St. Mariam's Cathedral (also called Mariam Dearit) is Massawa's principal Orthodox church, standing on Taulud Island near the Imperial Palace. A church has stood on this site since antiquity, and it is one of the holiest places in Eritrea — traditionally said to predate Christianity, having been a pagan site before conversion. The current building has been damaged and rebuilt several times, most recently after the fighting of 1990.
The cathedral is an active place of worship and particularly lively during Orthodox Christian holidays. The area around it — with its mix of Christian and Muslim residents living in close proximity — reflects Massawa's long history as a port where traders from across the Red Sea world mingled.