The Priest Yaqub (Jacob) Saka
(d. 1931)
Priest Yaqub is son of Butrus (Peter), son of the Deacon Saka (Isaac). He was born at Bartulli in 1864 and studied under some of his contemporaries, especially the Chaldean chorepiscopus Butrus of Karmlays. He became well-versed in etymology. He was ordained a deacon in 1906 and taught at the school of his village as well as at the school of St. Matthew’s monastery. He became a priest in 1929 and died on April, 1931.
He was proficient in composing poetry and his early poems show the influence of old poets. However, his themes were restricted to friendship, congratulations, praise and eulogies. He also wrote an ode on divine wisdom. His verse would have been more pleasant if he had not adhered tenaciously to using rhyme. He composed an anthology comprising two hundred pages. This anthology survives in two copies.663