- Babowai
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For other uses, see Babai (disambiguation).
Babowai (also Babaeus or Mar Babwahi) (died 484) was the Patriarch of the Church of the East during the reign of the Sassanid King Peroz I. Babowai was known for his pro-Byzantine leanings, for which he was often in conflict with other members of the anti-Byzantine Church of the East. He was executed in 484.
Babowai was known as a learned philosopher. He was also a convert from Magianism, what the Zorastrians would call an apostate, someone who had renounced their religion, and therefore subject to considerable persecution. He was imprisoned for seven years, probably 470–480, and tortured repeatedly by the Magi, who were also burning churches and imprisoning other Christians. Babowai was also often in conflict with Barsauma, the metropolitan of Nisibis, though this was not unusual as Babowai was known to be in conflict with many others as well, be they authorities, colleagues, or subordinates.[1] He was known to discipline bishops in his church, and whether right or wrong, some of these bishops would flee to Barsauma for his support.
The root of the conflict with Barsauma may have been due to a major issue at the time, that of whether members of the clergy should be celibate or not. When Babowai wrote a letter to some Roman bishops, asking them to use their influence with the emperor, and procure his intercession with the Shah-in-Shah (King Peroz) to avert persecution, Barsauma somehow managed to intercept the message, even though it had been hidden in the hollow of a cane. Within the letter, Babowai had used some imprudent language such as, "God has given us over to an accursed kingdom." Barsauma took advantage of this, and showed the letter to King Peroz, who was understandably furious. Peroz confronted Babowai, who admitted to the letter, and Peroz sentenced Babowai to death. For this, he is regarded by some as a martyr.
School
Babowai founded a school at Seleucia, of which his successor Mar Acacius was the first head. Mar Aba undertook substantial remodeling, and gave the school a library. When the Patriarchate was transferred to Baghdad in the 9th century, the school followed it.[2]
Notes
References
- Wigram, W. A. (2004). An introduction to the history of the Assyrian Church, or, The Church of the Sassanid Persian Empire, 100–640 A.D.. Gorgias Press. ISBN 1593331037.
Preceded by
Dadisho
421–456Catholicus-Patriarch of the East
457–484Succeeded by
Acacius
485–496Patriarchs of the Church of the East 1st–4th centuries Addai · Aggai (66–87) · Mari (ob.104) · Abris (121–37) · Abraham (159–71) · Yaʿqob I (c.190) · Ahadabui (204–20) · Shahlufa (220–4) · Papa (c.280–317) · Shemʿon Bar Sabbaʿe (329–41) · Shahdost (341–3) · Barbaʿshmin (343–6) · Tomarsa (363–71) · Qayyoma (377–99)
5th–8th centuries Isaac (399–410) · Ahha (410–14) · Yahballaha I (415–20) · Maʿna (420) · Farbokht (421) · Dadishoʿ (421–56) · Babowai (457–84) · Acacius (485–96) · Babai (497–503) · Shila (503–23) · Elishaʿ (524–37) · Narsai intrusus (524–37) · Paul (539) · Aba I (540–52) · Joseph (552–67) · Ezekiel (570–81) · Ishoʿyahb I (582–95) · Sabrishoʿ I (596–604) · Gregory (605–9) · Ishoʿyahb II (628–45) · Maremmeh (646–9) · Ishoʿyahb III (649–59) · Giwargis I (661–80) · Yohannan I (680–3) · Hnanishoʿ I (686–98) · Yohannan Garba intrusus (691–3) · Sliba-zkha (714–28) · Pethion (731–40) · Aba II (741–51) · Surin (753) · Yaʿqob II (753–73) · Hnanishoʿ II (773–80) · Timothy I (780–823) ·
9th–12th centuries Ishoʿ Bar Nun (823–8) · Giwargis II (828–31) · Sabrishoʿ II (831–5) · Abraham II (837–50) · Theodosius (853–8) · Sargis (860–72) · Israel of Kashkar intrusus (877) · Enosh (877–84) · Yohannan II (884–91) · Yohannan III (893–9) · Yohannan IV (900–05) · Abraham III (906–37) · Emmanuel I (937–60) · Israel (961) · ʿAbdishoʿ I (963–86) · Mari (987–99) · Yohannan V (1000–11) · Yohannan VI (1012–16) · Ishoʿyahb IV (1020–5) · Eliya I (1028–49) · Yohannan VII (1049–57) · Sabrishoʿ III (1064–72) · ʿAbdishoʿ II (1074–90) · Makkikha I (1092–1110) · Eliya II (1111–32) · Bar Sawma (1134–6) · ʿAbdishoʿ III (1139–48) · Ishoʿyahb V (1149–75) · Eliya III (1176–90)
13th–16th centuries Yahballaha II (1190–1222) · Sabrishoʿ IV (1222–4) · Sabrishoʿ V (1226–56) · Makkikha II (1257–65) · Denha I (1265–81) · Yahballaha III (1281–1317) · Timothy II (1318–c.1332) · Denha II (1336/7–1381/2) · Eliya V (1503–4) · Eastern Christianity Portal · Patriarch List
Categories:- 484 deaths
- Patriarchs of the Church of the East
- Converts to Christianity from Zoroastrianism
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