The Martyrdom of Mar Grigor Piran-Gušnasp and The Martyrdom of Mar Yazd-panah

Translation and Introduction by Florence Jullien; In Collaboration With Adam H. Becker

In the mid-6th century, Grigor, the general of the Sasanian king’s armies and a converted from Zoroastrianism to Christianity, was put to death. This event brings about the conversion of several Zoroastrian notables such as Yazd-panāh, a judge who also died as a martyr three years later, and the courtier ʿAwira. The reign of King Khusrō I (531–579) was a key-chapter in the history of the Persian Empire, but also for the Church of the East, some members of which were involved in the Sasanian administration. These East-Syrian historical texts, which are among the few passions of this period in Syriac, have received little scholarly attention. This volume offers a critical text and commentary, as well as the first translation into English of these two martyr texts. Written by contemporaries, they provide valuable information regarding socio-religious life and the political context. They demonstrate how Persian Christians, despite sporadic persecution, were able to maintain a distinct identity while simultaneously acculturating to the norms of Iranian society.

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Publisher: Gorgias Press LLC

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SKU (ISBN): 978-1-4632-4487-3

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- Paperback (In Print) ISBN 978-1-4632-4487-3

Publication Status: In Print

Series: Persian Martyr Acts in Syriac: Text and Translation8

Publication Date: Apr 25,2023

Interior Color: Black

Trim Size: 6 x 9

Page Count: 174

Languages: English

ISBN: 978-1-4632-4487-3

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The reign of King Khusrō I (531–579 CE) was a key chapter in the history of the Persian Empire, but it was also an important period for the development of the Church of the East. The Martyrdom of Mar Grigor Piran-Gušnasp and the Martyrdom of Mar Yazd-panah offer a panoramic perspective onto the social, religious, and political life of Christians in the Sasanian Empire at this time. According to these contemporary accounts, the death of Grigor, the general of the Sasanian king’s armies and a convert from Zoroastrianism to Christianity, triggered the conversion of other Zoroastrian notables, including the courtier ʿAwira and Yazd-panāh, a judge who also died as a martyr three years after Grigor. This volume provides a critical text and commentary, as well as the first translation into English, of these two East Syrian texts, which have received little scholarly attention, although they are among the few Syriac martyr accounts from this period. These texts demonstrate how Persian Christians, despite sporadic persecution, were able to maintain a distinct identity while simultaneously acculturating to the norms of Iranian society, even taking on significant offices within the Sasanian administration.

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	Contributor	Biography
	FlorenceJullien	Florence Jullien is an historian who currently holds the position of Researcher at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CeRMI, Paris). Her interests mainly focus on Syriac Christianity in the Sasanian era and Eastern monasticism in Late Antiquity and Middle Ages. She has published extensively in these fields, especially on the traditions of Christian communities and cultural encounters (Apôtres des confins, 2002; Eastern Christianity: a Crossroads of Cultures, 2012), hagiographical texts (the Acts of Mār Māri; Life of Mār Abba, 2015), monasticism in the Syriac world (Le monachisme en Perse, CSCO, 2008), and religious controversies.
	AdamBecker	Adam H. Becker is Professor of Classics and Religious Studies at New York University. In addition to translations and edited volumes, he has published books on the Christian scholastic culture of late antique Mesopotamia (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2006) and American Evangelical missionaries in Iran in the nineteenth century (University of Chicago Press, 2015). He has developed and edits the Persian Martyr Acts in Syriac series.

Table of Contents (v)
Preface (vii)
Abbreviations (ix)
Introduction (1)
Manuscripts and Editions (3)
Author and dates (5)
Outline (8)
Martyrdom of Mār Grigor Pīrān-Gušnasp (8)
Martyrdom of Mār Yazd-panāh (9)
A hagiographic cycle (10)
The Iranian Political and Religious Background to the Martyrdoms (11)
Theological aspects of the texts (17)
The defence of the East Syrian faith (17)
Zoroastrian-Christian debates (18)
Reworking of biblical models and identification with Christ (21)
Note on Editorial Method (24)
Text and Translation (27)
Martyrdom of Mār Grigor Pīrān-Gušnasp (28)
Preamble (28)
Beginning of the persecution (32)
The conversion and baptism of Mār Grigor Pīrān-Gušnasp during the festival of
Frawardīgān (34)
First imprisonment and release (46)
Roman-Persian war (50)
Continuing persecution and torture. Debate with Zoroastrians (54)
Resumption of hostilities with the Romans and war against the Huns (62)
Transfer to Dastgerd d-Bēth Balān. Wonders and torments (64)
Delegation of bishops and other Christians at the royal court (74)
Resumption of hostilities with the Romans. Mihrān’s betrayal (76)
Death sentence; farewell and final threats from the magi (78)
Execution (88)
Panegyric of the saint (96)
Wonders around Grigor’s body (100)
Commemoration (102)
Martyrdom of Mār Yazd-panāh (106)
Persecution. Portrait of Yazd-panāh (106)
Conversion. Polemic with the magi (110)
Imprisonment, threats, and discussion (114)
Roman-Persian war. New debates (118)
Exhortation to the faithful. Pressure from the magi (124)
Execution (130)
Removal of the body. The punishment of the wicked (134)
ʿAwira the Confessor (138)
Conclusion (142)
Bibliography (145)
Indices (157)
Index of Proper Names and Ethnonyms (157)
Index of Place Names (159)
Index of Biblical References (160)

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