Santa Tecla Convent

The convent of Santa Tecla is the only place of interest around Ma'loula. To get there, it is necessary to climb a steep path that goes behind the cliff. The convent is built around the shrine of St. Thecla, one of St. Paul's disciples regarded as one of the first martyrs in Christendom. Legend has it that she was persecuted and condemned because of her faith and when cornered against the face of the cliff, he prayed that God help him and then suddenly a crack opened in the wall, letting him escape. The convent is a rather ugly and modern building which in and of itself is not of much interest, except for the legendary escape route.