Churches of Saddad (Mother of Syriacs)

St. Sergius Parish
St. Theodore Parish

The people of Saddad are well-known for their strong attachment to their heritage, customs, and rituals. They are Syriac, descendants of the Aramean tribes that settled around 1600 BCE. Saddad is mentioned in the Old Testament: “And from Mount Hor you shall mark out your border to the entrance of Hamath; and the end of the border shall be at Zedad” (Numbers 34:8), and “This shall be the border of the land: on the north side, from the Great Sea by the road to Hethlon, as one goes to Zedad” (Ezekiel 47:15).

Due to the spread of Saddad’s descendants, the town is called Umm al-Suryan (Mother of the Syriacs). The people from Saddad are known as “Saddadiyyun” or “Saddadians.” Over time, Saddad has produced a large number of patriarchs, metropolitans, and bishops who trace their lineage to this town, as well as hundreds of priests and deacons. As the population of Saddad increased, its residents spread to neighboring villages (Al-Hafr, Al-Fahila, Zaidal, Fairouzeh, Maskaneh, Umm Dulab, and neighborhoods in Homs, Damascus, Hama, and Aleppo), and many families have migrated over time to Lebanon and various countries around the world.

The town is famous for its many shrines and churches, some of which are still standing, while others remain in ruins or have disappeared.

  1. St. Sergius Church (1756)
  2. St. George Church (1756)
  3. Shrine of St. Bacchus (1860)
  4. St. Michael Church (1700, new foundations laid in 1958)
  5. Church of the Virgin Mary (1820)
  6. Shrine of St. Andrew (ruined) (1820)
  7. St. Barsoum Church (1700)
  8. Temple of St. Severus (ruins)
  9. Temple of St. Cyriacus (ruins)
  10. Temple of St. John (ruins)
  11. Temple of St. Abda (a window for blessings in Father Joseph Qalush’s house)
  12. Monastery of St. Jonah (built as a monastery, now ruined)
  13. Monastery of St. Mamas the Hermit (ruined, remained active on Amr Island until 1715)
  14. St. Theodorus Church (1745)
  15. St. Elias Church (1980)
  16. Monastery of St. Anthony the Great / The Dam (foundations laid on July 21, 2003, by the late Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, construction overseen by the late Archbishop Mor Silvanus Peter al-Nemeh; restoration and completion works began in mid-2022, and the church was inaugurated and consecrated on September 27, 2023, by His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II)
  17. Shrine of St. Thecla / Al-Ayn (consecrated on August 5, 2016)