This monastery, one of the four well known of its kind in Wadi AL-Natrun, was probably founded in the sixth century, though some might date it later. It is located about five hundred meters northwest of the Monastery of Saint Bishoi. It's establishment is closely connected with Julian's heretical doctrine which spread throughout Egypt under the patriarchate of Timothy III (517-535). The Julianist (Gaianists, after Archdeacon Gaianus, a supporter of Julianist theology who was a bishop in Alexandria c.

This monastery, one of the four well known of its kind in Wadi AL-Natrun was probably founded in the sixth century, though some might date it later. It is located about five hundred meters northwest of the Monastery of Saint Bishoi. It's establishment is closely connected with Julian's heretical doctrine which spread throughout Egypt under the patriarchate of Timothy III (517-535). The Julianist (Gaianists, after Archdeacon Gaianus, a supporter of Julianist theology who was a bishop in Alexandria c.

A majority of the monks became followers of Aphtartodocetism, while those who refused the doctrine obtained permission from the governor Aristomachus to erect new churches and monasteries so that they could settle apart from the Julianists. These new facilities were often built along side the old ones, even keeping the same name but adding to it Theotokos (Mother of God, or God-bearer). In this way, they recognized the significance of the incarnation, which Aphtartodocetism seemed to minimize, and thus reaffirmed the charismatic dignity of the Holy Virgin.

The Monastery of the Syrians was thus established by those of the St. Bishoi (Pishoi) monastery who were opposed to Julianist doctrines. Hence, it was originally the Monastery of the Holy Virgin Theotokos, but by the beginning of the eighth century, the problems between the Orthodox Christians and the Julianists died out and there was no longer any necessity to maintain two distinct monasteries.

Therefore, it was sold to a group of wealthy Syrian merchants originally from Tekrit in Mesopotamia for the sum of 12,000 dinars. They had settled in AL-Fustat in Old Cairo, and a certain Marutha from Takrit in eastern Syria converted it for use by Syrian monks who renamed it the Monastery of the Holy Virgin of the Syrians. However, some manuscripts refer to it as the Monastery of the Mother of God of the Syrians at that point. There had actually been Syrian monks at Wadi AL-Natrun since the end of the fourth century, living amongst the other monks. Perhaps, the Syrians wished to live in a monastic community that would be ethnically and culturally homogeneous.