Sabrishoʿ I (d. 604) [Ch. of E.]

Cath. originally from Beth Garmai; educated at the School of Nisibis.

Cath. (596–604). He originated from Beth Garmai and was born ca. 525. He lived as a shepherd before his village priest saw his ability and started teaching him. Sabrishoʿ then went on to the School of Nisibis, after which he lived an ascetic life in the region of Qardu and elsewhere. He was appointed bp. of Lashom some time after 576, and undertook a number of missionary journeys, during one of which he was involved in the conversion of Nuʿman III of Ḥirta . Shortly after his appointment as cath. in 596 (at the orders of Khusrau II) he convened a synod to deal with various doctrinal and other abuses. The acts of the synod contain a preamble which includes a statement of faith, an agreement dated 598 made by three monasteries in the Sinjar region (whose monks are described as “of Bar Qaiti”), and a Letter by Sabrishoʿ to the same monks. The tešboḥtā Abun dba-šmayyā qaddiš ba-kyāneh is attributed to Sabrishoʿ in some sources (but to Babai or Ishoʿyahb II in others).

The Life of Sabrishoʿ by his friend ‘Petros the solitary’ is much concerned with his miracles (published in Bedjan, Histoire de Mar-Jabalaha, de trois autres patriarches…, 288–331); the notices about him in the Chronicle of Siirt (LXV–LXXII; PO 13.4, 154–78) add some further miracles.