Mar Jacob, Bishop of Nisibis

In the city of Nisibis, the most famous city of the East for its saints, teachers (malpane) and scholars, there was born and became renowned one of the greatest saints of the Church of the East in the fourth century: Mar Jacob, Bishop of Nisibis, known as “of Nisibis.”

Mar Jacob was born in the city of Nisibis in the region of al-Jazira, or Mesopotamia. As he grew up he showed a generous talent and devoted himself to worldly and divine learning. When he saw that most people of the world were overcome by greed, vanities and the love of pleasure, and neglected the most important matter of all, the salvation of their souls, he feared for himself and resolved to live in solitude, so that he could fight the dangers of the passions. He went to a high mountain and lived in a cave; in summer he would leave his cave and live in a forest there. He persevered in prayer and austerity, ate wild plants, and dressed in a garment and cloak woven of goat hair. He tried hard to hide himself from people.

But many people came to him asking for his prayers and seeking his guidance in their affairs.

Mar Jacob traveled to the land of Persia to visit some newly founded churches and to strengthen in the faith the new believers who were being persecuted by the enemies of the Christian religion. When he arrived there, he strengthened the weak in the faith and filled them with longing to die for love of the faith of Christ. He guided many pagans to the knowledge of the Gospel, and as a result he suffered many persecutions. Then he returned to his city of Nisibis.

Because of the fame of his holy life and his learning, he was appointed bishop of the city of Nisibis. His life in the city was as it had been in the mountains, and he added to it the labors his office as bishop required of him. He worked to bring sinners back to repentance and to strengthen the righteous in prayer. He took special care of the poor, sharing with them everything he had, and he built a magnificent church in Nisibis.

When Mar Miles, Bishop of Susa, came to Nisibis, he stayed some time with Mar Jacob and marveled at the beauty of that church. When he returned home, he sent Mar Jacob silk fabrics to be made into sacred vestments for the service of the divine Sacrifice. This saint spared no effort in setting the order of the Church and in forming and educating the young. He opened a school and appointed his disciple Mar Ephrem as its teacher. God adorned him with the gifts of working wonders and of prophecy.

When the heretic Arius was spreading his blasphemous errors in many places, Mar Jacob succeeded in protecting his Church from the poison of this plague that kills souls. In 325 he attended the Council of Nicaea, and in 326 he also attended the Council of Antioch. In 336 Mar Jacob was in the city of Constantinople, the seat of the Eastern Roman Empire, when the emperor, Constantine son of Constantine the Great, dared to order Alexander, the patriarch of that city, to receive the heretic Arius into the communion of the Church, or else step down from his throne; for Arius had deceived the emperor by claiming to confess the catholic faith. Mar Jacob urged the faithful to seek God’s help against Arius with fasting and prayer. Eight days later, on a Sunday, when Arius was about to enter the church by the emperor’s order, this unbeliever Arius died a wretched death.

Among the greatest wonders worked through Mar Jacob, Bishop of Nisibis, was the deliverance of the city of Nisibis from the Persians. Shapur II, king of Persia, besieged it twice during Mar Jacob’s episcopate. The first time was in 338, shortly after the death of Constantine the Great. The Persian army was very large, with many elephants and every kind of war machine. After the siege had lasted sixty-three days and Shapur could not take the city, he was forced to return to his country in disgrace, because his army was perishing from famine and plague.

Twelve years later, in 350, Shapur came again with a vast army to the city of Nisibis and besieged it for four months, but could not take it. At last he dammed the River Mygdonius, which flows through the city. When the water was held back and rose, it burst from its channel with great force, struck the city wall and broke through it. The Persians rejoiced at the beginning of their victory, and put off the attack on the city until the next day because of the flood. That night, on the advice of Mar Jacob, Bishop of Nisibis, the people of the city built a second wall. While they were building it, the saint was praying in the church, asking God to bless their work, and they finished it by morning. When Shapur wanted to attack the city, there was a wall before him. He was astounded, and his amazement grew when he saw on the wall a man arrayed in royal robes, his purple garment and crown shining with light. He thought it was Constantius, the Roman emperor, but when he learned afterward that Constantius was in Antioch, he knew it was a vision, and was certain that the God worshipped in the Roman Empire was protecting the city of Nisibis. Yet instead of submitting to the power of this great God, Shapur was furious, took his bow and began shooting arrows into the air, intending to strike the God of heaven. Mar Ephrem the Syrian was then in Nisibis as a disciple of Mar Jacob. When he saw how the Persians were pressing the city, he begged his teacher, “Curse Shapur and his army.” But Mar Jacob, who did not wish anyone to perish, went up on a tower, turned his face toward the Persian army and prayed:

“O Lord, who by Your power brings down the pride of the proud, break this army with an army of gnats.” God answered his prayer, and at once countless armies of gnats appeared, filling the air. They entered the trunks of the elephants and the nostrils and ears of the horses, so that the animals went wild, broke their bridles and threw their riders. The army fell into confusion, and Shapur, terrified, turned and fled before the great God whom no one can resist. So the city was saved through the intercession of Saint Mar Jacob.

A short time later he departed, leaving in the church treasury books he had written in Syriac on prayer, the divine and moral virtues, the life of Christ, history and many other subjects, most of which have been lost.

It is worth noting that Mar Jacob had the first credit for opening and founding the famous historic School of Nisibis, whose fame spread far and wide, and in which the most famous scholars and authors of the rites of the Eastern churches in general, and of the East Syriac rite in particular, distinguished themselves. It was a beacon of virtue and learning, pouring out its light on the whole world for many generations. Among its most prominent figures were Mar Ephrem the Syrian, Narsai the Teacher, his nephew Abraham, Mar Aba, Paul the Persian, Barsauma, Hoshaʿ II, Elishaʿ bar Quzbaye, Yohannan of Beth Rabban and others.

Saint Mar Jacob, Bishop of Nisibis, is commemorated by all the Eastern churches. The Church of the East celebrates his memory on the first Friday of the Week of Summer, according to its liturgical year.

Sources

The Life of Mar Jacob of Nisibis, from the tradition of the Church of the East