Abraham of Kashkar

Abraham of Kashkar , called the Great (* 503 ; † January 8, 588 ) was the founder of the resurgence of the Assyrian monastic movement in the Middle East during the 6th century.

Monastic life was very popular with the early Syrian and Mesopotamian Christians. Some believed that only a strictly celibate life could lead to salvation. All monks and nuns were nomads until about the year 350 Mar Awgin founded the first cenobitic monastery in Mesopotamia on Mount Izla above the city of Nisibis based on the Egyptian model. As a result, many more monasteries were soon established.

However, the Assyrian Church of the East decided at the Council of Beth Lapat (484) that all monks and nuns should marry. Apparently this was done to please the Zoroastrian rulers who sanctified family life. This decision severely weakened the Church. The spiritual life deteriorated and the opponents left the church to join the monophysite church.

The decision was revoked in 553 and Abraham re-established a monastery with strict rules on Mount Izla in 571. The third abbot of his monastery was his pupil Babai the Great (551–628), who finally drove the married monks from Mount Izla and made visits to the various monasteries in the north to ensure that the strict rules of the order were followed.

literature

• Martin Tamcke:  ABRAHAM from Kaschkar. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 16, Bautz, Herzberg 1999, ISBN 3-88309-079-4 , Sp. 1-2.
• Chialà, Sabino (ed.): Abramo di Kashkar e la sua comunità. La rinascita del monachesimo siro-orientale (Edizioni Qiqajon), Magnano 2005. ISBN 88-8227-193-5