Awgin | |
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| Father of Monasticism in Mesopotamia | |
| Born | 4th century Suez,Egypt |
| Died | 363 Nisibis,Turkey |
| Venerated in | Oriental Orthodox Churches Assyrian Church of the East Ancient Church of the East Maronite Church |
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Mar Awgin orAwgen (died 363 AD),[a] also known asAwgin of Clysma orSaint Eugenios, was anEgyptian monk who, according to traditional accounts, introducedChristian monasticism toSyriac Christianity. These accounts, however, are all of late origin and often contain anachronisms. Thehistoricity of Awgin is not certain.[3]
The earliest source to mention him dates to the 7th century, about three hundred years after his death. The claim that Awgin introduced monasticism to the Syriac tradition is roundly rejected by modern scholars, who regard it as an indigenous development. The story of Mar Awgin, whether having a factual basis or not, was embellished in order to associate Syriac monasticism with the more illustrious Egyptian tradition of theDesert Fathers.[3][4]
Originally, Saint Eugenios was a pearl-fisher from the island Clysma orKolzum nearSuez inEgypt. After having worked for 25 years, he joined the monastery ofPachomius in Upper Egypt, where he worked as a baker. He is reported to have possessed spiritual gifts and to have worked miracles, and he drew some following from among themonks.[citation needed]
About 70 monks accompanied him when he left Egypt forMesopotamia, where he founded a monastery onMt. Izla above the city ofNisibis.[citation needed]
The location was well chosen, for Nisibis lay on the eastern edge of theRoman Empire, which had just embracedChristianity as the official religion. The rest of Mesopotamia was underSassanid rule, which tried to revive theZoroastrian religion and occasionally persecuted theChristian population.[citation needed]
The community on Mt. Izla grew rapidly, and from here other monasteries were founded throughout Mesopotamia,Persia,Armenia,Georgia, and evenIndia andChina.[citation needed]
A crisis occurred during the 6th century: to please theZoroastrian rulers, theAssyrian Church decided all monks andnuns should marry. Many subsequently transferred into theMiaphysite Church that followedWest Syriac Rite, and spiritual life declined in the Assyrian Church as a result. But the reforms were soon reverted.Abraham the Great of Kashkar founded a new monastery onMt. Izla, and he and his successorBabai the Great revived the strict monastic movement. Married monks were driven out, the teaching of the church was set on a firm orthodox basis, and Assyrian monasticism flourished for another thousand years.[citation needed]
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