Aramic, was spoken by Jesus. The production of wine is quite advanced as it is important in terms of religion. Today, the Syrians are producing  wine only in Mardin and Midyat in order to serve their guests. We visit the Syrians who are struggling to protect their cultures. We talked on wine, culture, faith and the position of women  with the Syrians. Nasra Çilli who is 80 - years old and welcomes us, says:'' welcome to our house.I am going to say my pray with my grandson in order to God  mercy on us and the blessings  come to our house''. And Nasra says  the chant with 8-year old Teodora. Our tour to the syrian culture begins with chant.

'I paint our culture, our religion on the cambric'

Nasra said that he is continued to draw patterns on cambric, which was bequeathed him from his father. Nasra,says he is a follower of the tradition. Nasra says;'' I carry on the legacy that I inherited from my father . I paint  patterns on the fabric which  decsribe our culture and religion rather than normal patterns. He explains the important of the work with these words'' This art is unique to Syrians''.He underlines that he teach  the art of painting to his grandson, Teodora, so he can continue this work after him. He says '' he says everybody must do its utmost in order not to lose their culture. Nasra,referring to the relations between men and women, he said that life pass  without a quarrel .

‘What is important is ,not what religion is ,behaving decently ‘

Nasra, who underlining that he goes to church everyday and he has a very good relationship between his neighbors who are belong to other religion, considers neighborly relations; '' We want to live our culture and religion together. Our religion teaches us to be good. Relationship with our neighbors based on very old. We look at each other like an old relative. Therefore,we have a very deep relations with our neighbors We do not care of them being Muslim  or Christian. Their being conscientious people is our priority . And they see us like this. He says'' Our religious visions never affects our neighborly relations.'' Nasra, on the one hand answer our questions and on the other hand he make patterns on the cambric..

‘Assyrian culture, is based on respect to women!'

Nermin Çilli said that Christianity provides different perspectives to women in Assyrian culture . she underlines that in church there is not discrimination between women- men .. Nermin said ''The wine has been accepted as a sacred beverage  in terms of religion ,because,  Christ Jesus always prefered wine to drink. The most beautiful thing in Christianity is ; it is based on respect to women . One of the biggest things specific to our cultural values  is Syrian wine... Syrian wine is sacred and it is produced by the labor of syrian women. we try to keep  alive our culture by doing ceremonies in the church. Religion  and the Syriac are  taught to the children in the church. our relations with our neighbors , who are member of the other religions,are very well. we never make  discrimination of religion.  We all get along well as if we are belong to the same religion.’’

Nermin, who told she worship with wine at church, shares with us the  phase of wine making:

"After we gather the grape from vineyard we compress it and than we make it wait in basins  in the  sun for three days. Wine yeast is the sun. The wine  is boiling itself  for several days and than we fill the produced essence into the cubes. After this process we conserve the wine cubes in storages.’’

'I love the Syrians tales that my grandma told!’

Teodora Çilli (8) ,who welcomes us, says he most loves the lion game and the butterfly game. Teodora, “ my grandmother's tales are too long and nice. I love to listen to her  tales in Syriac, "he said.  He said that  he learned to speak the Syriac at church and as he is the member of the church choir he goes to there everyday.  He prays the Syriac prayer  that has just learned, for 'the God bring his guests favor'. Teodora , who said I love my friends from different religions and we play together on the street, ,says;'' We go to school together. We tell the tales to eachother that we have learned.  Then we go home and we open cd on television. When I am alone at home I try to learn how to make wine with my mum and dad. then ,we are making dyeing on the fabric with my grandmother.Ilove to do painting. For now, I learned to do the pigeon''. And he shows us his painting  that he made with pigeon motif.

‘The punishment is given to unfair party at marriages’

Gabriel Akyüz, who is teaching religion at Forties Church and priest of Forties Church which is struggling for the Syrian culture,says ; for the first time women's right granted by the Syrians at churches in the world of Christian. Gabriel who underlines that there is not male-female distinction in Syriac culture,explains the culture which is affected from their beliefs:

"Participation to church is equal. Both side must come to sacraments. For example both men and women are be baptized. Both sides make repentance and confession.Both sides have to make holy sacrifice, marriage and diyanpos.In addition to this ,both side have to be in church at their marriage ceremony. Divorce is prohibited except for adultery in marriages.And taking a second wife is strictly forbidden. In order  to distinguish the fair and unfair ,it is negotiated with both sides during the divorce.

'Two body turn into a single body after marriage!’

Gabrial ,pointing out that the first reforms were  made by Syrians in the world of Christian,  said that  the women were allowed to conducted the music . Gabriel pointed out that these rights were  prohibited in European Christian world until the sixth century. He emphasizes that  Syrians made these reforms in fourth century. Gabriel  says that one of the pioneers of the reforms was St. Mor Afrem. Mor Afrem was a writer - poet and he lived between 306-307 AD in Nusaybin and he served around Nusaybin- Urfa.  Gabriel underlines that Mor Alfrem, who is also known as ' Holy Spirit's Guitar' and' Syrian Sun ',has some words that addressed to women:’’Mor Alfrem  ’O women! come to the church and pray with a loud voice. If men object to this and says ' our mother gave birth to us from ferdus place ' accept it. But do not let them to forget  that our re-unite will be through the Virgin Mary.  It will be women who unites us to one another. So, come to church and pray . For these reason , women have the right to become nun like their priests at church.The Bible speaks to us as follows, 'the man should love the woman, and woman must give assurance to men . When people got married they must forget their previous body. Because their separate bodies combine a new and single body. We believe this.’’ says.

‘The 'war' is forbidden in Syrian belief’

Gabriel,who indicated that Syrians never support to the war because the Bible banned it, says Syrians do not see the materialism as essential. 'Syrians never care about with worldly goods. Our goal is live a comfortable and peaceful life'  said St.Gabriel ,he  made the following remarks:“We extremly value our relations with our neighbors. This reason is the Bible .Because, a verse goes something like at Bible: 'Love God in all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself.”  A person who obey these rules can not think bad  about the other people. We ,as Syrians ,give very  importance to art and science. Because we can only make progress with this way. We have constructed fifty universties in this region until the seventh century. In this way, we have made the Syriac the language of the nation.  As well as, we are experiencing the modern science and religion together.iIn this region we brought  the science to the summit. After the interview St. Gabriel, with his young students, bade farewell to us .

Photograph-Camera:  Zehra DOĞAN

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 Translator: Roje GULÇÎÇEK