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E06262: The Homily (memrā) on the Church of *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030) is written in Syriac during the early 6th c. by Jacob of Serugh (c. 451-521). It laments the despoliation of the church dedicated to Stephen in Amida (northern Mesopotamia) and its conversion into a fire temple by the Persians, after the take-over of the city by the troops of Kavadh I in the year 503.
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posted on 2018-08-29, 00:00 authored by sminovJacob of Serugh, Homily on the Church of Stephen
Summary:
The full title of the memrā is: ܕܝܠܗ ܕܡܠܦܢܐ ܡܪܝ ܝܥܩܘܒ ܡܐܡܪܐ ܕܥܠ ܒܝܬ ܡܪܝ ܣܛܐܦܢܘܤ ܣܗܕܐ ܕܥܒܕܘܗܝ ܦܖ̈ܣܝܐ ܒܝܬ ܢܘܪܐ ܟܕ ܥܠܘ ܠܗ̇ ܠܐܡܝܕ, 'Memrā of the teacher Mār Yaq'ub, on the house of the martyr Mār Stephanos, which the Persians made into a house of fire when they entered into Amida'. The primary focus of the Homily is lamentation over the desecrated church of the Martyr Stephen in Amida, converted by the Persians into a Zoroastrian fire temple after their capture of the city. The author approaches this subject from different angles, placing his main emphasis on such theological themes as God's justice and the chastisement of the Christians of Amida by the hand of the pagan conquerors. As in his other homilies, Jacob makes a heavy use of biblical typology to make his point, comparing the Sasanians to the biblical Assyrians and evoking the story of the capture of the Ark of the Covenant by the Philistines (1 Samuel 4-6). He concludes the Homily by expressing a hope that God will vindicate his people by punishing the Persians and restoring the church to the Christians.
Summary:
The full title of the memrā is: ܕܝܠܗ ܕܡܠܦܢܐ ܡܪܝ ܝܥܩܘܒ ܡܐܡܪܐ ܕܥܠ ܒܝܬ ܡܪܝ ܣܛܐܦܢܘܤ ܣܗܕܐ ܕܥܒܕܘܗܝ ܦܖ̈ܣܝܐ ܒܝܬ ܢܘܪܐ ܟܕ ܥܠܘ ܠܗ̇ ܠܐܡܝܕ, 'Memrā of the teacher Mār Yaq'ub, on the house of the martyr Mār Stephanos, which the Persians made into a house of fire when they entered into Amida'. The primary focus of the Homily is lamentation over the desecrated church of the Martyr Stephen in Amida, converted by the Persians into a Zoroastrian fire temple after their capture of the city. The author approaches this subject from different angles, placing his main emphasis on such theological themes as God's justice and the chastisement of the Christians of Amida by the hand of the pagan conquerors. As in his other homilies, Jacob makes a heavy use of biblical typology to make his point, comparing the Sasanians to the biblical Assyrians and evoking the story of the capture of the Ark of the Covenant by the Philistines (1 Samuel 4-6). He concludes the Homily by expressing a hope that God will vindicate his people by punishing the Persians and restoring the church to the Christians.
History
Evidence ID
E06262Saint Name
Stephen, the First Martyr : S00030Saint Name in Source
ܣܛܐܦܢܘܤRelated Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Liturgical texts - Hymns Literary - Sermons/HomiliesLanguage
- Syriac
Evidence not before
503Evidence not after
521Activity not before
451Activity not after
503Place of Evidence - Region
MesopotamiaPlace of Evidence - City, village, etc
SerughPlace of evidence - City name in other Language(s)
Serugh Edessa Edessa Ἔδεσσα EdessaMajor author/Major anonymous work
Jacob of SerughCult activities - Liturgical Activity
- Chant and religious singing