Great Mosque of Gaza

How this ancient site speaks to Gaza's extensive history of religious interchange. The Great Omari Mosque is the oldest mosque in Palestine. It was, however, not always a mosque. Like many ancient religious sites, it was built, destroyed, and rebuilt numerous times. In fact, it was not only built on top of previous religious sites, but with their same stones. According to tradition, the Great Omari Mosque stands on the site of the Philistine temple honoring Dagon: an ancient pagan god of fertility and water. Some argue that this god is the origin of mermaid folklore. Having killed thousands of Philistines, Samson became their enemy; determined to bind and kill him in vengeance. Delilah, a double-agent for the Philistine army, was determined to discover how God gave Samson his power. She eventually discovered the source: his long hair. The philistines chanted a poem as they made gracious offerings to Dagon, saying: "Samson was our enemy, but our god Dagon helped us capture him!" In Byzantium, Dagon remained the patron god of Gaza, but was now called "Marnas," and his temple called Marneion. Both Dagon and Marnas were sky gods, potentially mimetic of the Greek god Zeus. Marnas' image was minted on Gazan coins and worshipped to prevent drought. In the Umayyad period, around 700 AD, the Cathedral was converted into a mosque. The Great Omari Mosque’s name comes from one of the first caliphs of Islam, Omar ibn al-Khattab, in the 600’s. "The name Omari could come from the fact that the caliph Omar made a pact to preserve all Christian churches that were functioning and retain them as places of Christian worship. In Gaza, one of the things to bear in mind is that Muslims and Christians are brothers." [Gaza, the Great Mosque from the east] (1917-1925) by American Colony (Jerusalem). Photo Department The Barakat Trust On December 5th 1033, an earthquake caused the pinnacle of the mosque's minaret to collapse. After the minaret fell, during the Crusades of the 11th century, the Great Omari Mosque returned to its former status as a church. It didn’t take more than another century before Ayyubid conqueror Salah al-Din turned the building back into a mosque. It remained a mosque during the Mamluk and Ottoman periods in Gaza. Southern Palestine. Gaza, from the east (1900-1926) by American Colony (Jerusalem). Photo Department The Barakat Trust The Mamluk Empire ruled over Gaza over the course of almost three centuries – from 1259 to 1517. The Mamluks built this minaret, which is an example of their characteristic style: a square foundation and octagonal tower. Southern Palestine, Hebron, Beersheba and Gaza area. Gaza. Judges 16:1 (1950-1977) by Matson Photo Service The Barakat Trust Avedis reminisces about his childhood living near the Omari Mosque. In the early morning, he would hear the calls to prayer emanating from the massive complex. Southern Palestine. Gaza, from the west (1900-1926) by American Colony (Jerusalem). Photo Department The Barakat Trust Now, the Great Omari Mosque has remained a Muslim institution for almost 900 years. However, its foundations show that there has been religious worship here for far longer: at least two millennia. It changed religious affiliations at least six times. The surrounding area on Omar Al-Mukhtar street is a popular marketplace for sweets and spices during religious holidays. Still operating from center of the old city, the Great Omari Mosque continues to be a vital gathering place for the people of Gaza. "The grandson of one of the imams of Gaza used to take me to [Souk] al-Qissariya and the [Great Omari] Mosque when I was young. There were many traditions related to the way in which people studying the Quran in the mosque. Some of the rites we followed have disappeared today." Compiled by Leena Ghannam. The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied