The Nestorians and their Rituals/Volume 1/Chapter 16
CHAPTER XVI.
It is now time to resume our narrative. After waiting two days I was agreeably surprised to hear that Mar Shimoon had reached the adjoining village of Serspeedho on his way to Asheetha. No sooner was this intelligence made known than as many as twenty of the peasants began to make preparations for his reception. Five or six occupied themselves in raising a rude stone in the centre of the common hall, to which the fire was to be removed from beneath the chimney, where it could not be enjoyed by all the expected company. Some brought clean straw to spread over the place which was to serve as the Patriarch's seat and bed; whilst others ran from house to house collecting wood and provisions for his use. All was bustle, hurry, and confusion in anticipation of the coming visit. Four porters next appeared carrying the Patriarch's baggage, which was placed in a corner of the room, and such articles taken therefrom as were known to be requisite, such as a carpet, mattress, pillow, and six small coffee-cups. A copper ewer seemed to attract the notice and affection of an old woman, who, as soon as it was produced laid hold of it and covered it with kisses. For two hours the village was in a complete uproar, when it was announced that the Patriarch had made his appearance on the top of the mountains. A general turn-out now took place; men, women, and children to the number of a thousand, congregated round the church, whilst the more hardy and zealous went forward to be the first to greet their chief. I joined myself to this party, and in exchange for my salutation of kissing the Patriarch's hand received his blessing and a hearty welcome. The group was now one of indescribable interest, and the scene around grand in the extreme. Mountains upon mountains hemmed in the secluded valley on every side, the village poured forth its tenants from the scattered dwellings, who flocked from every quarter, some leading a son or daughter through the deep snow, whilst mothers were seen bearing in their arms their infant offspring whom they presented to the Patriarch that he might lay his hands upon them and bless them. Arrived at the church Mar Shimoon and his followers went up directly to the door and kissed the cross engraven on the wall above it. He then sat down on the step leading into the church, the assembled crowd standing at a respectful distance: he seemed to know every one present, and as each came forward in a stooping posture, and with uncovered head, to kiss his hand, he greeted him with some familiar inquiry about his own weal and that of his family.
I cannot better describe the person of Mar Shimoon than by quoting the language of Dr. Grant: "The patriarch is thirty-eighty ears of age, [he was four years older when I first saw him,] above the middle stature, well-proportioned, with an expressive and rather intelligent countenance; while his large flowing robes, his Coordish turban, and his long grey beard, give him a patriarchal and venerable aspect, which is heightened by an uniformly dignified demeanour: were it not for the youthful fire in his eye, and his vigour and activity, I should have thought him nearer fifty than thirty-eight. But his friends assured me that the hoariness of his beard and locks was that of care and not of age. His situation is certainly a difficult and responsible one, since he is, in an important sense, the temporal as well as the spiritual head of his people. To preserve harmony and settle differences between the various tribes of his spirited mountaineers, and with the Coords by whom they are surrounded, is a labour that would tax the wisdom of the greatest statesman; and I could hardly wonder that the hoar-frost of care was prematurely sitting upon his locks. It was quite evident that the patriarch's anxiety extended not less to the temporal than to the spiritual wants of his flock, as his first inquiries related particularly to their political prospects, the movements of Turkey, the designs of the European powers with regard to these countries, and why they did not come and break the arm of Mohammedan power, by which many of his people had been so long oppressed, and for fear of which the main body of them were shut up in their mountain fastnesses." This description applies in every respect to Mar Shimoon when I first saw him: in his person he had altered little if at all; but there was a heavier gloom upon his brow, and dark forebodings of the gathering storm which was so soon to burst upon himself and people, frequently found utterance and mingled with his familiar talk. The portrait in the frontispiece was taken seven years later, when the unfortunate patriarch was a mere wreck of his former self.
From the church the assembly repaired to the common room, which was soon thronged with the elders of the village, who sat round the fire in a semicircle opposite the Patriarch. Deacon Ishâk took his seat at the head of the company at a respectful distance from his brother Mar Shimoon, who opened the meeting by referring to a letter which he had lately received from Mohammed Pasha of Mosul, complaining that some of the Tyari Nestorians had consorted with Ziner Beg, a Coordish chief whom he had outlawed, but who was now protected by Bedr Khan Beg, and had committed several excesses in the districts within his jurisdiction. "Friends and brethren," said the Patriarch, "I am come hither on business of the government; on the business of Mohammed Pasha of Mosul. It remains with you to decide whether you will accede to my proposition at once, or whether you will detain me here forty days longer." This prelude was answered by a low bow from all present, and the exclamation proceeding from a hundred voices of "Upon our heads you are come; upon our eyes are you come;" an eastern metaphor expressive of their loyalty and devotion. His holiness proceeded: "Your words incline me to believe that you are my obedient followers; and why should it not be so? Other villages accuse me of partiality to you, and you all know my affection for you." (Cries of "We are your servants; we are your subjects.") "Yet I fear that there are some among you who are not faithful,—some there are even at Asheetha who do as they please, follow what leader they please, and acknowledge no other authority than their own. Tell me, whose subjects are you? Are you under the control of Noorallah Beg of Hakkari, or of Mohammed Pasha of Mosul, or of Bedr Khan Beg of Jezeerah, or of Ziner Beg?" (Cries of "We are your slaves; walk over our necks: we will die for you.") "Some of you, I understand, consort with Ziner Beg; now, are you so blind that you cannot foresee the consequences of such folly? Ziner Beg is a rebel, and it has been intimated to me by Mohammed Pasha that some of you are abetting him. It is the intention of the Pasha to send a strong force against him, and such a charge proved against you would be amply sufficient to justify his proceeding to attack you also. And are you so desirous to see the infidel soldiers among you, that you are doing all in your power to invite them?" (Cries of "God forbid.") "Are we not suffering enough at present from other quarters, that you must needs plunge yourselves into misery irremediable? As it is, while you are at peace with Mohammed Pasha, and on good terms with the Coords of Berwari, you can go and come, cut wood for your fires, gather thorns for your sheep, trade and travel, without fear of molestation; but if it be true that you are abetting Ziner Beg, as I said before, you cannot go a better way to lose those advantages, and to put a yoke upon your necks such as you have not hitherto borne." Here the Patriarch paused, while those present conversed together in an under breath, wondering what would be the finale of their chieftain's address, and evidently at a loss to discover who were the culprits among them. After leaving them a little time to breathe freely, the Patriarch proceeded: "Friends and brethren, if you wish to prove to the Pasha of Mosul and to me that you are faithful, I will advise you what to do. You must assemble a force of 300 strong from this village, and march instantly against Ziner Beg, rout his followers, and if possible capture the chief alive or dead. I understand that he has not many men with him, and your cause and courage are better than his. In thus doing you will remove the most distant cause of complaint against you, and Mohammed Pasha will be convinced of your sincerity."
Mar Shimoon had scarcely ended this spirited address when a villager announced that two armed Coords were descending the mountains from Serspeedho. "Watch if no more follow," said the Patriarch. In the course of half an hour two Coordish sheikhs, accompanied by a Nestorian priest who had been sent with them from the adjoining village, entered the hall. The priest came forward, knelt on one knee while he kissed the Patriarch^s hand and received his benediction. The Coords first made a low bow at the door, then approached most reverently, and after having placed a letter on the ground before Mar Shimoon, stood with folded arms until directed to sit. The Patriarch, who seemed to know at once that the message came from Noorallah Beg, the Coordish Emeer of Hakkari, rose for a moment with the letter in his hand in token of respect, and then resumed his seat. The purport of the embassy was a request on the part of Noorallah Beg that Mar Shimoon would appoint some place mid-way between Chamba and Julamerk where both might meet in order to effect a reconciliation and to cement their friendship. On hearing this, Shammâsha Ishâk, the Patriarch's brother, broke out into a furious invective. "What," said he, "send to make friends with us whom he has driven forth to wander about the mountains for the last nine years? Mighty fine terms he will doubtless propose! Is not Noorallah Beg the man who has oppressed us as we were never yet oppressed? Is it not he who has sullied our honour in the face of our people?" (Cries of "Never, never," from the villagers.) "Is it not Noorallah Beg who burnt our paternal dwelling, and made us vagabonds in our own land? No, the land does not belong to us or to him, but to these," snatching down my Turkish fez, putting it upon my head, and pointing to me as I sat a silent spectator of the scene.[1] "And now he would make peace to lull us into security, and to put us off our guard, in order that in a few months he may follow up his game and enslave us. Make peace with him? No, never; except at the point of our daggers." The messengers listened in mute astonishment to this fiery speech, while the villagers silently waited the reply of their chief. In his ordinary tone, and without the least expression of excitement, the Patriarch calmly observed: "Though far from approving of the spirit which my brother has manifested, much that he has said is undoubtedly true. We have not been treated well by Noorallah Beg, and therefore cannot be expected to place much confidence in his overtures. Yet we love peace, and wish to be friends with all men." Here the Coordish messengers interposed, and protested most solemnly that their master had the greatest respect for the Patriarch, and that his only desire now was to establish a lasting treaty of friendly alliance with him. The audience continued for about two hours, throughout which Mar Shimoon spoke in the same prudent and cautious language, and Deacon Ishâk, on his part, remained as stern and inflexible as when he opened his first tirade against Noorallah Beg. A suitable lodging was provided for the Coordish sheikhs by order of the Patriarch, who gave strict charge that they should be treated with every mark of respect. "See to it," said he, "that they want for nothing; and remember that they are my guests and the confidential messengers of Noorallah Beg."
After the messengers had left the room the Patriarch held a consultation with the elders of the village, when it was decided what answer should be sent to the Coordish Emeer. Accordingly on the morrow the two chiefs were sent for, and to them the Patriarch committed the following message: "In the first place present my warmest congratulations to your master, and tell him that I reciprocate all his good wishes and intentions towards me. I am far from being averse from friendship and peace, and heartily desire that the best understanding should exist between us; but as to appointing a place for personal conference, several causes prevent my doing so at present, and I therefore beg that the Emeer will accept my excuses. The snows cover the mountains, and the roads are almost impassable, as you well know who have been seven days in travelling hither from Julamerk, consequently it would be difficult for me to undertake such a journey now. Moreover, our lenten fast is near, and before that is over I could not think of entering upon any business to be transacted at so great a distance. Besides, (pointing to me who served him for a third excuse) this my guest has come a long way to see me, and it would be rude in me to leave him for some time." On receiving this message, which they did standing, the two Coords, accompanied by the priest who had guided them to Asheetha, bowed to the ground and took their departure.
I cannot give the reader a better account of my proceedings in the mountains, with respect to the mission entrusted to me, than by quoting several extracts from a report to the committee of the Gospel Propagation Society, written after my return to Mosul, and dated March 30th, 1843.
"During my stay at Asheetha I had two long private conferences with the Patriarch, when I laid before him my letters commendatory from His Grace the Primate, the Lord Bishop of London, and the Anglican Bishop at Jerusalem.[2] He appeared highly gratified with the contents, but expressed surprise that he had hitherto heard so little of us. I took frequent occasion, however, to lay before him, and many of his clergy and people, the character, teaching, and discipline, of our holy Church. I thought at times that my statements were not received with perfect confidence; but when I proceeded to confirm them by extracts from our ritual all doubt seemed to be removed. I had brought with me a copy of our Prayer Book in Arabic as a present to his Holiness, hoping that some of the mountain clergy would be able to read it; but in this I was disappointed. 'You must translate it for us into Syriac,' said Mar Shimoon, 'in order that we may know more correctly what are the doctrines and usages of your Church.' The same desire was expressed by several of the clergy, and I hope that the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge will afford me every assistance in undertaking that work. It is a necessary step which will gain for us more than any other measure the confidence of the people, and without which we shall make but little progress, especially at the outset.
"Our proposals to establish schools were well received by Mar Shimoon, who promised to open ten in as many of tbe largest mountain villages; but the Patriarch endeavoured to impress upon me, that unless something be done for the Nestorians in a political point of view, the establishment of schools, or any other kindred measures, in the present unsettled state of the mountains, will be very precarious. Noorallah Beg, the Coordish Emeer of Hakkari, has virtually robbed them of their independence, and unless timely assistance be rendered to the Christian population, we may soon expect to see them entirely subjugated by the barbarous and lawless Coords. …
"The proceedings of the American Dissenters here necessarily formed a leading topic of our discourse. Through the influence of Noorallah Beg they have been permitted to settle in the mountains, and two large establishments, one at Asheetha and the other at Leezan, a village one day distant, are at present in course of being built. They have also a school in actual existence at Asheetha, the expenses of which are defrayed by the board, and, if I am rightly informed, another at Leezan. … I did not fail to acquaint the Patriarch how far we are removed in doctrine and discipline, from the American Independent missionaries, and this I did not so much by exposing their system as by unfolding the principles of our own Church; for Mar Shimoon seemed well aware of their distinguishing tenets. I showed him, moreover, that it would be injudicious, and would by no means satisfy us to have schools among his people by the side of theirs, and pressed upon him to decide what plan he would pursue under existing circumstances. I think the Patriarch expressed his real sentiments for the peculiar doctrines of the Independents when he said: 'I hold them as cheap as an onion;' but there are other considerations which have more influence in inclining him to keep on friendly terms with the missionaries. In the first place. Dr. Grant has gained the apparent good-will of Noorallah Beg, and the Patriarch may fear that if he manifests any alteration in his conduct towards the American missionaries the Emeer might revenge it. Secondly, although I am fully convinced that there is hardly a Nestorian in the mountains who sympathizes with the doctrine or discipline of the Dissenters whenever these differ from their own, yet I am persuaded, that from the Patriarch to the poorest peasant all value the important services of a good physician; and besides this, they highly prize the money which the missionaries have already expended and are still expending among them with no niggardly hand in presents, buildings, schools, &c. I am sorry to say that the mountaineers, from the highest to the lowest, appear to be an over-reaching and gift-loving people, of which I had abundant proof in the continual demands made upon me, both by clergy and laity during my short stay at Asheetha. They look for these as a matter of course, and are not only disappointed but even affronted by a refusal. The presents which I took in my hand to the Patriarch satisfied him at the time, as did also those which I gave to his brother and Kash' Auraha, his archdeacon; but since my return to Mosul I have received a written request from the former to send him the sum of £120 for the expenses of schools, a mare, a silk girdle, and a string of coral beads; and from the latter, a demand for £5 in money, a scarlet cloak, and a silk turban. These requests are tendered in the most business-like way, as if the petitioners had the right to make, and it was our duty to grant them.
"In consequence of Mar Shimoon's letter, touching the schools, wherein he informs me, that he has already opened two according to his promise, and hopes soon to open eight more, I have sent Kasha Mendu to inform his Holiness, that although I prefer that the priests who act as teachers should be paid through him, yet I am not at liberty to place such large sums of money at his disposal; that as soon as the schools are established, I shall either go or send Mr. Fletcher to visit them;—that I am willing to make the remittances to him for the teacher's salary every three months, but that these salaries must be fixed beforehand. In the meantime, I consent to advance him a small sum to cover the expenses of opening the schools, and for making other necessary arrangements in connexion therewith. I have, moreover, requested his Holiness to inform Kasha Mendu, where he has already opened the two schools mentioned in his letter, and have directed the priest to visit them before he returns; as I have some fear that he may mean those under the direction of the American Missionaries at Asheetha and Leezan. I may be mistaken, but I have my doubts on the subject. …
"But there is one subject connected with the establishment of schools to which the attention of the Church has already been called, but which I beg again to lay before the Committee at home for their serious consideration. If we establish schools we must have books, for of these the Nestorians have none except those used in the churches, which are in a language understood by the Clergy only, and not generally even by them. If we are to superintend the preparation of elementary books for education, we must have the assistance of persons competent for the task. To enter upon this work, however, without the consent and promised support of the Church, we cannot, lest like the man who failed in building his house, because he had not previously calculated his resources, our failure may be more serious. The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge has voted £500 for this purpose; but unless an equal vote is promised yearly from the funds of the Church, we must soon forbear working. We are anxiously waiting the Societies' reply to our first report on this subject before we enter upon the necessary preliminaries.
"Moreover, I have made arrangements with Kasha Mendu for opening a school at Amedia, to be taught by him, and on his return from the Patriarch, he will probably be accompanied by the Nestorian priests of Dirgni and Mezi, with whom I intend to consult about a similar measure to be adopted in these two villages. The only book available for schools is the Syriac psalter, of which Kasha Mendu possesses several manuscript copies; but how little the children will be profited by this, you may easily imagine when you hear that it is written in a language of which they hardly understand a sentence. The advantages to be gained, however, at the outset are these; the children will thereby have been collected together, the school will have been formed, and the people will have been led to sanction and approve of the measure by seeing the pupils receive the same primary instruction as all among them do when they first begin to read. Other advantages might be enumerated, not the least of which is the influence which these schools will undoubtedly have in preventing the Nestorians remaining in the Supna and in the Berwari district; from joining the ranks of the papal Chaldeans.
"Yet if this be all that the Church will undertake, it will be doing but little indeed, and therefore we beg that the Societies at home will not delay sending us such powers as may enable us to carry out the recommendations made in a former report. To that I refer your committee in preference to entering into any fresh details, or of making any new propositions, with regard to our proceedings in this country. Many Chaldeans at Mosul are anxiously waiting for us to enter upon some such measures as have already been proposed, and if these are sanctioned, I dare to express the hope, that through the Divine blessing, the Church of England will be instrumental in doing much good to the ancient churches in these regions."
Before leaving Asheetha Mar Shimoon gave me a letter addressed to His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, of which the following is a translation.[3]
"The salutation of safety from God, and the peace of our Lord, from the mouth of Mar Shimoon, Catholicos and Patriarch of the Eastern regions, to you the Primate and Archbishop, the Catholicos and Patriarch of the English regions.
"Be it known unto your Grace that the presbyter George came unto us in these Eastern parts, and brought unto us three affectionate Epistles, one from your Grace, another from the Lord Bishop of London, and a third from the Bishop of the Holy City Jerusalem, which Epistles he read and explained in our hearing. We rejoiced exceedingly and beyond measure, first on account of the words which you sent to us in your fatherly epistles, and secondly, because of the arrival of George, the elect presbyter, and your deputy. He himself witnessed the afflictions which we suffer from the Hanafites, [Mohammedans,] and we also related to him what we have to endure from their tyranny, and he will communicate all this to your Grace in our behalf. The above mentioned presbyter, George, underwent many hardships, and encountered many difficulties, in his way to us, first, on account of the severity of the cold and the winter, and secondly, from the enemies who surround us; but the grace of God delivered him out of every danger. And be it known unto you, that he is our agent from us to you, and we pray that the Lord may preserve you from all evil and harm. And we moreover beg, that the eye of your Grace may be directed towards us, that it may not be true of you as our Lord saith, in His teaching: 'I was in prison and ye visited Me not,' &c. for we are at present in slavery to the Hanafites. Besides, we heard from the presbyter George, how that you had offered assistance to us in money to be expended in schools for our benefit; and in this matter also, let the presbyter be the agent betwixt us. So much to your Grace.
"Written on the 17th of Shbât, in the village of Asheetha, in the year of our Lord 1843." l. s.
March 3rd.—Before starting from Asheetha, the Patriarch made me a present of some mountain-grown tobacco, and several wax tapers, which he had brought with him for his own use. We left early in the morning and in less than half an hour reached the foot of Kadoma. Two lusty Nestorians had come with me for the purpose of carrying me up the steep ascent; but all their efforts were in vain. After several tumbles I determined to proceed alone, and finally succeeded in reaching the high table-land. The snows were still on the ground, and we were obliged to trudge on foot to Amedia, where we arrived in safety the day following, after having spent a night at the small Nestorian village of Mâya in the Berwari.
March 4th.—Went this morning with Kasha Mendu, to visit the Church of Mar Abd Yeshua (vulg. Mar Audishu,) near the village of Deiri, about three miles to the east of Amedia. Our road lay over the off-shoots of the Tcah Meteenah, now covered with anemones, irises, and the other wild flowers, which decked the mountain sides with their gay and lively colouring. Deiri, (so called from the church,) is pleasantly situated in a deep ravine, and shaded with a thick grove of fruit trees. The air in the vicinity was perfumed with the fragrance of violets which grow in rich abundance on the hills and valleys around. We found the church deserted, and in a very dilapidated condition:[5] in its internal construction, it resembles that of Mar Gheorghees at Leezan, consisting of three parallel chapels, that on the south side serving for the Baptistery, which appears to be its position in all the Nestorian village churches. Tradition says, that Mar Audishu was erected 366 years before Mohammed, and that it was at one time served by forty-two monks, who resided in the natural caves hard by.
This church is held in great veneration by the Mohammedans of the surrounding districts, who generally respect such places of Christian worship as were built before the advent of the False Prophet. Ismael Agha, the Kiahya of Amedia, told me in a very serious tone, that a Coord of his acquaintance who had become mad, having been bound within the walls for a night, was found in his right mind in the morning following. Kasha Mendu drew forth from under a heap of stones the iron chain and collar used on these occasions, and if the testimony of the Nestorians is to be implicitly received, many wonderful cures have been effected on maniacs by similar treatment.
In the yard of the church I observed the skin of a wild boar which had been killed the day before by a Mohammedan, and had been brought hither by the Nestorians to dry, after which they intended to cut it up into sandals. On inquiring whether the Nestorians ate the flesh, and manifesting myself some disgust at the idea, I was informed that not only did they eat it, but that I also had partaken of some sausages made with the flesh of that identical animal the night preceding. Kasha Mendu told me, however, that his people have taken such licence only within the last few years; the mountain Nestorians, as well as the Jacobites of Jebel Toor, still manifest great abhorrence for swine's flesh, and the same prejudice is not uncommon even at the present day among the papal Syrians and Chaldeans of the plains.
On our return to Amedia, I accidentally heard of a young Jacobite lad, who had been forced to embrace Islamism. On my return to Mosul, I made an application to the Pasha, on the subject, and succeeded, after some trouble, in procuring his liberation, after which he was permitted to join his church without molestation.
March 6th.—We left Amedia at 7 a.m., and after crossing the Supna, made the western rump of Jebel Gara about noon. The road now ran through two ravines covered with valonîa-oak, and at 2 p.m., we reached the Coordish village of Spindar, (the Zindar of Ainsworth.) The southern side of the Gara is quite smooth, and entirely destitute of wood. On ascending the high hills beyond Spindar, called Tcah Kheré, we had to our left a pretty valley, in which lay the two villages of Tceloki and Mezi, the former belonging to the Coords, and the latter inhabited by forty Nestorian families with a church and Priest. A little farther on we crossed another deep ravine, through which the principal source of the Gomel flows, and close by which is the large village of Khor Depni, until lately peopled by Nestorians; but the Priest having seceded to Rome, all his flock followed his example. This district is very fertile in vineyards, fig, almond, and pomegranate trees. After travelling till sunset, we put up for the night at the Coordish village of Kani Baska.
March 7th.—Set off at half-past 5 a.m., once a rugged road, and in three hours reached Bestava, situated in a narrow vale, with several other Chaldean villages, which like that of Khor Depni were until within the last few years inhabited by Nestorians. One hour more brought us to the Geli-oot-Tirsh, a long and difficult pass leading through the Tcah Mezuriyeh range. At the head of the pass we observed the remains of a deserted village, amidst the ruins of which, the almond trees were blossoming, and the vines were putting forth their early leaves apparently without an owner. After travelling three hours more we reached the pretty Coordish village of Shkeftendiah, the (Kathandiyah of Mr. Ainsworth,) situated in a valley which gives off several glens, that to our right leading to Sheikh Adi, the sacred shrine of the Yezeedees, a detailed description of which has already been laid before the reader. Thither we bent our steps, and it was about noon when we found ourselves enjoying the shade and beauty of this romantic and picturesque retreat. Twelve hours' ride from Sheikh Adi brought us back to Mosul and to our friends in safety, after an absence of eighteen days.
- ↑ For greater convenience and protection in travelling I generally put on the large Turkish red cap, but this I had laid aside on my arrival at Asheetha for the usual clerical dress which I wore during my residence in the East, consisting of a cassock and girdle, a cloak of more simple make than our academical gown, and a black velvet cap. By fixing the fez upon my head I suppose the Patriarch's brother wished the Coords to believe that I was a Turkish official on duty from the Government.
- ↑ Copies of these letters are given in the Introduction to this volume.
- ↑ The original of the above, and of several other letters from Mar Shimoon, addressed to the Primate and Bishops of the English Church, which will be found in this work, are preserved I believe in the archiepiscopal archives at Lambeth.
- ↑ All the Patriarch's epistles are headed with this cipher. The two Syriac letters stand for JAH, and the three dots above and the one below them are intended to denote the Trinity in Unity.
- ↑ I was glad to find, on my visit in 1850, that this church had been restored, and that the Lord's Supper was administered in it to a congregation of Nestorians from Amedia and the adjacent villages by Kasha Mendu.