Al Qash

We went to Al Qash after our trip to Amedy yesterday. Before I start, let me note translating things from Kurdish or Arabic to English is not an exact science. I’ve seen Duhok and Dohuk; Amedy and Amedi; Al Qash and Al Qush. Spell check loves it. My favorite example is listing below at a pizza shop. And I’m not complaining that they had a vejetaryan option.

Anyway, let’s go on to Al Qash. This town is south of Duhok about half way to Mosul. It is a Christian town and seems quite wealthy. I counted six BMWs and our host drove a Land Rover. Getting there is like driving through Kansas, with huge vast expanses of wheat and barley fields. The town has at least four churches. The main church in town is the Monastery of the Virgin Mary. It was built in the 1850s. We met the head of the Chaldean Christian Church Father Gabriel, who very clearly a dedicated pastor but also a gifted fundraiser. He was building an orphanage that looked like Saddam’s palace (before he fell) from the outside. Just as an aside, his predecessor was murdered in Mosul about two years ago, so he is clearly a tough guy. The Monastery has a really interesting museum. It has drums made by monks. It also has a case with knives and pistols and another one with cigarettes.

The Monastery of the Virgin Mary was built in part because the Monastery of Saint Hormizd was getting a little cramped in the 1850s. There must have been a lot of monks, because Saint Hormizd is one of the most amazing places I have ever seen. Saint Hormizd started building it 1500 years ago in the hills above Al Qash. More specifically, it is built directly into the side of the mountain with lots of caves, tunnels and small room. The monks apparently used to occasionally lock themselves in a cave for 30 days and do nothing but pray. There are tombs of 13th century bishops in full display. Saint Hormizd is buried here as well but you have to duck down and bring a candle to get there. The legend is that if you reach out and place your hand over his the marking on the tomb, God will grant your wish. Barkley tried it.

The entire time we were there I could not but help wondering how the western world doesn’t even know this place exists. I know 40 years of a brutal dictator tended to dampen tourism, but even so this place is amazing. Father Gabriel and our host, Basher, clearly understand that this something special. There is nothing commercial at all about it. It is also still in use by monks and I hear they tend to get grumpy when you try to move in a Denny’s.

Once again, ancient Christians might mean ancient Jews. As we were leaving our hosts said that “Al Qash was home to the tomb of Noah; you know Noah from the flood and Moses.” He also told us that Noah was buried with Sarah. It turns out he was saying Noam, which makes a little more sense. I was a little nervous about being disappointed given my experience in Amedy, but we went.

In a little courtyard surrounded by old stone walls is a green door. When you go inside the door and down ten steps you see a big bright green covering over a tomb. It is surrounded by a kind of lattice worked fence. Underneath the covering is a wood box. To the right of the tomb are three large carvings in Hebrew, which I am hoping someone will translate for me when I get home. On one of the pillars surrounding the tomb there is some additional writing that seems to be much older than the first set. I am not sure if there is enough to translate here. I’m not really sure who is buried here. But I hope to figure it out.

I’ll be writing a few more posts on the way home and will try to work in some videos I shot as well. But I leave tomorrow morning and it’s time for sleep.