Heritage and Present

Inspired by a photo i keep seeing online that's taken in Bab Tuma; it's amazing to see the blending of past and present in this photo! People casually driving by remnants of our ancient history and ancient civilizations..


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Bab Tuma ( Arabic,باب توما ), (Saint Thomas’s Gate) is the oldest borough of Damascus itself the oldest city in the world, and owes its name to Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ.

Famous residents included: Saint Paul the most notable of Early Christian missionaries, Saint Thomas himself who after lending his name to the neighborhood went on to explore Afghanistan, Punjab and India, and Syrian-born philosopher Michel Aflak, founder of the Baath party.

In the 14th century, following the occupation of Antioch and Alexandretta by Turkish troops, the borough of Bab Tuma became the seat of the Greek-Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Churches for the Northern Middle-East (Syria, Lebanon and Southern Turkey).