Mor Dionysius Yac'ub Bar Salibi (+1171)

Mor Dionysius Yac'ub Bar Salibi (+1171)

November 28th is the commemoration of the dukhrono of Mor Dionysius Yac'ub Bar Salibi +1171 according to the Liturgical Calendar of the Syriac Orthodox Church. Mor Dionysius Yac'ub Bar Salibi was the best-known & most prolific writer of the Syriac Orthodox Church of the twelfth century. He was a towering figure amongst Church theologians. He was known to his contemporaries as 'the eloquent doctor', 'the star of his generation' & a philoponus (lover of work). Bar Salibi was a native of Melitene on the upper Euphrates. In 1154 he was consecrated bishop of Mar'ash by Patriarch Mor Athanasius VII; a year later the diocese of Mabug was added to his charge. In 1166 Patriarch Mor Michael the Great transferred him to the metropolitan see of Amid (Diyabakir). At Amid, he restored the church of Yoldath Aloho (Mother of God) The Thakso (Anaphora) of Bar Salibi is one of the most commonly used Anaphora, second only to the Anaphora of St. James in frequency of use. After the Anaphora, among his writings probably the most important are his exhaustive commentaries on the text of the Old & New Testaments, in which he skillfully interwove & summarized the interpretations of previous writers such as Mor Aphrem Suryoyo, St. John Chrysostom, St. Cyril of Alexandria, Mor Mushe Bar Kifo & Mor Yuhannon of Dara, whom he mentions together in the preface to his commentary on St Matthew. Among his other main works are a treatise against heretics, containing inter alia a polemic against the Jews & the Muslims; liturgical treatises, epistles, homilies. Bar Salibi’s commentary on the Holy Qurbono (Divine Liturgy) is an invaluable witness to the history of the Syriac version of the anaphora of St. James the Archbishop of Jerusalem. He reposed in the Lord in 1171AD & was buried on the south side of the church next to two patriarchs. Oh Mor Dionysius Yac'ub Bar Salibi! Plead for us before God's throne of grace. Amen. Anaphora of Bar Salibi http://sor.cua.edu/Liturgy/Anaphora/BarSalibi.html