Mount Alfaf

Mount Alfaf (Syriac: ܛܘܪܐ ܕܐܠܦܐܦܐ‏), also known as Mount Mqalub (جبل مقلوب in Arabic), is a mountain in the Nineveh plains region in Northern Iraq. The mountain lies 30 km to the northeast of Mosul and some 15 km from Bartella. The largest town in the mountain is Marge which is inhabited by Syriac Orthodox Assyrians.

The mountain is famous for the Mar Mattai monastery which lies close to its southern summit. There exist a number of hermitages that date back to the 4th and 5th century AD, the most important of which are:

• Mar Mattai hermitage, where according to Syriac tradition Sara sister of Mar Behnam was miraculously cured from leprosy by Mar Mattai.
• Bar Hebraeus hermitage, was occupied by Bar Hebraeus during his lifetime.
• the spy's hermitage. Lies at the top of the mountain and was used as a sentry to warn the occupants of the monastery of bandits.

See also

• Mount Mar Daniel
• Mar Mattai monastery

References

• صوامع جبل الفاف, MorMattai.com