STS. MAR MARKOS YAHBALLAHA III & RABBAN BAR SAUMA OF CHINA (NOV. 13TH)
MAR RABBAN BAR SAUMA AND MAR MARKOS YAHBALLAHA By Bp. Joseph ( Archeparchate ) Mar Markos Yahballaha III (Died November 13th, 1317), known in earlier years as Rabban Markos, was disciple of the Master Monk Rabban Bar Sauma, and became Patriarch of the East from 1281 to 1317. He is the only Chinese-born Patriarch in the history of the Eastern Patriarchates. As Patriarch, Mar Yahballaha headed the Church of the East during the severe persecutions under the reign of Mongol Khans Ghazan and his successor, Öljaitü, who converted to Islam. Master Bar Sauma and Monk Markos arrived in the Patriarchate of the Church of the East from China in AD 1266 on official business. They served Patriarch Denha I, until his death in 1281, when Markos was elevated to the Patriarchate due to his fluency in Mongolian and his ability to favorably interact with the authorities. Once elevated to Patriarch, Mar Yahballaha was uncompromising in his defense of Chalcedonian Orthodoxy, and was seen a...
