Saidnaya

Today afternoon I took my aunts to Saidnaya, a holy convent outside the skirts of Damascus. Timing was a bit off, just before Iftar time (Ramadan breakfast), and you can imagine the crowded streets. I was told once by a friend that you can run naked after the Iftar in the streets and no soul would notice (I haven't seen any personally).
Anyway after escaping the traffic we reached the convent before it is too dark.
To my eyes nothing has changed about it, except that it was almost deserted. Usually when we went in the past there would always be people coming in and out. There was a small wedding at the time of our arrival: The bride, groom, maybe parents, and two photographers. I would like a wedding like that, not to bother with the hassle of saying thank you to every single living creature that entered the church that day.
I left my aunts to their holy mission and started wandering. It was a nice memory provocation exercise; being baptized, others being baptized, visiting the "Ma Mere" (the head sister), playing in the courtyard of the church, and weddings. At least the priest looked more like an orthodox one, stern looks and a big beard (but I thought could be longer).
I am attaching some of the pictures I took, and this is based on the request of Dr Phil before I came here.

I think by clicking on the picture it can be seen bigger.


A general view of the convent from below

One of the arched paths in the convent

The church

The bowl of baptizing (جرن العمادة)