Mor Ahudemeh (d. 575)

Ahudemeh is the pride of the Church of the East and one of its noblest dignitaries because of his intelligence, knowledge, piety. and support of Orthodoxy. Born at Balad, he was consecrated a bishop for the diocese of Baarbaye (Beth Arbaye), situated between Nisibin and Sinjar. As a bishop, he devoted his life to missionary work among the nomad Arab tribes to the south of Turabdin area, winning their trust through his healing ministry. He also provided them with a pilgrimage shrine dedicated to St. Sergius on Persian territory, since the famous shrine of St. Sergius at Resafa lay across the border, in the Roman Empire.

In 559, he was elevated by Mor Jacob Baradaeus to the office of the Metropolitan of the lands of the East, and set to work briskly in calling the nomad Arabs who dwelt in that region and in the abodes of Rabia to Christianity. He converted a great number of them to Christianity and built two monasteries and some churches for them. He was also honored by God by miracles to support his preaching even to the Magians. Among these Magians was a prince from the royal family, When the son of the Persian shah Khusrau I (531-579) asked to become a Christian Ahudummeh agreed to baptize him, but sent him at once to Roman territory for safety; whose conversion angered the King Khosrau I Anushirwan; Ahudummeh himself was arrested and imprisoned. Although Arab tribes whom he had befriended tried to ransom him (they offered to pay his weight three times in gold), Ahudemmeh declined their generous offer, and eventually died in prison, on Friday August 2nd, 575. His memory is commemorated on 18th September.

His body was carried to Qronta opposite to Takrit. He was counted as the first Metropolitan of the See of the East after it had been usurped by the Nestorians.

Mor Ahudemeh was a philosopher and a theologian. He wrote a book of definitions on logical matters and treatises on religious free will, on the soul, on man as a microcosm and on man as consisting of soul and body. This latter treatise was published together with his lengthy biography. He is also mentioned by later authorities as a writer of grammar based on the Greek method.