Friday, February 25, 2022

The lonely saint of Alfâf

Ishoʿdnah #50:

Saint Bar-Qusrê, who built a monastery in Mosul: His family was from the land of Nineveh. He applied himself to reading books from his youth. He then went to find Mar Job, disciple of Mar Abraham of Nethpar, who founded a monastery in the region of Adiabene. This one gave him the monastic habit and he worked in all humility to serve the brothers. After fifteen years he went to Jerusalem. On his return, he went up to Mount Elpheph, in the land of Nineveh, and dwelt there in a cave. The heretics who lived in this mountain often abused him. He then came to Hesna ʿEbraya, that is to say to Mosul, because at that time the city was not yet built and it was only a very small fortress. Brothers met near him and built a monastery and cells. He emigrated to the Lord, adorned with all the virtues, on the first Sunday of the fast of the Apostles.

To track these people back: Mar Abraham of Nethpar #43 was an author who brought Pachomite practices from Egypt to the monks of Hidyab, the region focused on metropole Arbela (his full life, here). Mar Job's (back)story is #44; neither account is much good for dating events. This Mar Abraham, we do know, is not the one who founded Izla near(er) Nineveh. Sabrishoʿ Rostam told their stories.

Although - there was already a monastery at the Hesna ʿEbraya, built by one Mar Elia from Babai's Izla. (We were pondering the Mosul anachronisms . . .) So why the other one?

Anyway here is Alfâf that nest of heresy of Ishoʿyahb's #48, which for Ishoʿdnah means Athanasius' creatures. Now I must wonder about Epistle #26. Although, #48's "importuned wasp" (tr. Bcheiry) at Bet-Babî is hard to square with Bar-Qusrê here.

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