The Ancient Church

Saint Mar Zaia of Persia  Edited by Bp. Joseph ( Ancient Church of the West )  Mar Zaia, or “St. Haralambros the Bishop of Magnesia” in Greek, is a revered saint in the Syriac tradition who lived in the 5th century during a time of great transformation and persecution for the Christian Church in the Persian Empire. His name, “Zaia” means “Thunder” in Syriac, and reflects his famous preaching, which thundered throughout the whole East. He is esteemed along with St. Anthony of Egypt as a founder of monasticism in the East, and is recorded as one of the oldest evangelists in Christian history, walking over vast territories to preach the Gospel until his 113th birthday. Born into a noble family in Sassanid Persia, Mar Zaia embraced the Christian faith despite the political and religious pressures surrounding him. Becoming a bishop in the middle of his life, he served until his elder years, when he resigned and undertook the life of a traveling evangelist, concerned with the conver...