Denha I (Syriac: ܕܢܚܐ ܩܕܡܝܐ ܡܦܪܝܢܐ ܕܬܓܪܝܬ, Arabic: دنحا الاول مفريان المشرق)[1] was the Syriac Orthodox Grand Metropolitan of the East from 649 until his death in 659.[2] He is commemorated as a saint by the Syriac Orthodox Church in the Martyrology of Rabban Sliba, and his feast day is 2 October.[3]
Denha I | |
|---|---|
| Syriac Orthodox Grand Metropolitan of the East | |
| Church | Syriac Orthodox Church |
| Installed | 649 |
| Term ended | 659 |
| Predecessor | Marutha |
| Successor | Barishoʿ |
| Personal details | |
| Died | 3 November 659 |
| Sainthood | |
| Feast day | 2 October |
| Venerated in | Syriac Orthodox Church |
Biography edit
Denha became a monk at the monastery of Saint Matthew near Mosul and studied under Marutha, who would later ascend to the office of Grand Metropolitan of the East, the highest-ranking prelate amongst the miaphysite bishops in the former Sasanian Empire.[4] After Marutha's death on 2 May 649 (AG 960), Denha was chosen to succeed him and was thus brought before the Patriarch Theodore and ordained as archbishop of Tikrit and Grand Metropolitan of the East.[5] It was formerly asserted by the French orientalist Rubens Duval that Denha was the first miaphysite Grand Metropolitan of the East to hold the title maphrian,[6] however, it was likely not in use until c. 1100.[7] He served until his death on 3 November 659 (AG 970) and he was buried with Marutha at the cathedral in the citadel of Tikrit.[5]
Works edit
Denha wrote a hagiography of Marutha (Brit. Mus. MS. 14645), which was later translated by the French Syriacist François Nau.[4]
References edit
- ^ Jeanne-Nicole Mellon Saint-Laurent (17 August 2016). "Denha I, maphrian". Qadishe: A Guide to the Syriac Saints. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ^ Wilmshurst (2019), p. 810.
- ^ Fiey (2004), p. 68.
- ^ a b Barsoum (2003), p. 325.
- ^ a b Mazzola (2018), pp. 359–360.
- ^ Duval (2013), p. 326.
- ^ Nicholson (2018), p. 957.
Bibliography edit
- Barsoum, Aphrem (2003). The Scattered Pearls: A History of Syriac Literature and Sciences. Translated by Matti Moosa (2nd ed.). Gorgias Press. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- Duval, Rubens (2013). Syriac Literature. Translated by Olivier Holmey. Gorgias Press.
- Fiey, Jean Maurice (2004). Lawrence Conrad (ed.). Saints Syriaques. The Darwin Press.
- Mazzola, Marianna, ed. (2018). Bar 'Ebroyo's Ecclesiastical History : writing Church History in the 13th century Middle East. PSL Research University. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
- Nicholson, Oliver, ed. (2018). The Oxford Dictionary of Late Antiquity. Oxford University Press.
- Wilmshurst, David (2019). "West Syrian patriarchs and maphrians". In Daniel King (ed.). The Syriac World. Routledge. pp. 806–813.
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