Master Saliba Bar Khayrun
(d. 1340)
Master Saliba bar Khayrun is well-versed in the Syriac language and proficient in its calligraphy. He is the father of the monk Yeshu. He was born about 1253. When his wife died he became a monk and was ordained a priest at the Monastery of the Virgin in Sidos, where he was still living in 1323. At one time he traveled to the Qatra Monastery where he taught. Some clerics studied literature under him and his son. He was called the “Doctor of the East.” He continued to transcribe manuscripts until 1340 and died long after this year an old man.502 He drew up a husoyo for the festival of St. Ephraim, beginning thus: “Praise is due to the teacher of divine wisdom.” Also he wrote two prayers appended to some husoyos, and revised the calendar of the festivals for the whole year ascribed to Jacob of Edessa, and added into it the festivals of a group of saints, particularly the ascetics and martyrs of Tur Abdin, drawn from their histories. This calendar has five copies at Diyarbakr and the Vatican503 and our library. It was translated into Latin and published by Peters in 1908. He also composed an ode of mediocre quality and a long metrical dismissory prayer in the twelve-syllabic meter.504