King Abgar the Black of Edessa

King Abgar the Black of Edessa

(Abgar ukomo u Malko d'Urha). King Abgar, a contemporary of our Lord, was believed to have corresponded with Him. This tradition is based on various sources including 'Doctrine of Addai' (one of the earliest Syriac Christian writings, & the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius (who personally testified that he read the correspondence in the archives of Edessa). During the public ministry of our Lord, King Abgar who was suffering from an incurable disease, sent a letter reiterating his belief in the Lord & requesting Him to visit Edessa so that he could get cured. He also extended an invitation to the Lord to live there as he had heard about the squabbles of the Jews. Jesus replied that He was unable to visit at that time, but ensured that He would send one of His disciples. King Abgar is one of the very first who believed in Jesus without seeing Him & without doubting. After the ascension of our Savior, St. Thaddeus one of the Seventy disciples, as instructed by the Lord, was sent to King Abgar. Thaddeus went to meet King Abgar carrying with him a square face-cloth which Christ used. The cloth had an image of Christ miraculously imprinted on it. When King Abgar held this relic, he was healed immediately. This cloth known as the ‘Mandylion’ of Christ, is the very first Holy icon. This icon was not created by man & therefore has the title 'Not made by Human Hands’ The king & his subjects became Christians. Edessa thus became the first Christian kingdom. RSoH