Jacob Bar-Salibi

Dionysius ( Yaqob ) Bar Salibi (* in Melitene, † November 2, 1171 ) was a Syrian Orthodox bishop and theologian.

He was first a rhetorician and a deacon in Melitene. In his episcopal ordination in 1148 took the name of Dionysius. He was bishop of Maras and later plus of Mabbug. 1155-1156 he was held captive by Armenians in Maras. In 1166 he became Metropolitan of Amida.

He was a prolific theological writer whose extensive works are not all edited. He is considered the greatest author of the Syrian Renaissance literature. He wrote commentaries on the entire Old Testament and the New Testament. He has also written works to Gregory of Nazianzus, Gregory of Nyssa, Porphyry and Aristotle as well as writings on the faith of the Syrian Church, a chronicle and much more. The book on theology, which was thought to be lost, was found again in recent times by Gabriel Rabo. Also, he was unsurpassed treatises against Islam, against the Jews and the Nestorians and Chalkedonenser.