Abd al-Masih (martyr)
Asher ben Levi Abd-Al-Masih | |
|---|---|
| Martyr | |
| Born | אשר בן לוי (Asher ben Levi) perhaps Sinjar |
| Died | 390 AD perhaps Sinjar |
| Venerated in | Syriac Orthodox Church |
| Beatified | Pre-Congregation, Syria by Syriac Orthodox Church |
| Canonized | Pre-Congregation, Syria by Syriac Orthodox Church Armenian Apostolic Church |
| Feast | October 3 |
| Patronage | Barren women |
Abd-al-Masih (or Abda) was a Jewish Christian martyr and saint of Late Antiquity. The name Abd-Al-Masih means "servant of the Messiah" in Arabic and is a posthumous title, not his name.
Abd al-Masih, born Asher ben Levi[1] was a converted Jewish shepherd boy in Sassanian Mesopotamia who was killed by his father Levi for his faith. Having been converted to Christianity he pierced his ear to wear an earring (probably indication of his slavery).[2] He died in 390 AD.[3] The story is set in Singara and is a Syriac text with later versions in Arabic and Armenian.[4] There is disagreement about the location of his martyrdom. Some sources say Singar (in modern Iraq near the Syrian border), and others say Taglibis in Arabia. He is regarded as the patron saint of sterile women in Syria, and has his feast day observed on July 13, and July 22 or October 3.[5]
References
- ^ Asher ben Levi at jewishencyclopaedia.com; retrieved 21 July 2019
- ^ Abdelmasih - ܥܒܕܐܠܡܣܝܚ Retrieved on 7 Feb 2018
- ^ The Lives of the Martyrs of Edessa, Samosata and Persia Archived 2015-10-01 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 7 Feb 2018
- ^ This text was the subject of the PhD thesis of Michael L. Morris, University of Southampton, 2009.
- ^ Holweck, F. G. A Biographical Dictionary of the Saints. St. Louis, MO: B. Herder Book Co., 1924.
Sources
Fiey, Jean Maurice (2004). Lawrence I. Conrad (ed.). Saints Syriaques, volume 6. Princeton, N.J.: The Darwin Press, Inc.
