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The Sümela Monastery is in the province of Trabzon in the district of Maçka in the Black Sea region of Turkey. Its name came from its location where was previously known as Mela Mountain. In Greek “Stou mela” means “on Mela”. The present name of the monastery originally came from the Greek dialect as “Sou-mela” (Sümela). The monastery complex is open to visit. The center of the complex is a cave almost 1200 m above sea level and about 300 m above the river at the bottom of the valley. The other elements of the complex such as chapels, kitchen, holy spring, library, guesthouse and students’ rooms were built around. The frescoes, mostly from 17th and 18th centuries) once covering the walls have been greatly damaged and inscriptions by visitors (as clear sign of vandalism) are visible on the walls.

According to the tradition, two monks from Athens, Barnabas and Sophrinius established the monastery in c. 386 after Barnabas having dreamed Virgin Mary asked him to found a monastery in her honor in the Pontus. Being guided by an icon of Virgin Mary, believed to have been painted by St. Luke), they founded the monastery on Mount Mela (Black Mountain). It was an important religious center for local Orthodox population and after the area was taken by Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II in 1461, the sultans provided the monastery with privileges including a magnificent pair of silver candlesticks by Selim I (r. 1512-20). His mother was born Princess Maria of Comneni, the leading dynasty of Trebizond region where the monastery is located. The monks left the monastery with the exchange of population between Turkey and Greece in 1923.

This place an imported role for centuries for local Orthodox population but since 1923 when they moved to Greece in exchange with Turkish population from there, there was no community to take of the place but as in the case of House of Mary in Ephesus, the place served as a hope for cure for desperate wonder seekers including local people. For example there are accounts from 1961 that some sick people in the seek of healing travelled here from distant parts of Turkey in order to find healing in the pool in which large drops of water drip from thirty of forty meters above. Please note that Virgin Mary is also highly venerated by the Muslims.

There is no religious influence to speak of. In its all solitude atmosphere, it recalls the far past of the geography when a population from different faiths lived together.

- Direct visit
A direct visit, if possible, would be the best way for students to experience the atmosphere of the place.
- Virtual visit (specify how)
A PPT presentation prepared by the tutor enriched with visuals.
- Classroom activity (pre- and post- visit)
Pre-visit activity: A research by students on the choice of locations of the monasteries paying special attention to their remoteness from populated areas.
Post-visit:
- Discussion on if monasteries had an inter-religious function.