The predominently christian village of Maalulla shelters beneath dramatic cliffs in a narrow valley on the edge of the Anti-Lebanon mountains 60km north of Damascus. It is claimed that Aramaic (the language spoken by Christ) is still widely spoken here, though I only heard Arabic. Although the Convent of St Tekla is the village's main selling point, there is also a charming little Greek Catholic monastery of St Sergius which can be seen here on top of the cliff. The monastery itself is modern but hidden inside it is a small Byzantine church whose altar has raised sides, like the pagan altars of Roman temples.