Monastery of Beth Abe

Monastery of Beth Abe (Classical Syriac: ܒܝܬ ܥܒܐ; Beṯ ˁábe, literally "house of wood"), is an East Syriac monastery located near the on the Great Zab about 80 km northeast of Nineveh. It was founded by Rabban Jacob of Lashom around 595 AD.^[1] The monastery played a major part in Syriac monasticism and was inhabited by several important figures in the Church of the East such as Sahdona, John of Dailam, Shubhalishoʿ, Giwargis II and Abraham II. One monk, Thomas of Marga, wrote a history of the monastery. Another, Bishop David of Kartaw, wrote a series of biographies of holy men known as the Little Paradise.

Abbots

The abbots listed by Thomas of Marga are:

1. Rabban Jacob of Lashom^[2]
2. John [I] of Beth Garmai (before 628)^[3]
3. Paul^[4]
4. Kam-Isho (during the reign of Ishoyahb III, 649–659)^[5]
5. Beraz-Surin (during the reign of Giwargis I, 661–680)^[6]
6. Rabban Mar Abraham^[7]
7. Bar Sauma (during the reign of Hnanisho I, 686–698)^[8]
8. Gabriel [I] of Shahrizor, called "the Cow" (during the reign of Hnanisho I)^[9]
9. George Bar Sayyadhe of Neshra (during the reign of Hnanisho I)^[10]
10. Sama of Neshra, brother of prec. (during the reign of Hnanisho I)^[11]
11. Nathaniel (during the reign of Hnanisho I)^[12]
12. Selibha the Aramaean (during the reign of Hnanisho I)^[13]
13. Gabriel [II], called "the Little Sparrow"^[13]
14. Joseph [I] of Shahrizor (during the reign of Sliba-zkha, 714–728)^[14]
15. John [II] (during the reign of Sliba-zkha)^[15]
16. Aha (during the reign of Aba II, 741–751)^[16]
17. Ishoyahb of Tella of Birta (during the reign of Aba II)^[17]
18. Cyriacus of Gebhilta (died c. 800)^[18]
19. Shubhhal-Maran^[19]
20. Joseph [II] (died 832)^[19]

References

1. Brock 2001, p. 202.
2. Budge 1893, pp. lxx–lxxvi.
3. Budge 1893, pp. lxxvi–lxxxii.
4. Budge 1893, pp. lxxxii–xcvii.
5. Budge 1893, pp. xcvii–c.
6. Budge 1893, pp. c–ci.
7. Budge 1893, p. ci.
8. Budge 1893, pp. ci–cii.
9. Budge 1893, pp. cii–ciii.
10. Budge 1893, pp. ciii–civ.
11. Budge 1893, p. civ.
12. Budge 1893, pp. civ–cv.
13. Budge 1893, p. cv.
14. Budge 1893, pp. cv–cvi.
15. Budge 1893, p. cvii.
16. Budge 1893, pp. cvii–cxi.
17. Budge 1893, pp. cxi–cxiii.
18. Budge 1893, pp. cxiii–cxvii.
19. Budge 1893, p. cxvii.

Bibliography

• Budge, E. A. Wallis, ed. (1893). The Book of Governors: The Historia Monastica of Thomas, Bishop of Margâ A.D. 840. Vol. 1. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co.
• Brock, Sebastian (2001). "Syriac into Greek at Mar Saba: The Translation of St. Isaac the Syrian". In Joseph Patrich (ed.). The Sabaite Heritage in the Orthodox Church from the Fifth Century to the Present. Peeters. pp. 201–208.