Abraham the Great of Kashkar

Abraham Kaschkar, called the Great (* 503, † January 8 588 ) was the founder of the revival of the Assyrian monastery movement in the Middle East during the 6th century.

Monastic life was very popular with the early Syrian and Mesopotamian Christians. Some were convinced that only strictly celibate life could lead to salvation. All monks and nuns were nomads until Mar Awgin founded in about the year 350, the first zönobitisch monastery of Mesopotamia on the mountain above the town of Nisibis Izla after the Egyptian model. Then soon emerged many other monasteries.

However, the Assyrian Church of the East decided at the Council of Beth Lapat ( 484 ) that all monks and nuns should marry. Obviously this was done to the zoroastristischen rulers who sanctified the family life to be complacent. This decision greatly weakened the Church. The spiritual life deteriorated and the opponents left the church to the church monophysitistischen join.

The decision was revoked in the year 553 and 571 again Abraham founded a monastery on the mountain Izla with strict rules. The third abbot of his monastery was his pupil Babai the Great ( 551-628 ), who finally expelled the married monks of Mount Izla and ensured through visitations in the various monasteries of the North, that the strict religious rules were followed.