Bar Hebraeus facts for kids

Gregory Bar Hebraeus (Classical Syriac: ܓܪܝܓܘܪܝܘܣ ܒܪ ܥܒܪܝܐ) was a very important writer and leader in the Syriac Orthodox Church. He lived from 1226 to 1286. He was known by his Syriac family name, Bar Ebraya or Bar Ebroyo. Sometimes, his name was written in Latin as Abulpharagius.

From 1264 to 1286, he served as a Maphrian, which is a high-ranking bishop in the Syriac Orthodox Church. He wrote many books about Christian theology, philosophy, history, languages, and poetry. People remember him as one of the smartest and most skilled writers among Syriac Orthodox Christians.

Bar Hebraeus wrote many detailed books. In these books, he gathered a lot of knowledge from his time. This included information about theology, philosophy, science, and history from 13th-century Syria. Most of his works were written in the Classical Syriac language. He also wrote some in Arabic, which was a common language back then.

Who Was Bar Hebraeus?

It's not fully clear when Bar Hebraeus started using the Christian name Gregory. But in the Syriac Orthodox Church, high priests often get a new name when they become a bishop. So, this might be when he got the name Gregory.

During his life, people often called him Bar ʿEvrāyā. This name means "Son of the Hebrew." For a long time, people thought this meant he came from a Jewish family. However, modern experts don't think this is true because there's no other proof.

The name might actually refer to his family's origin from a village called ʿEbrā. This village was near the Euphrates River, close to Malatya, where he grew up.

His Life Story

Bar Hebraeus was a Syriac bishop, a thinker, a poet, a language expert, a doctor, a Bible commentator, and a historian. His father, Aaron, was a doctor. Bar Hebraeus was born in a village called ʿEbra, near Malatya in what is now Turkey.

From a young age, his father taught him about medicine and many other subjects. He kept learning throughout his life.

When Bar Hebraeus was a boy, a Mongol general got sick and needed a doctor. His father, Aaron, was called to help. After the general got better, he and Aaron's family traveled to Antioch. Bar Hebraeus continued his studies there. When he was about 17, he became a monk and lived a simple life.

Later, Bar Hebraeus went to Tripoli to study speaking and medicine. In 1246, he became a bishop in Gubos. This was done by the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius II. He moved to Aleppo in 1252. In 1255, he moved again to Laqabin. Finally, in 1264, he became a maphrian (a high-ranking leader) of the East.

His duties as a bishop did not stop him from studying. He traveled a lot for his church work. During these trips, he visited libraries and talked with smart people he met. This helped him learn a huge amount of information. He became an expert in many areas of knowledge.

Bar Hebraeus was highly respected for his good character and his knowledge. He passed away in Maragheh, Persia. He was buried at the Mor Mattai Monastery, near Mosul. He even wrote a part of his own life story. His brother, Gregory III, wrote about his death.

His Important Works

Bar Hebraeus wrote many books on different topics. He wanted to share knowledge with others.

Books on Knowledge and Philosophy

A page from a copy of the Hewath Hekhmetha from 1340. This book is also called "The Cream of Science."

One of his most important books was Hewath Hekhmetha, which means "The Cream of Science." This huge book covered almost every type of knowledge known at the time. It included ideas from the Greek thinker Aristotle, as taught by Avicenna and other Arab writers.

Another book, Kethabha dhe-Bhabhatha ("Book of the Pupils of the Eyes"), was about logic and how to argue ideas. He also wrote Kethabha dhe-Sewadh Sophia ("Book of Speech of Wisdom"), which was a summary of knowledge in physics and metaphysics.

Bible Commentaries

Bar Hebraeus's most important work about the Bible is Awsar Raze, which means "Storehouse of Secrets." This book is a commentary on the entire Bible. He looked at different versions of the Bible to understand it better. He used the Peshitta (a Syriac Bible version) but also checked it against Hebrew, Greek, and other ancient translations.

His work is very valuable because it helps us learn about these old Bible versions. He also included ideas from early Christian thinkers in his explanations.

History Books

Bar Hebraeus wrote a long history book called Makhtbhanuth Zabhne (Chronicon). This book covered history from the Creation of the world up to his own time. He used many older history books to write his own.

This history book is divided into two main parts:

• The first part is about political and civil history. It is known as the Chronicon Syriacum.
• The second part is about religious history. It is called the Chronicon Ecclesiasticum. This part tells the story of the Syriac Orthodox Church and its leaders. It also covers the Church of the East and its leaders.

Towards the end of his life, Bar Hebraeus also wrote a history book in Arabic. This book was based on his Chronicon Syriacum. He wrote it for more people to read, not just those who knew Syriac. This Arabic book is called al-Mukhtaṣar fi-l-Duwal.

Books on Theology

Bar Hebraeus believed that many arguments between different Christian churches were about words, not about big differences in belief. He thought that all Christians believed in Christ as both perfect God and perfect human.

He wrote books on theology, like Menarath Qudhshe ("Lamp of the Sanctuary"). He also wrote about how to live a good and moral life. His books Kethabha dhe-Ithiqon ("Book of Ethics") and Kethabha dhe-Yauna ("Book of the Dove") are guides for living a spiritual life.

He also put together the laws of the Syriac Orthodox Church in a book called Kethabha dhe-Hudhaye ("Book of Directions").

Language Books

Bar Hebraeus also studied the Syriac language and its literature. He wrote two important grammar books. One was called the "Metrical Grammar." It was written in verses with explanations. His other grammar book was called the "Book of Splendours."

Other Interesting Works

Besides all these, Bar Hebraeus wrote many other books. These included topics like mathematics, astronomy (the study of stars and planets), how the universe is built, medicine, and philosophy.

Some of his other works include:

• Sullarat Haunãnãyã ("Ascent of the Mind"), a book about astronomy and how the universe is structured.
• Various books on medicine.
• Kethabha dhe-Thunnaye Mghahkhane ("Book of Entertaining Stories"), a collection of fun stories.

Remembered as a Saint

The Syriac Orthodox Church honors Gregory Bar Hebraeus as a saint. They celebrate his special day on July 30.

See also

In Spanish: Bar Hebraeus para niños