Ignatius Saba of Salah

Ignatius Saba of Salah was the Patriarch of Tur Abdin from 1364 until his death in 1389.

Biography

Saba was born in the fourteenth century and was the son of the priest Ab al Hasan of Salah.^[1] He was consecrated metropolitan bishop of Salah in 1354 by Patriarch Ignatius Ishmael of Mardin at the Monastery of Mor Jacob the Recluse in Salah, upon which he assumed the name Baselius.^[1]

In 1364, a certain monk known as George claimed that Saba had slandered Ignatius Ishmael, who then responded by excommunicating Saba.^[2] Saba, upon hearing of his excommunication, travelled to the residence of Ishmael at the Monastery of Mor Hananyo to explain himself to the patriarch, however, he was not permitted entry and Saba subsequently waited outside the monastery for three days before returning to his diocese.^[1]

After returning to his diocese, Saba wrote to bishops of region requesting they travel with him to the Monastery of Mor Hananyo and support him against the claims of George the monk.^[1] John Yeshu, bishop of Qartmin, and Philoxenus, Bishop of Hah and Sharko, joined Saba in visiting the monastery, and again, Saba was refused entry and he waited four days.^[1] The group then agreed that Saba should be consecrated Patriarch of Tur Abdin, and travelled to Hisn Kayfa where they obtained permission from the Emir Melik Adel Fakir aldin Salemon I to do so.^[1]

On 6 August, the bishops gathered at the Monastery of Mor Jacob the Recluse in Salah and proclaimed Saba as Patriarch of Tur Abdin, and he assumed the patriarchal name Ignatius.^[3] During his reign as patriarch, Saba consecrated three bishops, Malko, metropolitan bishop of Midyat, John Toma, bishop of Qartmin in 1371, and Philoxenus Joshua Kosnoyo for the monastery of Salah and Hah in 1368.^[1] Saba died in 1389 and was buried at the Monastery of Mor Jacob the Recluse in Salah.

References