Wadi al-Nasara explained

Official Name:	Wadi al-Nasarah
Other Name:	Κοιλάδα των Χριστιανών
Native Name:	وادي النصارى
Pushpin Map:	Syria
Pushpin Label Position:	bottom
Pushpin Mapsize:	300
Pushpin Map Caption:	Location in Syria
Subdivision Type:	Country
Subdivision Type1:	Governorate
Subdivision Name1:	Homs Governorate
Subdivision Type2:	District
Subdivision Name2:	Talkalakh District
Unit Pref:	Imperial
Population Blank1 Title:	Ethnicities
Population Blank2 Title:	Religions
Coordinates:	34.7667°N 52°W

Wadi al-Nasara (Arabic: وادي النصارى / ALA-LC: Wādī an-Naṣārá, which both mean "Valley of Christians") is an area in western Syria that administratively belongs to the governorate of Homs.

Most people in the area are Greek Orthodox Christians.

The area of Wadi-Al Nasara is ecclesiastically under the Archdiocese of Akkar, which has its seat in Cheikh Taba, Lebanon.^[1] The current Greek-Orthodox Metropolitan of Akkar and Wadi al-Nasara and its dependencies (Safita and Tartus) is Mgr Basilius Mansour.^[2]

Touristic attractions

Wadi al-Nasara used to be a popular tourist site before the outbreak of the Syrian civil war. Among its touristic attractions are the Saint George's Monastery located in the town of Al-Mishtaya, the Krak des Chevaliers Crusader castle located in the village of Al-Husn and the shrine of the Lady of the Valley in Al-Nasirah.

Villages in the valley

• Anaz (Arabic: عناز)
• ِAltalleh/Al-Talla (Arabic: التلة)
• Al-Hawash (Arabic: الحواش)
• Mizyeneh (Arabic: المزينة)
• Ain al-Ajouz (Arabic: عين العجوز)
• al-Nasirah (Arabic: الناصرة)
• Kafra (Arabic: كفرا)
• Marmarita (Arabic: مرمريتا)
• al-Mishtaya (Arabic: المشتاية)
• Habnamrah (Arabic: حب نمرة)
• Ain al-Barda (Arabic: عين الباردة)
• Mashta Azar (Arabic: مشتى عازار)
• Ain al-Ghara (Arabic: عين الغارة)
• Qalatiyah (Arabic: القلاط)
• Zweitina (Arabic: الزويتينة)
• Bahzina (Arabic: بحزينا)
• Ballat (Arabic: بلاط)
• Kimah (Arabic: كيمة)
• Tannurin (Arabic: تنورين)
• Daghlah (Arabic: دغلة)
• Jiwar al-Afas (Arabic: جوار العفص)
• Muklous (Arabic: مقلس)
• Kafr Ram (Arabic: كفرام)
• Rabah, Syria (Arabic: رباح)
• Amar al-Husn (Arabic: عمار الحصن)
• Juwaniyat (Arabic: جوانيات)
• Ain al-Raheb (Arabic: عين الراهب)
• Ish al-Shuha (Arabic: عش الشوحة)
• al-Muqaabarat (Arabic: مقعبرة)
• al-Mazraah (Arabic: مزرعة)
• Duwair al-Lin (Arabic: دوير اللين)
• Al-Husn (Arabic: الحصن)

Notable people from the Valley of the Christians

• Victor Atiyeh- American politician, former Governor of Oregon (father was from Al-Husn)^[3]
• Joseph Atiyeh- Olympic medalist, winner of Syria's first Olympic medal (born in Al-Husn)^[4]
• Mitch Daniels- American politician, former Governor of Indiana (paternal grandfather was from Qalatiyah)^[5]
• Murray Abraham- American Oscar-winning actor (father was from Muqlus)^[6]
• John X of Antioch- Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch (father is from Marmarita)^[7]
• Yusuf Al-Khal- Lebanese-Syrian poet and journalist, pioneer of Arabic surrealist poetry (born in Al-Husn)^[8]
• Teri Hatcher- American actress (maternal grandfather was from Safita near Wadi al-Nasara)^[9]
• Zerefeh Bashur- first licensed female physician in the Levant (born in Safita)^[10]
• Elissa- Lebanese singer (mother is from Wadi al-Nasara)^[11]
• Nadine Al Rassi- Lebanese actress (mother is from Marmarita)^[12]

See also

• Antiochian Greek Christians
• Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch
• Eastern Orthodoxy in Syria

References

34.7667°N 52°W

Notes and References

1. Web site: Akkar and Dependencies. Antioch Patriarchate.
2. Web site: Peace Iftar for Syrian refugees. Reliefandreconciliation.org.
3. Book: Pulera, Dominic. 2004. Sharing the Dream: White Males in Multicultural America. 33. A&C Black . 9780826416438.
4. Web site: Paul Reinhard. 25 July 1984. Joe Atiyeh will wrestle for Syria to compete at 198 pounds the road to Los Angeles. The Morning Call.
5. Web site: Mitch Daniels' Syrian Roots. Arabindianapolis.
6. Obituary of Adele Hendricks Abraham (1923-2019), aunt of Murray Abraham, where it is stated she, three of her sisters and her brother Fred Abraham were born in Myklos, in today's Syria. Obituary of Marion Abraham Unsell (1914-1998), aunt of Murray Abraham, who died in El Paso in 1988 where it says she was born in Myklos in today's Syria
7. Web site: The Biography of His Beatitude John X, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East. Antiochian.org.
8. Book: Encyclopedia of Arabic Literature, Volume 2. 429. 9780415185721. Meisami. Julie Scott. Starkey. Paul. 1998. Taylor & Francis .
9. Obituary of Isbir Bashur (1896-1959). Terri Hatcher's grandfather was born in Safita, Syria
10. Web site: The Alumni Record of the University of Illinois, Chicago Departments: Colleges of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Pharmacy. 1921. 117.
11. Web site: Lebanese singer Elissa: I am against the Assad regime. Baladi News (in Arabic).
12. Web site: 1 October 2014. نادين الراسي: أرفض أن تمارس ابنتي المساكنة.. وسأتفادى النقص في تجربتي السورية. Syrian News Station. Arabic.