Its name is taken from the name of the Assyrian god Nabo. In the past, there was a holy big idol of this god in the village before the popularization of Christianity among Mt Liloon people. Moreover, there was another idol of god Nabo in Kalouta village from the Roman era (the first and second centuries AD).

However, Mt Liloon people abandoned the worship of god Nabo when Samaan (Symeon) came to the mountain and was able, by virtue of his strong belief in God, to guide the people to Christianity. Consequently, the idol of Nabo was destroyed and Kafer Nabo church was built instead in 398 AD; this church is considered one of the oldest Syriac churches without exception.

Then, the Christians built another church in 525 AD, an abbey, a tower for hermits, a hotel for pilgrims in 504AD and houses; all these features go back to the fifth and sixth centuries AD. Also, there is an olive press in the village dated 224 AD.

"It (Kafer Nabo) was mentioned in the Torah and had a great dome pertaining to the idol of god Nabo "(Yaqoot Al-Hamwi: volume 2, page285).

Translated by
Rashid Oso