Syriac Schools and Libraries

Syriac Schools and Libraries

The history of the Syriac people is closely linked with the flourishing of its schools and libraries which served not only as centers of religious training but also as major intellectual hubs for the Near East and beyond. These institutions, throughout their history, have been instrumental in preserving the Syriac language, liturgical tradition, and a vast body of knowledge, cementing their importance to the Church's survival and cultural contribution. 

The intellectual life of Syriac Christianity took root in the great schools of late antiquity like the School of Edessa (Urfa) which started in the second century and the School of Nisibin in its two phases where they offered rigorous study in theology, biblical interpretation, philosophy, and sciences. The model of the monastic school, focused on systematic learning, manuscript production, and intellectual preservation, became foundational for the entire Syriac tradition.

Many monasteries and schools had libraries that were invaluable repositories of knowledge. They were continuously built up by the scribal activities of the monks, who copied and collected religious, historical, and scientific manuscripts. 

The schools and libraries were more than just academic centers; they were the fortresses of identity and faith for the Syriac Orthodox community.

• Theological and Liturgical Continuity: They ensured the correct transmission of orthodox doctrine and the Syriac liturgy, which forms the core of the Church's identity.

• Cultural and Linguistic Preservation: By maintaining a vibrant scribal and educational tradition, they prevented the Syriac language and its unique cultural expression from being lost amidst shifting political and linguistic dominance.

• Survival During Persecution: In times of upheaval, persecution, and massacre (such as the Sayfo genocide of 1915), the scattered manuscripts and the tradition of learning preserved by the monasteries helped the Church survive and rebuild.

Syriac Schools and Libraries:

• School of Edessa

• School of Nisibin

• School of Qenneshrin

• Monastery of St. Barsawmo School and Library

• Monastery of St. Gabriel School and Library

• Monastery of St. Hananyo School and Library

• Monastery of St. Matthew School and Library

• School at Monastery of St. Sergius

• School at Monastery of Qarqafta

The Qarqafta Monastery, whose name means "skull" or "mountain peak," is a renowned ancient institution founded by Mar Shimun. The Monastery was strategically located between Rish 'Ayna and Hasaka, near the village of Magdal. It served as a major center for biblical studies and the Syriac language.

The monastery's influence on Syriac scholarship was profound. The scholar Ibn al-Barri, in his grammar book al-Luma', noted that certain Western Qarqafta scholars standardized the use of five specific vowel points: zaqaf, fattah, rabas, has, and 'asas.

According to Duval, the standardization of the dialect of the Holy Book and the revision of its translation were initially performed by Jacob of Edessa in 705. He was followed by learned monks who dedicated themselves to studying the translation of the Bible. The monks of the Qarqafta Monastery were particularly instrumental in this effort, and the Qarqafta translation of the scriptures is attributed to them. Notable among these scholars was Toubana, who resided in one of the monasteries, and Saba, a figure highly respected for his knowledge and jurisprudence. Saba's work included fine books copied between 724 and 726, which offer a historical perspective on the flourishing of philological science among the Syriacs. The monastery was also the training ground for several bishops.

• School at the Monastery of St. Sergius in Mosul, Iraq

The school at this monastery became famous in the eighth and ninth centuries. One Maphrian and few bishops graduated from it. This school was a theological college, as evidenced by the graduation of some scholars from it, such as the great theologian Moshe Bar Kepha, Metropolitan of Barman and Mosul (d. 903). Among the famous teachers of this school was Rabban Quryaqus, the teacher of Moshe Bar Kepha. It is believed that Rabban Anthony of Takriti, one of the brilliant Syriac scholars of the ninth century, received his education at this monastery.

• School and library at the Monastery of Tela’da: 

The  Monastery of Tal'ada, near Antioch was established in the middle of the fourth century, when it became a school and center of learning. It reached more fame, however, in the last decade of the seventh century, through the excellence of Jacob of Edessa. Benjamin, metropolitan of Edessa, also taught in Tal'ada shortly before 837. The monastery was still populated in the middle, or possibly the end, of the tenth century. The books at the library of Tel'ada's Monastery numbered about 740 books and some of its books are preserved in the British Museum, including the selected hymns of Mar Isaac, that was transcribed in about 570. The monks of this monastery took possession of the books of Jacob of Edessa after his death in 708.