Monastery Of St. Elian
Destruction by ISIL
ISIL released images showing the demolition of the monastery. The group had captured the area earlier in August. The group also imprisoned a number of Christian civilians. The monastery's superior, Jacques Mourad, was abducted by ISIL in May 2015 and escaped after 5 months of captivity. Threatened with execution, he escaped from the ISIL-held territory. The area around the monastery was recaptured by the Syrian Arab Army from ISIS in April 2016. The bones and broken sarcophagus of Mar Elian were rediscovered and recovered in the ruins of the site at that time.
Art and architecture
The Monastery of St. Elian was constructed using stone decorated with circular patterns. It notably featured graffiti left behind by worshippers from other faiths, including Stars of David and Arabic script. The building also bore an inscription stating the monastery was under the protection of a local Muslim ruler, Emir Sayfudullah, reflecting the peaceful coexistence of Muslims and Christians living in region around the fifteenth century.
The monastery was renovated extensively in the early 2000s, replacing the facade and restoring the recently excavated lower level.
Through various excavation efforts throughout the 21st century, the original structure is believed to have been a basic one, consisting of mud and brick walls with simple post and lintel entrances. Archeologists have also unearthed a large plastered iconostasis and a stone sarcophagus at the site, which some believe contained the bones of Mar Elian himself.