Saint Addal
Saint Addai (also known as Addal, Thaddaeus of Edessa, or Addai the Apostle; fl. 1st century AD) is venerated as the Apostle of Edessa (present-day Şanlıurfa, southeastern Turkey) and one of the Seventy Disciples of Jesus Christ. According to the Doctrine of Addai (a Syriac text of the fourth or fifth century) and related traditions, Addai was one of the seventy disciples sent out by Jesus (Luke 10:1) and was dispatched by the Apostle Thomas to Edessa after the Resurrection, in response to a letter sent by King Abgar V of Edessa to Jesus during His earthly ministry. Addai's mission to Edessa is one of the most celebrated founding narratives of the early Syriac Church, making Edessa one of the oldest Christian communities in the world outside Palestine.
The historical core of this tradition is a matter of ongoing scholarly discussion. The Doctrine of Addai (Teaching of Addai) presents a detailed account of Addai's mission, including a letter exchange between King Abgar and Jesus — which Eusebius of Caesarea also records (Historia Ecclesiastica, Book I, chapter 13), claiming to have found the original documents in the Edessan archives. Eusebius's account is the earliest external attestation of the tradition. Modern scholars generally view the Abgar-Jesus correspondence as apocryphal but recognize the possibility of a genuine early Christian mission to Edessa in the first or early second century.
Saint Addai is venerated in the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Assyrian Church of the East, the Chaldean Catholic Church, and the Maronite Church as the founder of Syriac Christianity. His feast day is August 5 in some Eastern calendars.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Addal
| Saint Addal | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | August 05 |
| Profession | One of the Seventy Disciples; missionary; founder of the Edessan church |
| Rel. Affiliation | Early Syriac Christianity; Syriac Orthodox Church; Assyrian Church of the East; Chaldean Catholic Church; Maronite Church |
| Patronage | Edessa; Syriac Christianity |
| Attributes | Apostle's staff; Book of the Gospels; Syriac vestments |
| Birthplace | Palestine (probable) |
| Death Place | Edessa (Şanlıurfa), Mesopotamia (present-day Turkey) |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes (confessor) or martyrdom, according to tradition |
| Liturgical Class | Not included |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Birth
The birth date and birthplace of Saint Addai cannot be confirmed from available historical sources. According to the Doctrine of Addai, he was one of the seventy disciples sent out by Jesus during His earthly ministry. His name "Addai" is Syriac/Aramaic in origin and may be related to the Aramaic name "Thaddaeus."
Early Life
According to the Doctrine of Addai, after the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ, the Apostle Thomas sent Addai to Edessa in response to an earlier request from King Abgar V (Abgar Ukkama, "the Black"), who had heard of Jesus's healing miracles and written to ask Him to come to Edessa. Jesus responded that He could not come in person but that after His ascension He would send one of His disciples. After the Resurrection, Thomas dispatched Addai, one of the seventy disciples.
Occupation
Saint Addai served as the founding missionary and first bishop of the Christian community of Edessa. According to the Doctrine of Addai, he healed King Abgar of a chronic illness through the faith of the King in Christ, converted the Edessan royal family and nobility, built a church, and established the foundations of the Edessan Christian community.
Vocation
Saint Addai's vocation was that of an apostle and missionary — bringing the Gospel of Christ to the Syriac-speaking world beyond the Palestinian homeland of Christianity. The founding of the Edessan church through his mission made Edessa one of the most important centers of early Syriac Christianity, which would develop its own rich tradition of theology, liturgy, hymnography, and art.
Death
According to tradition, Saint Addai died peacefully in Edessa, having governed the Christian community there for many years. Some traditions describe him as a confessor who died of natural causes; others incorporate his death into a larger martyrological context. His disciple Saint Aggai succeeded him.
Saint Addai met his end in Edessa, having founded the Syriac Church through his apostolic mission to King Abgar and the people of Edessa.
Significant events
- One of the Seventy Disciples of Jesus Christ.
- Sent by the Apostle Thomas to Edessa (Şanlıurfa, Turkey) in response to King Abgar's request for healing.
- Healed King Abgar V of a chronic illness through faith in Christ.
- Converted the Edessan royal family and established the first Christian community in Edessa.
- Founded what became the Syriac Church — one of the oldest continuous Christian traditions in the world.
- His disciple Aggai succeeded him.
- Feast day observed on August 5 in some Eastern calendars.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Palestine (probable)
Death location: Edessa (Şanlıurfa), Mesopotamia (present-day Turkey)
Notable location: City of his apostolic mission; one of the oldest Christian communities (Edessa (Şanlıurfa), Şanlıurfa Province, Turkey)
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Dynamic content
Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Saint Addal have been added to the database yet.
Media
No media found for this saint.
Shrines
Dynamic shrines
No results
No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
List of shrines
No shrines formally meeting the canonical definition of Canon 1230 and specifically dedicated to Saint Addai have been identified in current sources. Veneration of the Syriac Christian heritage of Edessa is centered at the Syriac Orthodox and Chaldean Catholic communities in and around Şanlıurfa, Turkey.
Canonization
Servant of God
Saint Addai is recognized through the ancient apostolic tradition of the Syriac Church.
Venerable
Not applicable.
Beatification
Not applicable.
Canonization
Recognized through the ancient apostolic tradition of the Eastern Syriac Churches.
Miracles
The Doctrine of Addai records the miraculous healing of King Abgar V through Addai's ministry as the primary miracle attributed to him.
Miracle for beatification
Not applicable.
Miracle for canonization
Not applicable.
Other notable miracles
- Healing of King Abgar V of Edessa, according to the Doctrine of Addai.
Patronage
Saint Addai is venerated as the founding patron of Syriac Christianity and of the ancient city of Edessa.
Feast day
August 5 (some Eastern calendars); also commemorated with the Seventy Disciples in various Eastern traditions.
Veneration
Saint Addai is venerated as the Apostle of Edessa and the founder of the Syriac Church — one of the oldest branches of Christianity, which preserved the Aramaic language of Jesus in its liturgy and produced great theologians such as Aphrahat, Ephrem the Syrian, and many others. He is particularly celebrated in the Syriac Orthodox, Assyrian Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic, and Maronite traditions.
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
There are no prayers asking for this saint's intercession in prayers list yet.
Books
Written about the saint
- Howard, George, trans. The Teaching of Addai. Chico, CA: Scholars Press, 1981.
- Eusebius of Caesarea. Historia Ecclesiastica, Book I, chapter 13. Primary external source.
- Segal, J. B. Edessa: The Blessed City. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1970.
Written by the saint
- No writings by Saint Addai have been identified. The Doctrine of Addai is a later text composed in his name.
External links
References
- Howard, George, trans. The Teaching of Addai. Chico, CA: Scholars Press, 1981.
- Eusebius of Caesarea. Historia Ecclesiastica, Book I, chapter 13.
- Eastern Christian hagiographic tradition.