Narsai
Narsai | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 399 ‘Ain Dulba (ܥܝܢ ܕܘܠܒܐ) (modern-day Iraq) |
| Died | c. 502 Nisibis, Sassanid Empire (modern-day Nusaybin, Mardin, Turkey) |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church Assyrian Church of the East Ancient Church of the East Syro Malabar Church Chaldean Catholic Church |
Narsai (sometimes spelt Narsay, Narseh or Narses; Classical Syriac: ܢܪܣܝ, romanized: Narsay, name derived from Pahlavi Narsēh from Avestan Nairyō.saȵhō, meaning 'potent utterance'; c. 399 – c. 502) was one of the foremost of the poet-theologians of the early Church of the East, perhaps equal in stature to Jacob of Serugh, both second only to Ephrem the Syrian. He is venerated as a saint in all the modern descendants of the Church of the East; the Chaldean Catholic Church, Assyrian Church of the East, Ancient Church of the East, and Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. Saint Narsai is known as the 'Flute of the Holy Spirit.'
Although many of his works seem to have been lost, around eighty of his mēmrē (ܡܐܡܖ̈ܐ), or verse homilies are extant.