Mor Behnam - Kirklar Church Mor Behnam Church, also known as Kirklar Church or the Church of the 40 Martyrs, is a significant historical site in the city of Mardin. This church was built in 569 in honor of Syriac Saint Behnam and his sister Saro. The main building of the church is situated to the east of a large courtyard and features 12 pillars that support arches. The wooden gates, root-dyed curtains, and lacework stonework within the spacious courtyard are all centuries-old and add to the picturesque charm of the site. The church is named Kirklar or Forty Martyrs Church because the remains of 40 martyrs were brought here in 1170. The church is affiliated with the Syriac Orthodox Church and serves as their metropolitan cathedral. Visitors can enter the church for prayer services or visiting when it is unlocked. Inside the church, there is a large painting that depicts the story of the 40 martyrs. According to the legend, the Roman Emperor Dokios applied great pressure on Christians in the third century. When 40 soldiers of Greek origin rebelled against this pressure and were arrested, they were exiled and thrown into an ice pond in Sivas at midnight. A bright light appeared over the water and they were rewarded with crowns. These soldiers, who froze to death in the morning, are widely recognized as martyrs in the Christian world, and churches and monasteries are sometimes built in their honor.