Some 5,000 Assyrians from Turkey and around the world gathered at the historic Mor Gabriel Monastery in southeastern Turkey's Mardin province for the annual Shahro celebration, a religious tradition dating back about 1,300 years.

The festival drew members of the Assyrian community from Germany, the United States, Sweden, France, the Netherlands and other countries to the monastery in the Midyat district, one of the most important religious centers for Assyrians. For many participants, the gathering was both a religious observance and an opportunity to reconnect with relatives and friends they had not seen for years.

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The approximately 1,700-year-old monastery, along with the adjacent Church of the Virgin Mary and the Theodora Dome, welcomed visitors throughout the celebration. A three-hour liturgy was led by Samuel Aktaş, Metropolitan of Tur Abdin, the historic Assyrian region centered around Midyat. Prayers were recited in Syriac, hymns were sung and passages from the Bible were read, with children holding the rank of deacon joining clergy in the chants.

Following the service, thousands gathered around a communal "brotherhood table," where traditional Mesopotamian dishes including roasted meat, rice and beans were served.

Priest Hori Habib Önder, who traveled from Germany, described the gathering as a sign of renewed vitality and said the community's reunion would not have been possible without a peaceful environment.

For some, the celebration also marked a long-awaited homecoming. Semira Sever, who came from the Netherlands, returned to Shahro last year after a 46-year absence and brought her siblings and children with her this year.