Abdas of Susa
Encyclopedia
Abdas, was bishop
of Susa
in Iran
(Socrates of Constantinople
also calls him "bishop of Persia
"). He was born in fourth-century Chaldor to a Zoroastrian mother. The latter educated him in good virtues, which made him loved by everyone.
After Abda has gained an excellent education and grown up in virtuous life, he was ordained a priest, and built up in his hometown a monastery and a school, which he took personal care of and which grew to have around 60 teachers, as some say. Abda baptized for Jesus many lambs in Chaldor, and brought others to the true faith, which caused the magi to arrest him. In his prison, Abda endured humiliations, hunger and pain, persevering in his faith in Jesus, until his miraculous release.
During the persecution that was led by Shapur II
against the Christians, a tree-cross grew up from the ground and caused numerous miracles. This tree brought many people around it, where they built a monastery, which Abda later joined and used as a base to preach the Gospel of Life. Abda became a bishop over Kaskhar (Susa
), and many people followed in his footsteps, becoming disciples of him.
Engaged in a dispute with the local magi
in AD
420, he was accused of burning down one of their temples, a pyramid
of Ahura Mazda
. King Yazdegerd ordered the bishop to restore and repair the building at his own expense, upon Abdas' refusal the King ordered the destruction of the churches. These events soured the relationship between the Christian church
and the Persian government which had previously been good, and caused a wave of persecution against the Christian
s in Persia. Other than he is supposed to have helped Maruthas
in driving out a demon from Yezdegerd's, nothing else certain is known of him. Tradition adds to this that he was one of the first martyred in the persecution (he was clubbed to death), and for this he is considered a saint
. His companions in the killings included the priests Hashu and Isaac, the secretary Ephrem, the hypodeacon Papa, the laymen Daduk and Durdan, and Papa, a brother of Abda himself. His feast day is 5 September or 16 May in the Roman Catholic Church, and March 31 in the Syrian church.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Susa
Susa
Susa was an ancient city of the Elamite, Persian and Parthian empires of Iran. It is located in the lower Zagros Mountains about east of the Tigris River, between the Karkheh and Dez Rivers....
in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
(Socrates of Constantinople
Socrates Scholasticus
Socrates of Constantinople, also known as Socrates Scholasticus, not to be confused with the Greek philosopher Socrates, was a Greek Christian church historian, a contemporary of Sozomen and Theodoret, who used his work; he was born at Constantinople c. 380: the date of his death is unknown...
also calls him "bishop of Persia
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
"). He was born in fourth-century Chaldor to a Zoroastrian mother. The latter educated him in good virtues, which made him loved by everyone.
After Abda has gained an excellent education and grown up in virtuous life, he was ordained a priest, and built up in his hometown a monastery and a school, which he took personal care of and which grew to have around 60 teachers, as some say. Abda baptized for Jesus many lambs in Chaldor, and brought others to the true faith, which caused the magi to arrest him. In his prison, Abda endured humiliations, hunger and pain, persevering in his faith in Jesus, until his miraculous release.
During the persecution that was led by Shapur II
Shapur II
Shapur II the Great was the ninth King of the Persian Sassanid Empire from 309 to 379 and son of Hormizd II. During his long reign, the Sassanid Empire saw its first golden era since the reign of Shapur I...
against the Christians, a tree-cross grew up from the ground and caused numerous miracles. This tree brought many people around it, where they built a monastery, which Abda later joined and used as a base to preach the Gospel of Life. Abda became a bishop over Kaskhar (Susa
Susa
Susa was an ancient city of the Elamite, Persian and Parthian empires of Iran. It is located in the lower Zagros Mountains about east of the Tigris River, between the Karkheh and Dez Rivers....
), and many people followed in his footsteps, becoming disciples of him.
Engaged in a dispute with the local magi
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of prophet Zoroaster and was formerly among the world's largest religions. It was probably founded some time before the 6th century BCE in Greater Iran.In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil...
in AD
Anno Domini
and Before Christ are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars....
420, he was accused of burning down one of their temples, a pyramid
Pyramid
A pyramid is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge at a single point. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or any polygon shape, meaning that a pyramid has at least three triangular surfaces...
of Ahura Mazda
Ahura Mazda
Ahura Mazdā is the Avestan name for a divinity of the Old Iranian religion who was proclaimed the uncreated God by Zoroaster, the founder of Zoroastrianism...
. King Yazdegerd ordered the bishop to restore and repair the building at his own expense, upon Abdas' refusal the King ordered the destruction of the churches. These events soured the relationship between the Christian church
Christian Church
The Christian Church is the assembly or association of followers of Jesus Christ. The Greek term ἐκκλησία that in its appearances in the New Testament is usually translated as "church" basically means "assembly"...
and the Persian government which had previously been good, and caused a wave of persecution against the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s in Persia. Other than he is supposed to have helped Maruthas
Maruthas
Saint Maruthas or Marutha of Martyropolis was a monk who became bishop of Maypherkat in Mesopotamia for a period beganing before 399 and still in office in 410. He's believed to have died before 420...
in driving out a demon from Yezdegerd's, nothing else certain is known of him. Tradition adds to this that he was one of the first martyred in the persecution (he was clubbed to death), and for this he is considered a saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
. His companions in the killings included the priests Hashu and Isaac, the secretary Ephrem, the hypodeacon Papa, the laymen Daduk and Durdan, and Papa, a brother of Abda himself. His feast day is 5 September or 16 May in the Roman Catholic Church, and March 31 in the Syrian church.