On the need to name public spaces in Bartella after its Syriac luminaries

18/08/2026

By Ablahad Hanna Saka | Member of the Bethnahrin National Council

Bartella (Baritle) is one of those towns in the Nineveh Plain which carries a profound historical, cultural, and religious legacy. For centuries, this ancient town has been deeply intertwined with Christian heritage and the Syriac language. It produced prominent figures who have left an indelible mark on the history of the Syrian Church in the realms of thought, literature, and spirituality.

In light of this, there is a growing need to preserve Bartella’s historical memory by naming its streets, neighborhoods, and public squares after its Syriac luminaries and leading symbols. Such a step would ensure that these names remain part of the daily lives of future generations. They deserve more than just a mention in books and archives.

Bartella was never merely a place of residence. It was a cradle of Syriac learning, faith, and culture. It produced many distinguished spiritual and intellectual figures. Among them were Patriarch Behnam Hadloyo (1445–54), Patriarch Yūḥanun Bar Šay Allāh (1483–93), Patriarch Ni’matallah of Mardin (but with family roots in Bartella (1557–76), and Patriarch Mar Ignatius Ya’qub) III of Bartella (1957–1980).

The town is also associated with notable names such as the sixth century Mar Ahudemmeh, Grigoriyos Bar Hebraeus, Dr. Basil Shamoun Akula, Priest Ya’qub Saka, with the first generation of teachers, engineers, doctors and holders of advanced degrees, and with many other scholars, clergy, and intellectuals who enriched Syriac and ecclesiastical heritage.

Naming streets and squares after these individuals is far more than a nominal administrative change. It is an act of honoring history, safeguarding identity, and connecting new generations with their civilizational roots. When a child from Bartella walks down a street named after a local luminary or sees the name of a Syriac figure on a square or public building, they naturally become acquainted with a part of their people’s legacy.

Therefore, it falls upon the community, religious and cultural institutions of Bartella to submit formal requests and proposals to the relevant civil and administrative authorities. These proposals should advocate for naming streets, neighborhoods, and squares after personalities from Bartella’s own history, but also after villages, towns, and locations tied to the broader heritage of our people.

A comprehensive study could be prepared, including a list of Syriac personalities from Bartella and associated historical sites, villages, and cities. This list could then be recommended for use in naming new streets, neighborhoods, and public spaces.

Preserving identity does not happen through slogans alone, but by embedding history into the fabric of everyday life. Naming streets and neighborhoods after the notable figures of Bartella and its Syriac past is a civilizational tool that brings the past into the present and gives future generations the opportunity to know and take pride in their ancestral heritage.

Bartella deserves to have its streets and neighborhoods carry the names of those who shaped its history. The names of its Syriac luminaries should remain alive in the memory of the land and its people. Names are not merely words on signs; they are memory, identity, history and a message to generations yet to come.

The views expressed in this op-ed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of SyriacPress.