Hano Qritho celebration held in Mharkan village in Gozarto Region of North and East Syria

GOZARTO, Syria — On the advent of Lent, according to the ritual of the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Syriac Women’s Union (SWU) and the Syriac Cultural Association held a celebration of Hano Qritho in Mharkan village in the countryside of Qabre Hewore (Qahtaniyah) in North and East Syria.

Residents from Zalin (Qamishli) and other parts of North and East Syria participated in the celebration. The attendees toured the village carrying the Hano Qritho doll and collecting eggs, bulgur, and ghee from the villagers.

Afterwards, they gathered and danced to Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) folk songs.

Hano Qritho is a historic Syriac folk celebration dating back to the 13th century B.C.