Ma'loula

I've been studying the Lord's Prayer for a class I'm taking on the Synoptic Gospels.  As I've been reading and rereading the prayer, I remembered a story....I spent a semester in the Middle East.  For a day trip, we went to the town of Ma’loula.  Ma’loula is one of three towns in Syria where Aramaic is still spoken.  


One historical site in Ma'loula is the Convent of St. Taqla.  St. Taqla has an interesting story.  She was the daughter of a Selucid prince who is was believed to have studied under St. Paul.  Her father sent soldiers to capture her and force her to surrender her faith or execute her but she ran from them.  Taqla ended up trapped against a rock face of the mountains of Qallamoun.  Knowing the soldiers were not far behind, she prayed to God to be saved from them.  The rocks split, allowing her to escape to a small cave high in the mountains.  When approaching the convent, there is a narrow path split between the rocks to reach the top of the cliffs.  I've read that Ma'loula means "entrance" in Aramaic.  


The reason I mention this is because of a special memory from Ma’loula, which connects to my study of the Lord's Prayer. We arrived at the beautiful sanctuary on a freezing cold night in November and found our way into the sanctuary of the church.  I loved the rough stone walls, the slightly damp smell of earth, the silence, and the realization of being in a place where hundreds of believers have offered prayers across centuries.   As we stood there, we were able to listen to a Syrian Melkite (Christian) priest recite the Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic. 
 Listen to a similar recitation here, thanks toYouTube