Mar Adda (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: 末阿达), was one of the twelve
apostles of Mani, the founder of
Manichaeism
Manichaeism (;
in New Persian ; ) is a former major religionR. van den Broek, Wouter J. Hanegraaff ''Gnosis and Hermeticism from Antiquity to Modern Times''SUNY Press, 1998 p. 37 founded in the 3rd century AD by the Parthian Empire, Parthian ...
, the year of birth and death is unknown.
Dispatched by Manichaeus, Morada, who was the bishop at the time, entered
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...
to spread Manichaeism. Apostle Pattīg and Gabryab were walking with him. Pattig returned to Mani in
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the F ...
a year later, and Mani sent three more clerks to bring
"The Gospel of Life" And the other two scriptures to Malada. Morada continued Patig's mission and continued to preach in the Roman Empire. He established many
monasteries
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...
, selected many elect and hearers, wrote some essays, and used wisdom as a weapon to argue with believers of other religions. He converted many people to Manichaeism in
Alexandria
Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...
, where he performed miracles. Mar Adda cured Nafšā (Nafšā) in
Palmyra
Palmyra (; Palmyrene: () ''Tadmor''; ar, تَدْمُر ''Tadmur'') is an ancient city in present-day Homs Governorate, Syria. Archaeological finds date back to the Neolithic period, and documents first mention the city in the early second ...
, so that she and her sisters and family, Queen Tadī and her husband, the lord of Palmyra, Septimi Septimius all converted to Manichaeism.
The timing of Mar Adda's activities in the Roman Empire is still uncertain. Some scholars believe that it was between 244 and 261-262 AD, or alternatively around 241 AD.
Mar Adda is not mentioned much in the Eastern Manichaean Church, but it also occupies an important position. In the Dunhuang manuscript, "
Incomplete scripture of Manichaeism" begins with Mar Adda asking Mani about the origin of the world.
[Chavannes et P. Pelliot, “Un traité manichéen retrouvé en Chine, traduit et annoté",''Journal Asiatique (JA)'', 10. sér., X VIII, 1911, pp.509, n. (4 ).]
See
*
Manichaeism
Manichaeism (;
in New Persian ; ) is a former major religionR. van den Broek, Wouter J. Hanegraaff ''Gnosis and Hermeticism from Antiquity to Modern Times''SUNY Press, 1998 p. 37 founded in the 3rd century AD by the Parthian Empire, Parthian ...
*
Mani
Mani may refer to:
Geography
* Maní, Casanare, a town and municipality in Casanare Department, Colombia
* Mani, Chad, a town and sub-prefecture in Chad
* Mani, Evros, a village in northeastern Greece
* Mani, Karnataka, a village in Dakshi ...
*
Mar Sisin
Mar Sisin, the letter of the last thought (Syrian: Mār Sîsin, ?–291/292), also known as Sisinnius (Latin: Sisinnius), one of the twelve Apostles of the founder of Mani. He was one of the most influential Manichaeans in the early church, as he ...
References
Bibliography
* See also Hegemonius, Acta Archelai, ed. C. H. Beeson, Leipzig, 1906, pp. 5.5, 22.4, 93.16.
* P. Alfaric, Les écritures manichéennes, Paris, 1918, pp. 104–05.
* R. Jolivet and M. Jourjon, eds., Oeuvres de Saint Augustin 17: Six traités manichéennes, Paris, 1961, pp. 203–05
* O. Klima, Manis Zeit und Leben, Prague, 1962, pp. 498–99.
* J. P. Asmussen, Xuāstvānīft, Copenhagen, 1965, p. 21.
* W. Sundermann, Mitteliranische manichäische Texte kirchengeschichtlichen Inhalts, Berliner Turfantexte XI, Berlin, 1981, pp. 25ff., 34ff.
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Manichaeans