Babwahi

Mar Babwahi (also: Latin Babaeus , Babowai , Babai ; Aramaic ܒܐܒܘܝ, Arabic باباي; † 484) was Catholicos of Seleucia-Ctesiphon and Patriarch of the Church of the East from 457 to 484, during the reign of the Sassanid king Peroz I. Babwahi was known for his pro- Byzantine attitude, due to which he was often in with other members of the Church of the East Conflict came. He was executed in 484.

Life

Babwahi was known as a learned philosopher and also a convert from Zoroastrianism (Magianism). He was therefore called an apostate by the Zoroastrians . As a result, he was imprisoned for seven years, probably between 470 and 480, and repeatedly tortured by the Magi. During this time, Christians were often subjected to persecution. However, Babwahi also often came into conflict with Barsauma , the metropolitan of Nisibis , as well as with numerous other authorities, colleagues, or subordinates. He often punished the bishops in his parish and some of them sought support from Barsauma.

The cause of the conflict with Barsauma may have been due to differing views of the two as to whether clerics should be celibate or not. This was hotly contested in the Church at that time. When Babwahi sent a letter to some Rum-Orthodox bishops asking them to use their influence on the emperor and to influence the Shah-in-Shah Peroz to give up the persecution of Christians, Barsauma somehow intercepted the news. Tradition has it that the letter was hidden in a hollowed-out stick. Babwahi had used some careless phrasing. Among other things, he is said to have written: “God has handed us over to a cursed kingdom.” Barsauma used this piece of evidence and brought it to the king, who was understandably furious. Peroz confronted Babwahi, who also admitted to having written the letter. The king then sentenced him to death. Because of this, he is now sometimes referred to as a martyr .

legacy

Babwahi founded a school in Seleucia and his successor Mar Acacius was its first principal. Mar Aba expanded it extensively and founded the associated library. When the patriarchate moved to Baghdad in the 9th century , the school was taken away.

swell

• Wilhelm Baum, Dietmar W. Winkler: The Church of the East: A Concise History. London-New York, Routledge-Curzon 2003
• John Meyendorff: Imperial unity and Christian divisions: The Church 450–680 AD In: The Church in history. vol. 2 Crestwood, NY, St. Vladimir's Seminary Press
• William Ainger Wigram: An Introduction to the History of the Assyrian Church or The Church of the Sassanid Persian Empire 100–640 AD London, Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Wigram 1910: 151.
2. ↑ Wigram 1910: 238.

predecessor	Office	successor
Mar Dadishu I.	Catholicos of the "Church of the East" 457-484	Acacius