Bar Hebraeus

Who was Bar Hebraeus?

Gregory Bar Hebraeus was a catholicos of the Syriac Orthodox Church in the 13th century. He is noted for his works addressing philosophy, poetry, language, history, and theology; he has been called "one of the most learned and versatile men from the Syriac Orthodox Church".

Bar Hebraeus was born in the village of ʿEbra near Malatya, Sultanate of Rûm. It appears that he took the Christian name Gregory at his consecration as a bishop. Throughout his life, he was often referred to by the Syriac nickname Bar ʿEbrāyā, giving rise to the Latinised name Bar Hebraeus. This nickname is often thought to imply a Jewish background. However, the evidence for this once popular view is slim. It is more likely that the name refers to the place of his birth, ʿEbrā, where the old road east of Malatya towards Kharput and Amida crossed the Euphrates.