Monastery of Sümela, Maçka, Trabzon Province, Turkey
Posted by: 
g300td
N 40° 41.384 E 039° 39.500
37T E 555625 N 4504523
The monastery on a ledge in a steep cliff.
Waymark Code: WMG0CV
Location: Türkiye
Date Posted: 12/28/2012
Views: 5
The Sümela Monastery is a Greek Orthodox monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary (Panagia, meaning "All Holy" in Greek) at Melá mountain, in the region of Maçka in the Trabzon Province of modern Turkey. Nestled in a steep cliff at an altitude of about 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) facing the Altindere valley, it is a site of great historical and cultural significance, as well as a major tourist attraction of Altindere National Park.
The monastery was founded in 386 AD during the reign of the Emperor Theodosius I (375 - 395).During its long history, the monastery fell into ruin several times and was restored by various emperors. During the 6th century, it was restored and enlarged by General Belisarius at the behest of Justinian.
It reached its present form in the 13th century after gaining prominence during the reign of Alexios III (1349 - 1390) of the Komnenian Empire of Trebizond, established in 1204. At that time, the monastery was granted an amount annually from imperial funds. During the time of Manuel III, son of Alexius III, and during the reigns of subsequent princes, Sümela gained further wealth from imperial grants. Following the conquest by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II in 1461, it was granted the sultan's protection and given rights and privileges that were renewed by following sultans. The monastery remained a popular destination for monks and travelers through the years.
In 1682 and for a few decades, the monastery housed the Phrontisterion of Trapezous, a well-known Greek educational institution of the region.
The monastery was seized by the Russian Empire during the 1916-18 occupation of Trabzon.
The site was abandoned in 1923, following forced population exchanges between Greece and Turkey. The departing monks were not allowed to take any property with them, so they buried Sumela's famous icon under the floor of the monastery's St. Barbara chapel. In 1930, a monk secretly returned to Sumela and retrieved the icon, transferring it to the new Panagia Soumela Monastery, on the slopes of Mount Vermion, near the town of Naousa, in Macedonia, Greece.
Today the monastery's primary function is as a tourist attraction. It overlooks forests and streams, making it extremely popular for its aesthetic attraction as well as for its cultural and religious significance.
As of 2012, the Turkish government is funding restoration work, and the monastery is enjoying a revival in pilgrimage from Greece and Russia.
On 15 August 2010, Orthodox divine liturgy was allowed to take place in the monastery compound. A special pass issued by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople is now required to visit on August 15, the day of the Dormition of the Theotokos or Feast of the Assumption, when a divine liturgy is held. Only 450 to 500 visitors are allowed inside the monastery, although widescreen televisions are available to observe the event at a cafe some hundred metres away from the monastery
Full name of the abbey/monastery/convent: Sümela Manastiri
Address:
Sümela Monastery
Maçka, Trabzon Province Turkey
61750
Religious affiliation: Greek Orthodox
Date founded/constructed: 386 AD
Web Site: [Web Link]
Status of Use: Acitvely Used
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