Mar Petyun: The Chaldean Church of Amed
- Hojîn Rostam
- 11 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
Mar Petyun is the historic Chaldean church of Diyarbakır — the only Chaldean Catholic church in the city, tucked into the old walled quarter of Amed near the famous Four-Legged Minaret. Built of the region’s dark basalt stone, with worship on the site reaching back, by tradition, many centuries, it is a precious remnant of the once-thriving Christian communities of the city. Standing close to its Armenian neighbour, Surp Giragos, in a quarter long shared by many faiths, Mar Petyun is a moving witness to the multi-faith heritage of the Kurdish region’s great city on the Tigris.
A small Chaldean church of black stone in the heart of old Amed, Mar Petyun keeps alive an ancient strand of the city’s faith. This profile looks at the church, its community, and its story, handled with care.
Key Takeaways
• Mar Petyun is the historic Chaldean Catholic church of Diyarbakır.
• It stands in the old walled city (Sur), near the Four-Legged Minaret.
• The present church dates to around the 17th century, rebuilt later.
• It belongs to the Chaldean Church, rooted in the ancient Assyrian community.
• It is a witness to the multi-faith heritage of Amed.
Quick Facts
Name: Mar Petyun Chaldean Church
Also Called: Church of Saint Anthony (Mar Petyun)
Type: Chaldean Catholic church
Country / Region: Turkey (Bakur)
City: Diyarbakır (Amed), Sur district
Church Built: Around the 17th century
Rebuilt: 19th century (inscription of 1834)
Community: Chaldean (Assyrian) Catholics
Contents
Where Is Mar Petyun?
Mar Petyun stands in the Sur district, the old walled city of Diyarbakır, in a quiet basalt-paved lane near the Sheikh Matar Mosque and its Four-Legged Minaret. It is a close neighbour of the great Armenian church of Surp Giragos, the two standing near one another in a quarter that was long home to the city’s Christian communities. This corner of old Amed, where church and mosque rise side by side, embodies the layered, multi-faith character of the city.
The Chaldean Community
Mar Petyun belongs to the Chaldean Catholic Church, a community rooted in the ancient Assyrian Christians of Mesopotamia who later entered into communion with the Catholic Church while keeping their own Eastern traditions and liturgy. Diyarbakır was for a long time an important centre for this community, and Mar Petyun served as a principal church, even at times associated with the seat of its patriarchs. The church is a living link to the deep Christian history of the region, whose roots reach back to the earliest centuries of the faith in these lands.
A Church of Black Stone
Like the great monuments of Diyarbakır, Mar Petyun is built largely of the dark basalt stone that gives the city its character, its halls worked with the lime plaster and timber typical of the old buildings of Amed. Worship on the site is said by tradition to be very old, while the present church is generally dated to around the seventeenth century, with a later rebuilding recorded by an inscription of 1834. Modest in scale beside the city’s grand mosques and the vast Surp Giragos, it has its own quiet dignity, a place of prayer kept by a small and faithful community.
Endurance and Memory
The story of Mar Petyun, like that of the other churches of Amed, is marked by the hardships that befell the Christian communities of the region in the twentieth century. The Chaldean community of the city was greatly diminished in the tragedies of that age, and only a small number of families remained in later years. Yet the church endured, kept and cherished by those who stayed, and it has been the focus of restoration efforts in recent times. Its survival is a testament to the resilience of memory and faith among the Christian peoples of the region.
Mar Petyun Today
Today Mar Petyun remains in use as the Chaldean church of Diyarbakır, cared for by the small community and the subject of restoration alongside other historic churches of the old city. Visitors who seek it out in its quiet lane find a moving reminder of the many peoples and faiths that have shared Amed across the centuries. Standing in the old city near mosque and Armenian church alike, Mar Petyun endures as a precious thread in the rich and resilient tapestry of the Kurdish region’s greatest city.
Timeline
early Christian centuries — By tradition, worship on the site is very old.
c. 17th century — The present Chaldean church is built in the old city.
1834 — An inscription records a rebuilding of the church.
20th century — The Chaldean community is greatly diminished; the church endures.
today — Mar Petyun remains in use and is cared for and restored.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mar Petyun?
Mar Petyun is the historic Chaldean Catholic church of Diyarbakır, the only one in the city, standing in the old walled quarter near the Four-Legged Minaret.
Where is Mar Petyun?
It stands in the Sur district, the old city of Diyarbakır in south-eastern Turkey, near the Sheikh Matar Mosque and close to the Armenian church of Surp Giragos.
Who are the Chaldeans?
Chaldean Catholics are a community rooted in the ancient Assyrian Christians of Mesopotamia who entered into communion with the Catholic Church while keeping their Eastern traditions.
How old is the church?
The present church is generally dated to around the 17th century, with a later rebuilding recorded by an 1834 inscription, though worship on the site is said by tradition to be far older.
Related People, Places, and Topics
Chaldean and Assyrian Christianity · the old city of Amed · multi-faith Diyarbakır · Diyarbakır · Surp Giragos · the Four-Legged Minaret.
References and Further Reading
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