FLAGSHIP PROGRAMMES
National Network
Netherlands
Address
Glanerbrugstraat 33Country
City
GlaneMobile Phone
+31641860014Telephone
0534614764E-Mail (2)
polycarpus@me.comE-Mail (3)
monastery@morephrem.comWebsite
Click HereYear of Establishment
1984Contact Person1
Mor Polycarpus E. AydinJob Title 1
ArchbishopContact Person 2
Murat CanJob Title 2
SecretaryOrganisation Type
OtherFields of Activity
Heritage, Religion, Youth and educationGeneral Information
The Mor Ephrem Monastery (Dutch: Syrisch Orthodoxe Klooster St. Ephrem) is a prominent Syriac Orthodox monastery located in Glane, a village within the municipality of Losser in the province of Overijssel, Netherlands. It serves as the spiritual and administrative center for the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of the Netherlands.
Originally established in 1911 as the St. Olaf Monastery by Norwegian Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chambéry, the site was acquired by the Syriac Orthodox Church in 1981 under the leadership of Archbishop Mor Julius Yeshu Çiçek. It was consecrated as a Syriac Orthodox monastery on July 7, 1984, by His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas.
Mission and Objectives
The mission and objectives of the Mor Ephrem Monastery in Glane, Losser, are deeply rooted in the spiritual, cultural, and communal life of the Syriac Orthodox Church. As the seat of the Archdiocese of the Netherlands, the monastery fulfills multiple roles—pastoral, educational, cultural, and liturgical. Its core mission is to preserve, practice, and proclaim the spiritual, cultural, and theological heritage of the Syriac Orthodox Church, especially through prayer, education, community building, and cultural witness—at the heart of Dutch society.
Main Projects / Activities
The Mor Ephrem Monastery in Glane, Losser, carries out a wide range of projects and activities that reflect its mission to be a spiritual, educational, and cultural heart for the Syriac Orthodox community in the Netherlands and beyond. Below is an overview of the main projects and activities organized or hosted by the monastery:
1. Liturgical Life and Prayer
•Daily Prayers and the Divine Liturgy (Qurbono): Conducted in Syriac and Dutch, forming the spiritual rhythm of the monastery.
•Feast Day Celebrations: Major feast days (e.g. Mor Ephrem, the Mother of God, Easter, Christmas) are celebrated with solemn liturgies and gatherings.
•Baptisms, Weddings, and Memorials: The monastery is a sacred space for the life events of the faithful.
2. Education and Language Revival
•Syriac Language Courses: For children, youth, and adults, with levels ranging from basic literacy to advanced liturgical language.
•Summer School: Annual intensive programs focused on Syriac theology, language, music, and history.
•Catechism and Youth Education: Structured religious instruction for various age groups.
•Scholarship and Study Support: Assisting theology students and encouraging academic research in Syriac studies.
3. Publishing and Media
•Book and Hymnal Publishing: Over 120 titles published, including liturgical books, hymnals, theological commentaries, and historical studies.
•Translation Projects: Active translation of the Gospels, liturgies, and Syriac patristic writings into Dutch and other modern languages.
•Digital Media: Sermons, prayers, and lectures are shared online via the monastery’s YouTube channel and website.
4. Youth and Family Programs
•Leadership Training: Formation programs for altar servers, choir members, and youth leaders.
•Youth Days and Camps: Spiritual and social events that engage the younger generation with their heritage and faith.
•Family Retreats: Weekends for faith formation, reflection, and community building for families.
5. Monastic Formation and Vocations
•Spiritual Formation: The monastery hosts monks and those discerning a monastic vocation, offering them a rhythm of prayer, study, and work.
•Retreats and Silent Days: Open to individuals or groups seeking spiritual rest and reflection.
6. Cultural Heritage and Outreach
•Exhibitions and Open Days: Introducing the broader public to Syriac Christianity’s ancient roots and rich liturgical culture.
•Monument Projects: The monastery is currently fundraising for a Sayfo Martyrs Monument in memory of the 1915 genocide victims.
•Hosting International Guests: Academics, ecumenical visitors, and church dignitaries are welcomed to the monastery for dialogue and collaboration.
7. Ecumenical and Interfaith Engagement
•Participation in the Council of Churches in the Netherlands
•Joint Services and Conferences: With Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox partners.
•Lectures and Events: Promoting understanding between faith traditions and raising awareness about persecuted Christians.
How can you contribute to the Network in your country?
The Mor Ephrem Monastery has much to offer the Anna Lindh Foundation (ALF) Network, especially within the Dutch context, where intercultural dialogue, integration, and heritage preservation are highly valued. Here’s how the monastery could actively contribute to the ALF Network in the Netherlands:
1. Promoting Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue
•Host Interfaith Encounters: Organize dialogue events at the monastery between Christians, Muslims, Jews, and people of other faiths to foster mutual understanding and address issues such as migration, identity, and peaceful coexistence.
•Workshops on Syriac Culture and Christianity in the Middle East: Offer cultural and historical insights to Dutch society and other faith communities about one of the world’s oldest Christian traditions.
•Bridge-building Between East and West: Leverage the monastery’s role as a center for the Eastern Christian diaspora in Europe to help integrate refugee and migrant communities.
2. Educational and Youth Engagement
•Syriac Heritage and Language Education: Share best practices and offer collaborative programs for language preservation and cultural education—aligned with ALF’s goals of sustaining diverse cultural identities.
•Youth Leadership and Peacebuilding Programs: Involve young people in training focused on intercultural citizenship, identity, and peace—especially youth from migrant and minority communities.
3. Cultural Heritage and Memory Preservation
•Partner on Cultural Events and Exhibitions: The monastery’s unique archive and art—icons, manuscripts, liturgical objects—could support ALF’s cultural heritage initiatives through exhibitions and lectures.
•Sayfo Martyrs Monument: Collaborate on public remembrance and education regarding the 1915 genocide of Syriac Christians—fostering dialogue around shared histories of trauma, healing, and reconciliation.
4. Artistic and Creative Projects
•Music and Chant Performances: Share the monastery’s rich Syriac musical tradition through intercultural concerts and workshops, especially in sacred music festivals.
•Poetry and Literature Events: Featuring texts by Mor Ephrem, Gibran Khalil Gibran, and other figures tied to Middle Eastern Christian identity, creating space for poetic dialogue.
5. Advocacy and Solidarity
•Raise Awareness About Persecuted Minorities: Contribute to ALF’s Mediterranean focus by speaking out for the rights of Christian and minority communities in the Middle East, sharing real stories from the diaspora.
•Host Solidarity Days or Forums: Focused on faith, freedom, and community resilience—inviting participants from across the Euro-Med space.
6. Active Networking and Capacity Building
•Participate in National and Euro-Med Meetings: Bring a spiritual and cultural perspective to ALF working groups and conferences.
•Collaborate with NGOs and Cultural Centers: Through joint programs and grant applications that support heritage, intercultural education, or community integration.
In essence, Mor Ephrem Monastery could act as a spiritual, cultural, and community bridge—offering space, content, people, and history that align perfectly with the Anna Lindh Foundation's mission of intercultural dialogue and shared societies.
Why do you want to join the ALF Network?
The Mor Ephrem Monastery as the spiritual and cultural heart of the Syriac Orthodox Church in the Netherlands, seeks to join the Anna Lindh Foundation (ALF) Network in order to actively contribute to and benefit from a shared vision of intercultural dialogue, peaceful coexistence, and mutual respect among diverse communities in the Euro-Mediterranean region.
Our interest in joining the ALF Network is rooted in the following motivations:
1. Commitment to Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue
2. Preservation and Sharing of Ancient Cultural Heritage
3. Empowering Youth and Building Civic Responsibility
4. Contribution to a Wider Vision of a Shared Mediterranean
5. Collaborative Spirit
In short, the Mor Ephrem Monastery believes that joining the ALF Network is a natural extension of its mission to serve as a beacon of faith, culture, and dialogue in the heart of Dutch society and the Euro-Mediterranean space.