Mount Maratuk

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Maratuk (Armenian: Մարաթուկ) also Marutasar (Armenian: Մարութա սար) or Mereto (Turkish: Mereto Daği) is a mountain in the middle of the Armenian Taurus mountain range in the south of the Armenian Highlands within the borders of modern Turkey. Altitude 2973 m. The mountain famed by Armenian self-defence during the 1915-1923 Armenian genocide. At the top of the mountain there was an Armenian monastery named Marutavank (Armenian: Մարութա վանք) Surb Astvatzatzin (Holy Mother of God), revered throughout southern Armenia, especially in Sassoun gavar (district). The monastery was a place of pilgrimage until 1915 when it was destroyed by the Turks. The monastery is being restored today.

In the medieval Armenian epic named Sasuntsi Davit (David of Sassoun) at the chapter named Dzenov Ohan (Armenian: Ձենով Օհան), who was David's guardian, orders to build the church of Surb Astvatsatsin (Holy Virgin) at the mountain top, in Khoyt, the possession of Hovnan, on the grave of Mher the Elder, David's father . This is followed by an episode of the attack on the monastery of Kuzbadin, accompanied by 500 horsemen, sent by the ruler of the neighboring country of Misir (Egypt) Msra Melik, the extermination of the monks, robbery and destruction of the monastery. David retaliated by slaying the robbers. Zen Ohan restored the temple again. Academician Karapet Agabekovich Melik-Ohanjanyan writes: “The episodes connected with the construction, destruction and restoration of this Sasun sanctuary are among the most colorful and emotional in the Armenian epic.” This episode is also described in the work of al-Balazuri "The Book of the Conquest of Countries". In the epic "David of Sasun", the mountain is usually mentioned with the epithet "Bardzrik" (Armenian Բարձրիկ) - High ("Bardzrik Maratuk"), or "Surb Maratuk" (Armenian Սուրբ Մարաթուկ) meaning Saint Maratuk.