Wednesday, February 23, 2022

The pestilence at Bet-Garmay

Ishoʿdnah's summary of Mar Sabrishoʿ was scrambled, adding "oh right he was a metropolitan" after the record of his death. To that Siʿrt #109 reads better, although lacking (or postponing) the monastery Babta de Mahôzê. Here, after the Metropolitan cures the demons:

The plague invaded the region of Beith Garmai; he made Rogations for a whole week, as David did in the days of the children of Israel, and God made the plague disappear; it is these Rogations which took the name of Rogation of the Ninevites. Its commemoration is made on the feast day of these Rogations, which is Thursday. May his prayers be with us.

Siʿrt implies the plague happened under wali/amir ʿUtba... and after Maremmeh ordained Sabrishoʿ metropolitan. Note that Sabrishoʿ's tenure must start after AD 646.

Siʿrt #106 implies ʿUtba is Ibn Ghazwân conqueror of Mayshan "second year of ʿUmar" (the twelve moons from 23 August AG 946 / AD 635, on), drifting north. Contra Siʿrt, Hâtim bin Muslim told Ibn Khayyât that Mosul's ʿUtba was Ibn Farqad.

It is, however, possible that the plague happened earlier, and that Sabrishoʿ and Maremmeh simply agreed to write out the Rogation's process. (This is also called the Fast of Nineveh.) The Ḥūḏrā explains all this, so Siʿrt's editor informs us by footnote. I am also directed to a similar plague, and Rogation, under catholicos Ezekiel.

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