Rai (East Syrian Ecclesiastical Province)
Encyclopedia
Rai was a metropolitan province of the Church of the East
between the eighth and twelfth centuries, with a suffragan diocese for Gurgan.
An East Syrian diocese was established in the Sassanian province of Gurgan (Hyrcania) to the southeast of the Caspian Sea in the fifth century for a community of Christians deported from Roman territory. The bishop Domitian 'of the deportation of Gurgan', evidently from his name a Roman, was present at the synod of Dadisho in 424, and three other fifth- and sixth-century bishops of Gurgan attended the later synods, the last of whom, Zaura, was among the signatories of the acts of the synod of Ezekiel in 576. The bishops of Gurgan probably sat in the provincial capital Astarabad.
The diocese of Rai was raised to metropolitan status in 790 by the patriarch Timothy I. According to Eliya of Damascus, Gurgan was a suffragan diocese of the province of Rai in 893. It is doubtful whether either diocese still existed at the end of the thirteenth century. The last-known bishop of Rai, Abd al-Masih, was present at the consecration of Abdisho II in 1075 as 'metropolitan of Hulwan and Rai', suggesting that the episcopal seat of the bishops of Rai had been transferred to Hulwan. According to the Mukhtasar of 1007/08, the diocese of 'Gurgan, Bilad al-Jibal and Dailam' had been suppressed, 'owing to the disappearance of Christianity in the region'.
The priest Abraham 'of the great church of Aksondnokre' was among the signatories of the acts of the synod of Acacius in 486, on behalf of the bishop Joseph of Rai.
The priest and secretary Ahaï was among the signatories of the acts of the synod of Babaï in 497, on behalf of the bishop Joseph of Rai.
The bishop Daniel 'of the Raziqaye' adhered by letter to the acts of the synod of Joseph
in 554.
The bishop Ahron, 'metropolitan of the Raziqaye', was previously a disciple of Sabrisho of Beth Qoqa, who died c.650.
The bishop Mark of Beth Bgash was appointed metropolitan of Rai by the patriarch Yohannan III
immediately after his consecration on 15 July 893.
The metropolitan Abd al-Masih of 'Hulwan and Rai' was present at the consecration of Abdisho II in 1075, and died at an unknown date during his reign.
The bishop Abraham of Gurgan was among the signatories of the acts of the synod of Babaï in 497.
The bishop Peter of Gurgan was deposed by the patriarch Mar Aba I in 540.
The bishop Zaura of Gurgan was among the signatories of the acts of the synod of Ezekiel
in 576.
Assyrian Church of the East
The Assyrian Church of the East, officially the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East ʻIttā Qaddishtā w-Shlikhāitā Qattoliqi d-Madnĕkhā d-Āturāyē), is a Syriac Church historically centered in Mesopotamia. It is one of the churches that claim continuity with the historical...
between the eighth and twelfth centuries, with a suffragan diocese for Gurgan.
Background
In Tabaristan (northern Iran), the diocese of Rai (Beth Raziqaye) is first mentioned in 410, and seems to have had a fairly uninterrupted succession of bishops for the next six and a half centuries. Bishops of Rai are first attested in 424 and last mentioned towards the end of the eleventh century.An East Syrian diocese was established in the Sassanian province of Gurgan (Hyrcania) to the southeast of the Caspian Sea in the fifth century for a community of Christians deported from Roman territory. The bishop Domitian 'of the deportation of Gurgan', evidently from his name a Roman, was present at the synod of Dadisho in 424, and three other fifth- and sixth-century bishops of Gurgan attended the later synods, the last of whom, Zaura, was among the signatories of the acts of the synod of Ezekiel in 576. The bishops of Gurgan probably sat in the provincial capital Astarabad.
The diocese of Rai was raised to metropolitan status in 790 by the patriarch Timothy I. According to Eliya of Damascus, Gurgan was a suffragan diocese of the province of Rai in 893. It is doubtful whether either diocese still existed at the end of the thirteenth century. The last-known bishop of Rai, Abd al-Masih, was present at the consecration of Abdisho II in 1075 as 'metropolitan of Hulwan and Rai', suggesting that the episcopal seat of the bishops of Rai had been transferred to Hulwan. According to the Mukhtasar of 1007/08, the diocese of 'Gurgan, Bilad al-Jibal and Dailam' had been suppressed, 'owing to the disappearance of Christianity in the region'.
The Diocese of Rai
The bishop David of Rai was among the signatories of the acts of the synod of Dadisho in 424.The priest Abraham 'of the great church of Aksondnokre' was among the signatories of the acts of the synod of Acacius in 486, on behalf of the bishop Joseph of Rai.
The priest and secretary Ahaï was among the signatories of the acts of the synod of Babaï in 497, on behalf of the bishop Joseph of Rai.
The bishop Daniel 'of the Raziqaye' adhered by letter to the acts of the synod of Joseph
Joseph (Nestorian Patriarch)
Joseph was Patriarch of the Church of the East from 552 to 567. He was immensely unpopular, and was eventually deposed by his bishops. He was notorious for having invented much of the early history of the Church of the East...
in 554.
The bishop Ahron, 'metropolitan of the Raziqaye', was previously a disciple of Sabrisho of Beth Qoqa, who died c.650.
The bishop Mark of Beth Bgash was appointed metropolitan of Rai by the patriarch Yohannan III
Yohannan III
Yohannan III, the nephew of the patriarch Theodosius , was Patriarch of the Church of the East from 893 to 899. He was remembered as a profound scholar, but also as a glutton, a miser and a simoniac.- Sources :...
immediately after his consecration on 15 July 893.
The metropolitan Abd al-Masih of 'Hulwan and Rai' was present at the consecration of Abdisho II in 1075, and died at an unknown date during his reign.
The Diocese of Gurgan
The bishop Domitian of 'the deportation of Gurgan' was among the signatories of the acts of the synod of Dadisho in 424.The bishop Abraham of Gurgan was among the signatories of the acts of the synod of Babaï in 497.
The bishop Peter of Gurgan was deposed by the patriarch Mar Aba I in 540.
The bishop Zaura of Gurgan was among the signatories of the acts of the synod of Ezekiel
Ezekiel (Nestorian Patriarch)
Ezekiel was Patriarch of the Church of the East from 567 to 581. His name is included in the traditional list of patriarchs of the Church of the East...
in 576.