The School of Edessa ( syr, ܐܣܟܘܠܐ ܕܐܘܪܗܝ) was a Christian theological school of great importance to the Syriac-speaking world. It had been founded as long ago as the 2nd century by the kings of the Abgar dynasty. In 363,

Nisibis Nusaybin (; '; ar, نُصَيْبِيْن, translit=Nuṣaybīn; syr, ܢܨܝܒܝܢ, translit=Nṣībīn), historically known as Nisibis () or Nesbin, is a city in Mardin Province, Turkey. The population of the city is 83,832 as of 2009 and is ...

fell to the Persians, causing St.

Ephrem the Syrian Ephrem the Syrian ( syc, ܡܪܝ ܐܦܪܝܡ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ, Mār ʾAp̄rêm Sūryāyā, ; grc-koi, Ἐφραὶμ ὁ Σῦρος, Efrém o Sýros; la, Ephraem Syrus; am, ቅዱስ ኤፍሬም ሶርያዊ; ), also known as Saint Ephrem, Saint ...

, accompanied by a number of teachers, to leave the School of Nisibis. They went to

Edessa Edessa (; grc, Ἔδεσσα, Édessa) was an ancient city (''polis'') in Upper Mesopotamia, founded during the Hellenistic period by King Seleucus I Nicator (), founder of the Seleucid Empire. It later became capital of the Kingdom of Osroe ...

, where Ephrem took over the directorship of its school. Then, its importance grew still further. There were innumerable monasteries at Edessa housing many monks. Ephrem occupied a cell there, practicing the ascetic life, interpreting Holy Scripture, composing poetry and hymns and teaching in the school, as well as instructing young girls in church music. The first recorded director of the School of Edessa was Qiiore, in the early 5th century. He had

ascetic Asceticism (; from the el, ἄσκησις, áskesis, exercise', 'training) is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their p ...

and scholarly qualifications and an administrative ability. Occupying the Chair of Exegesis (''mepasqana''), he replaced the texts of Ephraim with those of Theodore of Mopsuestia. With that seminal decision, Qiiore embarked upon a course of study that was to mix the deductive principles of Aristotle with Theodore's Dyophysite creed.The School of Edessa
Nestorian.org. In 489, after the Nestorian Schism, the Byzantine emperor

Zeno Zeno ( grc, Ζήνων) may refer to: People * Zeno (name), including a list of people and characters with the name Philosophers * Zeno of Elea (), philosopher, follower of Parmenides, known for his paradoxes * Zeno of Citium (333 – 264 BC), ...

, acting on the advice of Bishop

Cyrus II of Edessa Cyrus II (Syriac: ''Qiyore''Adam H. Becker"Edessa, School of" in ''Gorgias Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Syriac Heritage: Electronic Edition'', edited by Sebastian P. Brock, Aaron M. Butts, George A. Kiraz and Lucas Van Rompay (Gorgias Press, 201 ...

, ordered the school summarily closed for its teachings of

Nestorian doctrine Nestorianism is a term used in Christian theology and Church history to refer to several mutually related but doctrinarily distinct sets of teachings. The first meaning of the term is related to the original teachings of Christian theologian ...

. Its scholars moved back to the School of Nisibis.

People

The following people are associated with the School of Edessa: * Barhadbshabba Arbaya, historian of the school (c.600) * Barsauma, student and teacher (fl. 489) * Elishaʿ bar Quzbaye, student (early 5th century) *

, teacher (360s) * Ibas of Edessa, head (early 5th century) * Jacob of Serugh, student (late 5th century) * Narsai, student and head (fl. 471)

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:School Of Edessa

Church of the East Nestorianism Osroene Eastern Christianity in Turkey Eastern Christianity in Syria Religious academies in Babylon Christian schools Christian terminology Edessa