Early Christianity in Edessa and the Church of the East

What about the Church of the East?

In modern times, the Church of the East is claimed to have had its origins in Mesopotamia, in places like Edessa.

But, of course, the true Church of the East would have had earlier connections to Jerusalem and/or missionaries who had some connections there.

Edessa of Mesopotamia was on the great trade route to the East which passed between the Syrian desert to the South and the mountains of Arme to the North. It was in what we would call south-east Turkey. It was between the Roman and Parthian Empires. It was the capital of Osroene and did not become fully part of the Roman Empire until 216 A.D.

Were there Christians in Edessa?

Yes, but there are questions as to when as a lot of reports are sparse and not considered to be reliable.

"Edessa was the capital of a small principality east of the Euphrates. The Syriac town had been refounded by the Greeks and called by them Edessa, but the Aramaic-speaking inhabitants of the place continued to call it Urhai, a name of uncertain meaning. ... The Romans took possession of Edessa in 216 a.d. ... The early history of the Edessene Church is derived from sources for the most part unfamiliar. Much of our material is late, much of it is mixed up with unhistorical legend and fable. ... I shall now go on, by way of recapitulation, to state what I conceive to have been the main outlines of that history to which our fragmentary sources bear witness. The beginnings, then, of Christianity in Edessa started among the Jews." (Burkitt FC. Early Eastern Christianity. St. Margaret Lectures ON THE SYRIAC-SPEAKING CHURCH. JOHN MURRAY, London, 1904, pp. 6, 9, 33-34)

When it comes to Christianity in Edessa, yes, we see legends and contradictory reports about it--but also a tie to the Jews.

Though history is not as clear as we would like, there are reasons to believe that there were Church of God Christians there.

A.N. Dugger and C. Dodd of CG7 published:

Jude “The brother of James, was commonly called Thaddeus. He was crucified at Edessa A.D. 72. ...

Andrew “Was the brother of Peter. He preached the gospel to many Asiatic nations; but on his arrival at Edessa he was taken and crucified on a cross, the two ends of which were fixed transversely in the ground. Hence the derivation of the term, St. Andrew’s cross. (Dugger AN, Dodd C. A History of the True Religion Traced From 33 A.D. to Date. Originally Copyrighted, 1936. First Electronic Edition July 2003 Re-edited in Portable Document Format (PDF) by Massimo Marino – Italy For “The Andrew N. Dugger Republishing Project”)

The old Worldwide Church of God published:

Thaddeus Lebbeus ministered in upper Mesopotamia, including Assyria proper. I Will Build My Church, Part 1. Bible Correspondence Course, Lesson 49. Radio/Worldwide Church of God, 1967 Edition

Basically, there is a belief is that a disciple of Jesus named Thaddeus was one of the 70 that Jesus sent out to witness in Luke 10.

That Jude mentioned was the brother of Jesus (Matthew 13:55-56)--and reportedly he preached in Pella after the Jewish revolt of 67-70 A.D. (Cheney DH. Jesus, His Brother, and Paul Their Lives and Archaeological Evidence. Gatekeeper Press, ebook, 2022)--he then may have continued to then go to Edessa.

So, there is some indication of a witness to Edessa in the 1st century A.D.

Now in one report, supposedly near 100 A.D., the Apostle Thomas sent Thaddeus to Edessa (it is doubtful Thomas lived until that year, but it may be possible). Others point to the year 50 A.D. that Thomas sent Thaddeus as that is about the year King Abgar V of Edessa reportedly died.

Yet:

No fewer than ten names appear among those who claim to be the first to carry the Good News to the east. (Baumer C. Church of the East: An Illustrated History of Assyrian Christianity. I.B.Tauris, 2016, p. 14).

So, that makes putting lists together quite complicated.

Wikipedia has the following:

The missionary Addai evangelized Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) about the middle of the 2nd century. An ancient legend recorded by Eusebius (AD 260–340) and also found in the Doctrine of Addai (c. AD 400) (from information in the royal archives of Edessa) describes how King Abgar V of Edessa communicated to Jesus, requesting he come and heal him, to which appeal he received a reply. It is said that after the resurrection, Thomas sent Addai (or Thaddaeus), to the king, with the result that the city was won to the Christian faith. In this mission he was accompanied by a disciple, Mari, and the two are regarded as co-founders of the church, according to the Liturgy of Addai and Mari (c. AD 200), which is still the normal liturgy of the Assyrian church. The Doctrine of Addai further states that Thomas was regarded as an apostle of the church in Edessa. Addai, who became the first bishop of Edessa, was succeeded by Aggai, then by Palut, who was ordained about 200 by Serapion of Antioch. (Early Christianity. Wikipedia, accessed 04/1/25)

Thaddeus is also often referred to as Addai--but it may be that they were two different people because of it would seem doubtful that Thaddeus could have lived until Aggai, who according to one report supposedly took charge in 190 A.D. On the other hand there are various lists, so perhaps Thaddeus/Addai was one and the same.

Notice also:

Edessa ... The city's inhabitants spoke Syriac, an Aramaic dialect akin to, but not identical with, that spoken in Palestine; ...

Edessan Christianity, as it later developed, was strongly strongly Jewish-Christianity in outlook ...

It is likely, ... that Christianity had its origin in Edessa within a Jewish milieu, ... and that the earliest converts were, in the main, Jews. It would appear not improbable that these early Jewish Christians stampted the Edessan Christian community with their own type ... If then we place the origins of Christianity in Edessa within a Jewish Christian milieu we can explain certain features in the Gospel of Thomas which is to be dated c. 140 and which probably emanated from Edessa. ... Quispel holds that there were no Gnostics in Edessa in the second century and that Christianity there was wholly Jewish Christians. (Barnard LW. The Origins and Emergence of the Church in Edessa during the First Two Centuries A.D. Vigiliae Christianae, Vol. 22, No. 3, Sep., 1968, pp. 161-175)

Yes, the earliest true Christians in Edessa would have have various characteristics that are considered Jewish. (Note the type of Aramaic spoken there differed from that of Jesus who spoke the Palestine version of Aramaic--Aramaic was not the original language of the New Testament--for documented proof, check out the article Was the New Testament Written in Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic?)

As far as the so-called Gospel of Thomas goes, it contains a mixture of truth and error and was not written by the Apostle Thomas. But it may be of interest to note that it states that Jesus said:

27 ... If you do not observe the Sabbath as a Sabbath, you will not see the father.

And that is somewhat consistent to what it taught in the 4th chapter of the Book of Hebrews (see The Sabbath in the Early Church and Abroad).

Regarding a church that considers itself the Church of the East, Wikipedia had the following:

The Assyrian Church of the East (ACOE), sometimes called the Church of the East and officially known as the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East, is an Eastern Christian church ... belonging to the East Syriac Rite. Its main liturgical language is Classical Syriac, a dialect of Eastern Aramaic. Officially known as the Church of the East until 1976, it was then renamed the Assyrian Church of the East, ...

In their homes, Christians belonging to the Assyrian Church of the East hang a Christian cross (without the corpus) on the eastern wall of the main room. The Assyrian Church of the East does not make use of icons, and the interiors of its houses of worship are simple. (Assyrian Church of the East. Wikipedia, accessed 04/18/25)

While early and modern real Christians normally have fairly simple houses of worship, Christians do not use icons, nor did original Christians use crosses or place them on the eastern wall of their houses (see What is the Origin of the Cross as a Claimed 'Christian' Symbol?).

Let me add that the Assyrian Church of the East worships on Sunday. They have gone so far as to declare:

The Holy Apostles did not maintain the Law of observing the Sabbath:

(Observing the Sabbath – Saturday v. Sunday. Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East Official Website, February 24, 2016. https://news.assyrianchurch.org/observing-the-sabbath-saturday-v-sunday/#:~:text=They%20teach%20that%20God%20has,Protestants%20worship%20God%20on%20Sunday%3F accessed 04/18/25)

Well, that church considers that the Apostle Paul was one of the Holy Apostles. Therefore, let us consider its Sunday anti-Sabbath position in the light of two translations of the Apostle Paul's writings from Bibles used by various groups who refer to themselves as the "Church of the East":

4 According to what he said about the Sabbath: "God rested on the seventh day from all his works." ... 9 So then, it remains for the people of God to keep the Sabbath. (Hebrews 4:4,9, Aramaic Bible in Plain English)

4 For he said concerning the sabbath, God rested on the seventh day from all his works. ... 9 It is therefore the duty of the people of God to keep the Sabbath. (Hebrews 4:4,9 Lamsa Bible--note the translator, George Lamsa was a member of the Assyrian Church of the East)

The Sabbath is a clear command for Christians. Those who believe the word of God and hold to the original teachings of the "Church of the East" keep the seventh day Sabbath to this day.

That said, there are also Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and others who consider themselves to be from the "Church of the East."

For example, notice:

About the Chaldean Church

HISTORY

The Chaldean Catholic Church is descendant from the Church of the East, an Ancient Church located in Mesopotamia that can trace her roots to Mar Addai (St. Addai) and Mar Mari (St. Mari), disciples of St. Thomas the Apostle. Today, four churches claim patrimony from the Church of the East: The Chaldean Catholic Church, The Assyrian Church of the East, The Ancient Assyrian Church of the East, and The Syro-Malabar Church.

eastern rite

The Catholic Church is composed of various Rites, both Western and Eastern Rites. There are 23 Eastern Rites, of these the Chaldean Catholic Church is one of them. To be an Eastern Rite means that the Church retains her identity and tradition, liturgical, spiritual, etc., but has full communion with the Pope of Rome.

https://chaldeanchurch.org/about-the-chaldean-church/ accessed 04/19/25

There are also groups like the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East which is not in communion with the Church of Rome nor the Eastern Orthodox. Those who hold to the original eastern rite are not in communion with the Roman pontiff as early Christians did not consider their leader would use the pagan title of Pontifex Maxiumus, like the Roman Catholic pope has since the late 4th century.

The 'Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East' Claims Apostolic Practices, But Changed Many

Notice the following Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East:

The liturgy of the Eucharist is attributed to “the Apostles, Addai and Mari, who discipled the East”. The liturgy consists of a service for the catechumens and a service for the faithful. The Host is a leavened loaf, and the cup is an equal mixture of wine and water. (About us. Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East. https://www.assyrianchurch.org/about-us/ accessed 04/18/25)

No the Apostles did NOT use leaven for the Eucharist, which was another term for the Passover (see Early Christianity and the Eucharist?). The original eastern rite would have used unleavened bread!

Notice the writing from one the modern Church of the East considers to be a saint Aphraates, who lived near Mosul, from the first half of the fourth century:

If the day of the Passover sacrifice, which is the suffering of our Saviour, should fall for us on the first [day] of the week, according to the Law we ought to make it [fall] on the second day, so that his whole week might be observed with his suffering and his unleavened bread. For after the Passover there are seven days of unleavened bread, until the twenty-first. If the suffering [of our Saviour] should fall on another one of the days of the week, we are not troubled by these things, since our great day is Friday. (Lahto A. The Demonstrations of Aphrahat, the Persian Sage. Gorgias Press LLC, 2010, p. 283)

The Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East is headquartered in Alqosh in Mesopotamia--about 30 miles from Mosul--but they do not keep to the original practices. Aphraates decided against the biblical dates and practices. It should be noted that the "great day" mentioned in the New Testament in John 7:37 was not a Friday.

Sadly, those of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East do NOT keep the Days of Unleavened Bread nor do they use unleavened bread for the Passover/Eucharist even though they know that is what Jesus and His apostles did. For more details on that, check out the article: Should Christians Keep the Days of Unleavened Bread?

Notice that infant baptisms are practiced by the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East:

Infant baptisms oblige parents and sponsors to rear the child in the Christian faith and to nourish him or her at the altar and within the community of faith. The baptismal liturgy resembles the eucharistic liturgy in form. Following an anointing with oil there is a triple immersion in consecrated water in the name of the Holy Trinity, and a final “sealing”, which is Confirmation, with the imposition of hands at the door of the altar. (About us. Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East. https://www.assyrianchurch.org/about-us/ accessed 04/19/25)

While "imposition of hands" goes back to the Apostles (see Laying on of Hands), the tern "Holy Trinity" does not--it was first used by in the 3rd century--Gregory the Wonder Worker was one of the first to have used it. Furthermore, infant baptism was not an original practice--the blessing of little children, however was (see Blessing of Children or Infant Baptism?).

Notice what the Flemish Catholic theologian named Jodocus Tiletanus (more commonly now referred to as Josse Ravesteyn, also spelled Ravestein; see Georgius Cassander’s 'De officio pii viri': 1561: Critical edition with contemporary French and German translations Volume 134 of Arbeiten zur Kirchengeschichte. Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG, 2016, p. 3) admitted in a book written in 1567 against the confession of the preachers of Antwerp (The Beehive of the Romish Church. Lulu, 2008, p. 21):

We are not satisfied with that which the apostles or the Gospel do declare, but we say that, as well as before as after, there are divers matters of importance and weight accepted and received out of a doctrine which is NOWHERE SET FORTH IN WRITING. For we do blesse the water wherewith we baptize, and the oyle wherewith we annoynt; yea and besides that, him that is christened. And (I pray you) OUT OF WHAT SCRIPTURE have we learned the same? HAVE WE NOT IT OF A SECRET AND UNWRITTEN ORDINANCE? And further what scripture hath taught us to grease with oyle? Yea, I pray you, whence cometh it, that we do dype the child three times in that water? Doth it not come out of this hidden and undisclosed doctrine, which our forefathers have received closely without any curiosity, and do observe it still? (Harvet, Gentianus. Review of Epistles, PP. 19B, 20A, London 1598, as quoted by Hislop, A in The Two Bablyons, emphasis mine).

Hence it is known and declared that infant baptism is not from scripture. Notice that it is claimed to have somehow entered 'Catholicism' from a secret ordinance.

The Catholic Encyclopedia admits that infant baptism and other practices are simply based upon tradition:

The designation of unwritten Divine traditions was not always given all the clearness desirable especially in early times; however Catholic controversialists soon proved to the Protestants that to be logical and consistent they must admit unwritten traditions as revealed. Otherwise by what right did they rest on Sunday and not on Saturday? How could they regard infant baptism as valid, or baptism by infusion? How could they permit the taking of an oath, since Christ had commanded that we swear not at all? The Quakers were more logical in refusing all oaths, the Anabaptists in re-baptizing adults, the Sabbatarians in resting on Saturday. (Bainvel J. Transcribed by Tomas Hancil. Tradition and Living Magisterium. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XV. Published 1912. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).

In the 20th century Roman Catholic Franciscan priest Jean Briand reported:

Authors of old only described adult baptisms. (Briand J. The Judeo-Christian Church of Nazareth. Translated from the French by Mildred Duell. 1st edition, Franciscan Printing Press, Jerusalem, 1982, p. 54)

After reviewing documents and other evidence, Roman Catholic scholar and priest Bagatti correctly concluded that Judeo-Christians did not baptize infants, “following the example of the Lord” (Bagatti, Bellarmino. Translated by Eugene Hoade. The Church from the Circumcision. Nihil obstat: Marcus Adinolfi, 13 Maii 1970. Imprimi potest: Herminius Roncari, 14 Junii 1970. Imprimatur: +Albertus Gori, die 26 Junii 1970. Franciscan Printing Press, Jerusalem, 1971, p. 239).

Notice something that the Apostle Simon Peter stated the day the New Testament church started:

38 Then Simon said to them, Repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of the LORD Jesus for the remission of sins, so that you may receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38, Lamsa Bible)

Infants are NOT capable of repenting.

Notice something from the Apostle Paul:

12 From now on, my beloved, just as you have always been obedient, not only in my presence, but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12, Lamsa Bible)

No one, including infants, can rely on others attaining salvation for them.

In the Continuing Church of God, we hold to the original practice and do not baptize infants (see also the free ebook About Baptism).

Notice also:

Christians of Mesopotamia accused their Western brethren of idolatry and sun - worship for adopting as Christian this pagan festival. (Newman AH. Christmas. The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge Embracing Biblical, Historical, Doctrinal, and Practical Theology and Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Biography from the Earliest Times to the Present Day · Volume 3. Funk and Wagnalls Company, 1910, p. 48)

Yet although it it tries to tie itself to staring in the first century, the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East lists 'The Feast of the Nativity,' which it also calls Christmas, on 25 December, as the first of its "Holy Feasts" (Holy Feasts. https://acote.church/holy-feasts viewed 04/25/25)--despite the fact that its claimed ancestors objected to it. That church also lists six other 'Holy Feasts' -- Ephiphany, Easter, Ascension, Transfiguration, Cross, and Pentecost-- yet of its total of seven, only ONE of them, Pentecost, is a biblically authorized one (cf. Leviticus 23).

Here is some information about the 'Feast of the Cross' and when an apostate Church of the East adopted it:

CROSS, EXALTATION OF THE: One of the older church festivals, ... The first mention and account of it is by the Aquitanian pilgrim Silvia, about 385. ... during the fifth century the festival spread through the entire Church of the East. The way was paved for it on every side, directly and indirectly, by the migration of alleged fragments of the cross. (Schultze V. CROSS, EXALTATION OF THE. The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge Embracing Biblical, Historical, Doctrinal, and Practical Theology and Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Biography from the Earliest Times to the Present Day · Volume 3. Funk and Wagnalls Company, 1910, p. 310)

CROSS, INVENTION (OR FINDING) OF THE: The name of an ancient festival of the Church. In the history of the discovery of "holy sites" the finding of the cross of Jesus has its place, even prior to the middle of the fourth century. ... no doubt incited by the visit of the empress Helena (the mother of Constantine the Great) to the holy scenes, associates her directly with the event. (Schultze V. CROSS, INVENTION (OR FINDING) OF THE, p. 310).

So, obviously, a cross exalting holiday was NOT an original Christian practice.

In the Continuing Church of God, we hold to the original position of Christians in the East, Mesopotamia, and elsewhere regarding God's Feasts and not keeping pagan ones that humans invented, but instead keep the biblical ones--see also the free ebook: Should You Keep God's Holy Days or Demonic Holidays?

Now, here is a link to something called the Liturgy of the Assyrian Church of the East. Let it be stated that this is NOT the original Christian liturgy. Here are a few examples from it copied on 4/19/25 that prove that:

The deacons enter the altar saying:

Let him that has not received baptism, depart.
Let him that has not received the sign of life, depart.
Let him that does not accept It [the Holy Communion], depart.
Let the hearers go, and watch the doors.

The priest and the deacons kneel three times towards the place of the paten and the chalice. The priest proceeds and takes the paten, and the deacon the chalice. ...

The priest then holds the paten in his right hand and the chalice in his left hand in the form of the cross and says:

Let us send up praise to Thy glorious Trinity at all times for ever. ...

The priest stands facing the altar and worships stretching forth his hands and begins to recite the Creed. The deacons and the people also recite the Creed--the Creed of Nicea.

Following the Nicene Creed:

The priest prostrates himself before the altar, and says: God the Lord of all be with us all, in us all, by His grace and mercy for ever. Amen.

Here the priest washes his hands, and he makes the sign of the cross (in the air with joined hands) towards all the four consecration crosses of the altar. ...

The priest signs the mysteries. ...

All: The Trinity that blessed the righteous believers and forefathers bless this church, and may it be blessed now and for ever.

Early Christians DID NOT call for the unbaptized to leave, nor was "Communion" a weekly event (the Eucharist was an annual event, known as Passover; see also Early Christianity and the Eucharist?).

Early Christians DID NOT use a cross in their services. See also What is the Origin of the Cross as a Claimed 'Christian' Symbol?

Early Christians DID NOT mention the word trinity as that word was not developed until about 150 or more years after Jesus was resurrected. See also the free ebook: Mysteries of God. What is God?

Early Christians DID NOT have altars (Minucius. Octavius. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 4, Chapter 10. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885).

There is no indication that early church leaders prostrated themselves as part of regular church services.

Early Christians DID NOT get nor use the Nicene Creed as it was not approved until 381--and it was basically forced upon the Greco-Roman Catholic world by Emperor Theodosius. See also What Was the Original Apostles' Creed? What is the Nicene Creed?

Early Christian leaders DID NOT "sign the mysteries" which presumably is making the sign of the cross. See also What is the Origin of the Cross as a Claimed 'Christian' Symbol?

Early Christians DID NOT claim that the trinity blessed the forefathers as the early Christian forefathers did not teach, nor believe, that the Godhead was a trinity. :

Mar Aphrem went to Edessa ... He especially brought them the doctrine of the Trinity, (Malech GD. History of the Syrian Nation and the Old Evangelical-Apostolic Church of the East From Remote Antiquity to the Present Time. 1910, p. 135)

'Mar Aphrem' is also known as 'St. Ephrem of Syria' and he went to Edessa in or after 363 A.D. (Rusel PS. St. Ephraem the Syrian and St. Gregory the Theologian Confront the Arians. St. Ephrem Ecumenical Research Institutte, 1994, pp. 9-10). Ephrem reportedly wrote his On the Trinity hymn after moving to Edessa. So, this is an additional report supporting the view that the trinity was not an original belief in Edessa. See also the free ebook: Mysteries of God. What is God?

Also note: early Christian elders, bishops, etc. did NOT dress like the clergy that the "churches of the east" now dress like. See also Were the Early Duties of Elders/Pastors Mainly Sacramental? What was their Dress?

The liturgy of the Continuing Church of God follows the actual basic liturgy of the original Christian churches in the east.

To learn what early church services were actually lile, check out the article: What was the Liturgy of the Early Church?

Various Lists

Regarding Edessa, Wikipedia has the following in its article titled List of bishops of Edessa accessed 04/10/25:

The following list is based on the records of the Chronicle of Edessa (to c.540) and the Chronicle of Zuqnin.

Name of bishop Start date
or floruit End date
or death Notes

Thaddeus (Addai I) c.100 According to Eusebius of Caesarea

Aggai c.190 According to Eusebius

Palut c.200 According to Eusebius;
He was a contemporary of Serapion of Antioch

Barsamya c. 250

Name of bishop	Start date or floruit	Notes
Thaddeus (Addai I)	c.100	According to Eusebius of Caesarea
Aggai	c.190	According to Eusebius
Palut	c.200	According to Eusebius; He was a contemporary of Serapion of Antioch
Barsamya	c. 250

Now those dates are in conflict with the following three lists:

The Assyrian Church of the East (hence forth ACE), whose official name is the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East, was established in 33 A.D. by the apostles Thomas (Toma in Assyrian), Theodos (Addai in Assyrian), and Bartholomew (Bar Tulmay in Assyrian). ...

Table of Apostolic Succession for the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East

33 Toma (Thomas)

33 Bar Tulmay (Bartholomew)

33 - 45 Addai (Thaddeus)

45 - 81 Agai, disciple of Addai (from the Seventy Disciples)

48 - 81 Mari, disciple of Addai (from the Seventy Disciples)

90 - 107 Abris, relative of the Virgin Mary

130 - 152 Oraham I

172 - 190 Yacob I, relative of Joseph the Carpenter

191 - 203 Ebid M'shikha

205 - 220 Akhu d'Awu

224 - 244 Shakhlupa of Kashkar

247 - 326 Papa Bar Gaggai (Brief History of the Assyrian Churches. Assyrian International News Agency Posted 2001-01-01, http://www.aina.org/releases/20120221025100.htm accessed 04/28/25)

Succession from the Chaldean Catholic Church

Thoma Shlikha, (Saint Thomas) (c. 33-c. 77)
Tulmay (St. Bartholomew the Apostle) (c. 33)
Mar Addai, (St. Thaddeus of Edessa)
Aggai
Mari (c. 87-c. 120)
Abris (121–137)
Abraham (159–171)
Yaʿqob (c.190)
Ahadabui (204–220) https://www.liberalcatholics.uk/LCACSuccession.pdf accessed 04/12/25

List of Patriarchs of The Church of the East. ...

1 Mar Aggai (c.66-81). First successor to the Apostleship of his spiritual director the Apostle Saint Thaddeus, one of the Seventy disciples. He in turn was the spiritual director of Mar Mari.
2 Palut of Edessa (c.81-87) renamed Mar Mari (c.87 – c.121) Second successor to the Apostleship of Mar Addai of the Seventy disciples. During his days a bishopric was formally established at Seleucia-Ctesiphon.
3 Abris (Abres or Ahrasius) (121–148 AD) Judah Kyriakos relocates Jerusalem Church to Edessa in 136 AD
4 Abraham (Abraham I of Kashker) (148–171 AD)
5 Yaʿqob I (Mar Yacob I) (c. 172–190 AD)
6 Ebid M’shikha (191–203)
7 Ahadabui (Ahha d'Aboui) (204–220 AD) First bishop of the East to get statikon as Catholicos. Ordained in 231 AD in Jerusalem Council.
8 Shahaloopa of Kashker (Shahlufa) (220–266 AD) https://www.easternorthodoxchristian.com/list-of-patriarchs-of-the-east accessed 04/11/25

Let me add that IF Judah of Jerusalem relocated to Edessa c. 136, he would have been a Church of God Christian that held apostolic succession, kept the seventh day Sabbath, kept the Holy Days, avoided unclean meat, etc. He is believed to have lived until 148 AD:

Judah Kyriakos, also known popularly as Judas of Jerusalem, was the great-grandson of Jude, brother of Jesus, and the fifteenth Bishop of Jerusalem, according to Epiphanius of Salamis and Eusebius of Caesarea. According to those same chroniclers, he was the last Jew to hold the episcopate. He is sometimes regarded as the great-grandnephew of Jesus. Though the start of his period as bishop of Jerusalem is not known, Judas is said to have lived beyond Bar Kokhba's revolt (132–136), up to about the eleventh year of Antoninus Pius' reign (c. AD 148). (Judah Kyriakos. Wikipedia, accessed 04/26/25).

Number 3 on the 3rd list above may not have existed, but here is a report on him:

Abris, also called Abres,[1] Abrosius and Abrisius, was a legendary Bishop of Seleucia-Ctesiphon in Persia, who is conventionally said to have sat from 121–137. ... Bar Hebraeus ... account ...:

After Mari, his disciple Abrosius. His master Mari had sent him to Antioch, to visit the brethren there and to bring him back news of them. After the death of the blessed Mari the faithful of the East sent to Antioch and asked to be given a bishop. And the disciples of that place laid hands upon Abrosius and sent him back to occupy the throne of his master. There he ruled the faithful for seventeen years until his death. Some say that the place of his burial is unknown, but in fact he was buried in the church of Seleucia. This Abrisius is said to have been from the family of Joseph the carpenter, the father of James and Jesus. (Abris. Wikipedia, accessed 04/17/25)

Let me add that if Abris was consecrated at Antioch by a true successor, he would have been a Church of God Christian leader.

Number 4 on the 3rd list above may not have existed, but here is a report on him:

Abraham (Mar Oraham) of Kashkar was a legendary person of the Church of the East, from the family of Jacob, the brother of Jesus, who is conventionally believed to have sat from 159 to 171. There are historical doubts about his existence by later scholars of the period. ...

The following account of the life of Abraham is given by Bar Hebraeus:

After Abrisius, Abraham. He was also from the family of Jacob, the Lord's brother. He was consecrated at Antioch and sent into the East, where the Christians were being persecuted at that time by the Persians. The Persian king's son suffered from epilepsy, and the king was told that Mar Abraham, the head of the Christian religion, was able to cure him. The king summoned Abraham to his presence, noticed that he looked sad and downcast, and asked him why. Then Abraham recounted the evils he and his people were suffering from the Persians. The king promised to end the persecution of the Christians if Abraham healed his son, and that holy man prayed and laid his hands on the king’s son. He was healed, and peace was given to the faithful. After fulfilling his office for twelve years, he died peacefully.

Historical doubts about existence

Although Abraham is included in traditional lists of primates of the Church of the East, his existence has been doubted by J. M. Fiey, one of the most eminent twentieth-century scholars of the Church of the East. In Fiey's view, Abraham was one of several fictitious bishops of Seleucia-Ctesiphon whose lives were concocted in the sixth century to bridge the gap between the late third century bishop Papa, the first historically attested bishop of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, and the apostle Mari, the legendary founder of Christianity in Persia. (Abraham of Kashkar. Wikipedia, accessed 04/11/25)

Let me add that if Abraham was consecrated at Antioch, he would have been a Church of God Christian leader.

Number 5 on the 3rd list may or may not have existed, but here is a report on him:

Yaʿqob I was a legendary primate of the Church of the East, from the family of Joseph the carpenter, who is conventionally believed to have reigned c.190. ...

The following account of the life of Yaʿqob is given by Mari:

Yaʿqob, a Hebrew, from the family of Joseph, the husband of Mary, was sent from Jerusalem after he had modestly attempted to refuse such a dignity, pleading that he was too humble to accept an office which he later fulfilled splendidly. He was invested with all the grades of the priesthood at the same time, and governed the church exceptionally well. He was a prudent man of high morals, who devoted himself to prayer and fasting. He selected bishops who were as upright as he himself was, and the results matched his hopes. Churches were built and the faithful were governed wisely. In his time there flourished the second empire of Persia, and the city of Ardashir was built and named after its king. Then too the philosopher Porphyry flourished in Egypt, who published a refutation of the Gospel. Yaʿqob died after ruling the church for eighteen years and six months, and was buried in al-Madaʿin. (Yaqob I. Wikipedia, accessed 04/11/25)

Since there were reportedly 3 Jewish bishops in a row (counting Judah Kyriakos), they would have kept the 7th day Sabbath, biblical Holy Days, avoided unclean meats, and held to other original Christian beliefs and practices.

About the time that Judah Kyriakos reportedly died, we see in a succession list for the Church of the East (Baumer C. Church of the East: An Illustrated History of Assyrian Christianity. I.B.Tauris, 2016, pp. 330-331), Abraham (Abraham I of Kashker, 148–171 AD) and Yaʿqob I (Mar Yacob I, c. 172–190 AD), both Jews, hence they likely were faithful to the original faith. But after the death of Yaʿqob something must have happened.

Number 6 of the 3rd list was Ebid M’shikha. That does not sound like a Jewish name. It is unclear what he believed or taught if he existed.

Number 7 on the 3rd above list, Ahadabui, if he existed, supposedly hoped to be ordained by the patriarch of Antioch, but after getting there, he was accused of being a spy by the government and fled to Jerusalem and was ordained there (Bar Hebraeus, Ecclesiastical Chronicle, ed. Abeloos and Lamy, ii. 24–6). Ahadabui would NOT have been a true Christian as those in charge of the Jerusalem from 136 AD onwards into the 3rd century, including that later council in 231 AD, were NOT faithful Christians.

Now, going back to the statement next to number 3 in the 3rd list about Judah Kyriakos, the last Jewish bishop in Jerusalem, going to Edessa. But this may have been after first stopping in Pella.

Notice what the historian Edward Gibbon wrote about, first of the faithful Christians fleeing Jerusalem in the first Jewish revolt (67-70) and then notice that some who returned left for Pella again after the Jew's Bar Kokba revolt:

The Nazarenes retired from the ruins of Jerusalem to the little town of Pella beyond the Jordan, where that ancient church languished above sixty years in solitude and obscurity. They still enjoyed the comfort of making frequent and devout visits to the Holy City, and the hope of being one day restored to those seats which both nature and religion taught them to love as well as to revere. But at length, under the reign of Hadrian, the desperate fanaticism of the Jews filled up the measure of their calamities; and the Romans, exasperated by their repeated rebellions, exercised the rights of victory with unusual rigour. The emperor founded, under the name of Alia Capitolina, a new city on Mount Sion, to which he gave the privileges of a colony; and denouncing the severest penalties against any of the Jewish people who should dare to approach its precincts, he fixed a vigilant garrison of a Roman cohort to enforce the execution of his orders.

The Nazarenes ... still preserved their former habitation of Pella, ... in Syria. (Gibbon E. Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume I, Chapter XV, Section I. ca. 1776-1788)

The 19th century scholar Joseph Barber Lightfoot wrote:

The Church of Ælia Capitolina was very differently constituted from the Church of Pella and the Church of Jerusalem ... not a few doubtless accepted the conqueror’s terms, content to live henceforth as Gentiles ... in the new city of Hadrian. But there were others who hung to the law of their forefathers ... Judaizing Christians. (Lightfoot JB. Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians: A Revised Text with Introduction, Notes and Dissertations. Published by Macmillan, 1881, pp. 317, 331)

The Church of Pella was Sabbath-keeping (cf. Bagatti B. The Church from the Circumcision, p. 202) as had been the original Jerusalem church. It may have made a lot of sense for Judah Kyriakos to go to Pella at first, but since it was in the Roman Empire, he may have chosen to go to Edessa which was not, hence probably safer.

This also makes sense in light of the following:

We hear that the Jewish Christian Elxai was in Parthia, when he received his special revelation (Hippolytus, Ref: IX, 13). This shows that Jewish Christians were in these regions at a very early date. ...

A second indication that Edessa owed its Christianity to Palestine is the name Nazorees. The Syrian, Aramaic Christians did not call themselves Christians, but Nazorees, naseraja. We remember Christian was an Antiochene invention (Acts 11, 26): this argues against an Antiochene origin of Edessene Christianity. On the other hand we know that the Palestinian Christians were called Nazorees (Acts 24, 5). This was also the name of the later Jewish Christians in Beroea (Aleppo); ...

The Nazorees can be both the Jewish Christians in the Persian Empire and the indigenous Christians of Aramaic tongue. (Quispel G. The Discussion of Judaic Christianity. Vigiliae Christianae, Vol. 22, No. 2, Jun., 1968, pp. 81-93)

The above supports the view that Christians came to Edessa from Pella as those in Pella were called Nazarenes (Epiphanius Panarion 29).

Hence, they would have originally been Church of God Christians.

Information and Legends

Here is something related the Edessa from the book Edessa: The Blessed City:

Thomas, sent Thaddaeus to him as an Apostle, being one of the Seventy, and he came and stayed with Tobias the son of Tobias. Now when news of him was heard, it was reported to Abgar, 'An Apostle of Jesus has come here, as he wrote to you'. So Thaddaeus began in the power of God to heal every disease and weakness so that all marvelled. ...

The association of Thomas with Thaddaeus-Addai integrated the evangelization of Edessa within the direct apostolic tradition. ...

Addai preached again, declaring that he was not 'a physician of medicines and roots . . . but a disciple of Jesus Christ'. He refuted the worship of the planets and of idols, he glorified Jesus and urged his hearers to acknowledge him also. The city, led by Abgar, his son Ma'nu, and his mother and wife, accepted the new faith. The king encouraged Addai to build a church, and gave him generous gifts so that Addai's word 'should be of authority and prevail in all this town'. In a scene of enthusiasm the chief priests of this town, . . . ran and threw down the altars on which they sacrificed before Nabu and Bel their gods, except the great altar in the midst of the town. . . . And Addai. . . baptized them . . ., and those who used to worship stones and stocks sat at his f e e t , . . . even Jews conversant with the Law and the Prophets . . . who sold soft [stuffs]— they too were persuaded and made the Christian confession. Aggai 'who made the silken [garments] and tiaras of the king', and Palut, and Barshelama (who is also called 'Abshelama) and Barsamya ministered with [Addai] in the church which he had built. . . .

A large multitude of people assembled day by day and came to the prayers of the service and to [the reading of] the Old Testament and the New [Testament] of the Diatessaron. They also believed in the resurrection of the dead. . . . They kept also the festivals of the Church at their proper season. . . . Moreover, in the places round about the city, churches were built and many received from [Addai] the hand of priesthood. So the people of the East also, in the guise of merchants, passed over into the territory of the Romans in order to see the signs which Addai did. And those who became disciples received from him the hand of priesthood, and in their own country of the Assyrians they found disciples, and made houses of prayer there in secret from fear of those who worshipped fire and adored water. Narseh, 'king of the Assyrians', enquired of Abgar about the deeds of Addai, and 'was astonished and marvelled'. Finally Addai was seized with that disease of which he departed from the world. And he called for Aggai.. . and made him administrator and ruler in his own place. And Palut who was a deacon he made presbyter, and 'Abshelama4 who was a scribe he made deacon. He admonished them concerning their conduct. Three days later, on 14 Iyar, Addai died. And the whole city was in great mourning and bitter distress on account of him. ...

In a brief sequel to the death of Aggai, we read that because he died suddenly and quickly at the breaking of his legs, he was not able to lay his hands upon Palut. And Palut himself went to Antioch, and received the hand of priesthood from Serapion, bishop of Antioch, ...

The influence of Jewish learning and tradition upon the early Christianity of north Mesopotamia is apparent from the writings of Aphraates, who lived near Mosul in the first half of the fourth century. There seems little doubt that his fellow-Christians in this area, like early Christians elsewhere, maintained Jewish practices; they avoided, for example, eating meat before the blood had been removed, and at the Passover they ate unleavened bread. (Segal JB. Edessa: The Blessed City. Gorgias Press, 2005. pp. 2, 66, 79, 81, 100) https://ebin.pub/edessa-the-blessed-city-1593331932-9781593331931.html

Now, there are concerns about the above document as it contains later information, some of which later traditions affected. For example, it claimed that Serapion of Antioch was made a bishop by Zephyrinus of Rome --which makes no sense as Rome and Antioch were not then in communion with each other then. Plus the timing does not work as history points to the fact that Serapion became Bishop of Antioch about a decade before Zephyrinus became Bishop of Rome, so scholars understand that Zephyrinus "certainly did not consecrate Serapion" (Burkitt, p. 26).

But the reality is that there are reports from several scholars that support the view that Edessa had original Church of God practices that the current 'Churches of the East' do not have.

Original Christian Practices?

That said, above I highlighted "They kept also the festivals of the Church at their proper season" when quoting Edessa: The Blessed City. Notice those in the church included Jewish converts. There was no such holiday as Christmas there and people like Serapion would have kept Passover on the 14th. Hence this is an indication from a non-Church of God source that the church in Edessa, at least near the end of the second century kept the biblical holy days.

On April 10, 2025, I also decided to ask ChatGPT the following:

Were the "Festivals of the Church" Referring to Jewish-Christian Festivals (and Not Christmas or Easter)?

ChatGPT responded with:

Absolutely — and your insight is spot-on. The reference to keeping “festivals of the Church at their proper season” is not referring to Christmas or the fully developed Easter of later centuries. Those feasts were either non-existent or still evolving at the time. ...

The phrasing and the Doctrine of Addai overall reflect a community strongly influenced by Jewish customs, especially in Edessa’s early Christianity.

These “festivals” were likely:

Sabbath observance

Passover

Possibly Pentecost and Tabernacles (Sukkot), reinterpreted in Christian ways

These festivals would have been continuations of Jewish liturgical cycles, now re-centered on Jesus as the Messiah.

Now, the above is not proof, but is consistent with what I considered was likely the case in early Edessa. And also agrees with the report that they would have kept Passover and Unleavened Bread.

Notice also the following:

Easter, the Christian version of Jewish Passover. As I have argued in other publications, there are strong indications that the Syriac churches till the Council of Nicea were Quartodeciman and that they celebrated Easter on the Jewish date, in the night of the fourteenth to the fifteenth Nisan, just as the Christians of Asia did in the second century. ... indeed, the Syriac-speaking Christians were Quartodecimans till the beginning of the fourth century, the conclusion must be that their Easter celebration retained for a remarkably long time some Jewish elements. First, there is the fact that the Jewish for such a long. (Rouwhorst G. Jewish Liturgical Traditions in Early Syriac Christianity. Vigiliae Christianae, Vol. 51, No. 1, Mar., 1997, p. 82)

how to explain the presence of such a large number of Jewish liturgical elements in Syriac Christianity? For what reasons did these elements enter the Syriac- speaking Churches east of Antioch?

To begin with the oldest traditions which seem to have their origins in the formative period of Syriac Christianity, that is to say in the first or second century, ... The Syriac Christians-or at least a great number among them-wanted to remain faithful to the oldest ritual traditions they had received from the first missionaries. (Rouwhorst, p. 84)

from other sources we know that there were Jewish Christians who celebrated the Sabbath. (Rouwhorst, p. 86)

Yes, Passover was observed by Jesus and His followers on the night of the 14th of Nisan. Presuming the first missionaries were Apostles or knew the Apostles, they would have conveyed the original faith.

The faithful hold to that practice now into the 21st century--and that practice was an original eastern rite.

But there were others who became the majority. Sadly:

Most of these groups were open to Greek philosophical ideas and Gentile Christian ... conceptions. For the rest, as a result of a certain conservatism, isolation and due to contacts with Christians of Jewish descent, belonging to exclusively Jewish Christian communities
or otherwise, they preserved their oldest liturgical traditions which originated in Judaism and were profoundly marked by their Jewish roots. (Rouwhorst, p. 88)

So, some remained faithful whereas many chose to go a different way.

Differing Reports

That said, a lot of information in Edessa: The Blessed City came from something called the Doctrine of Addai — a Syriac text likely composed in the late 4th or early 5th century--as well as something called the Book of the Bee, written c. 1222.

A ... list is to be found in the Book of the Bee compiled by Solomon of El-Basra, and in one or two similar collections of historical matter. It begins with Addai. Then comes his disciple Mari; but Ambrose and Abraham, the next in order, are distinguished in the list as being “of the consecration of Antioch.” Here, again, Addai is claimed as the founder of the Church, but the link is soon broken, and the succession goes back to Antioch. (Burkitt, pp. 28-29)

Related to the differing lists and dates, notice the following:

If, therefore, Serapion ordained Palut, Palut could not have been converted to Christianity by one of the seventy-two Disciples, nor could the King Abgar, in whose reign he lived, have been contemporary with our Lord. We are thus confronted in the Doctrine of Addai with two theories of the rise of Christianity in Edessa. On the one theory, which is that maintained in the body of the work, Christianity was planted there in the first century of our era : on the other, which is that of the epilogue, the third president of the Christian Society at Edessa was not ordained bishop till about 200 a.d., and Christianity itself cannot have reached the district much before the middle of the second century. ...

In the Martyrdom of Barsamya we find again the statement that Palut was ordained by Serapion .. (Burkitt, p. 19, 20)

Now here is something from the Acts of Mar Mari--which was probably penned in the 7th century:

After the ascension of our Lord, while the apostles dispersed over the inhabited earth, the grace of God worked. Thomas, one of the Twelve, sent one of the seventy-two disciples, whose name was Addai and who followed Thomas, to the city of Edessa. When Addai arrived there, he resided in the house of a man named ʉbn and began to make miracles. When news about him was heard, Abgar was informed that the disciple of Jesus had arrived there. The king sent after ʉbn, calling upon him, saying: “I heard that a powerful man resides in your house. Bring him up to me now!” Immediately, the man got up and brought Addai to Abgar. The former went into his presence, while a big crowd was before the king. Upon entering, the king saw an awe-inspiring scene in the person of Addai, and he fell down, paying homage to him. ...

Before the blessed Addai died, he selected one of his disciples named Mr, who was living in the love of God and was adorned with virtuous manners. He placed his right hand on Mr, as conferred to him by our Lord Jesus Christ, and sent him to the eastern region, to the land of Babylonia, ordering him to go and preach there the word of our Lord. 7 The blessed Mr Mr left Edessa to begin preaching un- til he reached the city of Nisibis. (The Acts of M¯ar M¯ar¯ı the Apostle Translated with an Introduction and Notes by Amir Harrak. Society of Biblical Literature. 2005, pp. 9, 13)

Let me add that the Acts of Mar Mari also contains trinitarian language that would NOT have been in Edessa in the 2nd or third centuries. So, there are serious reliability issues.

Ivor Fletcher, once in the Worldwide Church of God, wrote:

Eusebius had access to official archives and written records. He was writing some 150 years before the fall of the Roman Empire and during his day many original first century documents were still extant.

He records two letters from the official archives of Edessa, a city state in Mesopotamia. The king or ruler of the area had heard of the healing miracles of Jesus, and being afflicted by a disease, wrote a letter to Him requesting that Jesus should visit him and heal the disease. Eusebius quotes the letter as follows: "Agbarus, prince of Edessa, sends greeting to Jesus the excellent Saviour, who has appeared in the borders of Jerusalem. I have heard the reports respecting thee and thy cures, as performed by thee without medicines and without the use of herbs.

"For as it is said, thou causest the blind to see again, the lame to walk, and thou cleansest the lepers, and thou castest out impure spirits and demons, and thou healest those that are tormented by long disease, and thou raisest the dead.

"And hearing all these things of thee, I concluded in my mind one of two things: either that thou art God, and having descended from heaven, doest these things, or else doing them thou art the Son of God. Therefore, now I have written and besought thee to visit me, and to heal the disease with which I am afflicted. I have, also, heard that the Jews murmur against thee, and are plotting to injure thee; I have, however, a very small but noble state, which is sufficient for us both."

The letter was delivered to Jesus by the courier Ananias who also took back to the king the letter written by Jesus in reply to the king's request. Eusebius quotes this as follows:

"Blessed art thou, O Agbarus, who, without seeing, hast believed in me. For it is written concerning me, that they who have seen me will not believe, that they who have not seen may believe and live.

"But in regard to what you hast written that I should come to thee, it is necessary that I should fulfill all things here, for which I have been sent. And after this fulfillment, thus to be received again by Him that sent me.

"And after I have been received up, I will send to thee a certain one of my disciples, that he may heal thy affliction, and give life to thee and to those who are with thee."

Eusebius, who it seems examined the original documents, adds the following points:

"To these letters there was, also, subjoined in the Syriac language: `After the ascension of Jesus, Judas, who is also called Thomas, sent him Thaddeus, the Apostle, one of the seventy."

Eusebius then proceeds to relate the various miracles and other works of Thaddeus, including the healing of King Agbarus. Following this the king assembled all the citizens together that they might hear the preaching of the Apostle.

Although Eusebius considered this material authentic, the view of some later scholars is that the letters were third century forgeries. Although this could well be the case, it is far from impossible that the publicity which the miracles of Jesus aroused could have spread far from the borders of His own country. (Fletcher IC. THE INCREDIBLE HISTORY OF GOD'S TRUE CHURCH. International Standard Book Number 0-917182-23-5 Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number 83-91442)

Ivor Fletcher often relied on legends in his reporting of Church of God history, and the above may or not be true, but is consistent with some other reports.

Regarding what else could be called the Church of the East, notice the following 19th century report:

There has been no period since the time of Christ when there were not Sabbath-keeping Christians in the church … 302 A.D. From that time until English missionaries entered Armenia early in the present century, Sabbath keeping continued without interruption. The … Chaldean Christians have also continued their original practice of Sabbath keeping through the present century. (Sanford EB. A Concise Cyclopedia of Religious Knowledge: Biblical, Biographical, Geographical, Historical, Practical and Theological. S.S. Scranton, 1890, pp. 853,854)

Commenting on that report, then evangelist in the Worldwide Church of God Dean Blackwell wrote, “They were the ancestors” (Blackwell D. A HANDBOOK OF CHURCH HISTORY: A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Ambassador College Graduate School of Theology. April 1973, p. 182)--meaning of certain later faithful Sabbatarian Christians. Note that:

For many centuries, from at least the time of Jerome (c. 347 – 420),the term "Chaldean" was a misnomer that indicated the Biblical Aramaic language ... Neither before nor after the 15th century did the term "Chaldean" indicate a supposed ethnic connection of the Church of the East with ancient south Babylonian Chaldea and its inhabitants, which emerged during the 9th century BC after Chaldean tribes migrated from the Levant region of Urfa in Upper Mesopotamia to southeast Mesopotamia, and disappeared from history during the 6th century BC: it referred instead to the use by Christians of that church of the Syriac language, a form of the biblical Aramaic language, ... Only in 1445 did it begin to be used to mean Aramaic speakers in communion with the Catholic Church, on the basis of a decree of the Council of Florence, ... Outside of Catholic Church usage, the term "Chaldean" continued to apply to all associated with the Church of the East tradition, whether they were in communion with Rome or not. (Chaldean Catholic Church. Wikipedia, accessed 04/28/25)

That said, it should be pointed out that the Chaldean Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church which is in full communion with the Pope in Rome. Like other Greco-Roman Catholic churches, it observes Sunday as the day of worship.

The Continuing Church of God has remained faithful to the teachings of the original Church of the East, including when it comes to the Sabbath.

Perhaps it should be added that:

Christianity appears to have reached the Euphrates valley about the middle of the second century. The Bishops of Edessa trace their succession to Serapion, Bishop of Antioch from 190 to 203, and there is all the more reason for believing this tradition to be historically exact, because it contradicts so glaringly the alternative story of the successful preaching of Christianity at Edessa by Addai, one of the 72 disciples. ... The later Syrians had ... a different standard of orthodoxy from their forefathers ... (Burkitt FC. Early Christianity Outside the Roman Empire. Cambridge: University Press, 1899, pp. 12,13)

Notice that the LATER Syrians had ... a different standard of orthodoxy than their forefathers! This shows that those now commonly called the ‘Church of the East’ did not retain the original faith.

Various reports stated that Palut was ordained by Serapion (Ancient Syriac Documents. Ante-Nicene Christian Library. Translations of the Writings of the Fathers Down to A.D. 325 · Volume 20. 1882, p. 34). Yet, although Palut would have been a faithful leader, Edessa had adopted non-original beliefs no later than 250 A.D.:

The worship of Saints and Martyrs … By 250 this custom was established at Edessa. It became universal in the churches after great persecutions of Shapur (339-379). (Thomas BM, priest. DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN CHRISTIANITY: CHRISTIAN WORSHIP, CHRISTIAN LIFE, MINISTRY, PATRIARCHATES, COUNCILS, CULTS OF MARTYRS, HAGIOGRAPHIC LITERATURE ETC. FEDERATED FACULTY FOR RESEARCH IN RELIGION AND CULTURE, KOTTAYAM, October 2015, p. 7).

Throughout church history, the mystery of iniquity has been present (2 Thessalonians 2:7), false leaders have appeared (1 John 2:19; 2 Timothy 4:14-15), as were prophesied to do so (2 Peter 2:1-2; Acts 20:29; 2 Timothy 3:13, 4:3-4).

Prior to that taking hold in Asia Minor, c. 200 Serapion of Antioch warned (Serapion. From the epistle to Caricus and Ponticus) of a “lying confederacy (Greek Ψευδοῦς τάξεως), to which is given the name of New Prophecy” that was forming (which enveloped much of Antioch after his death). At the time of Serapion’s writing it appears that Rome and Alexandria (Tertullian, Adversus Praxean, c. 1) were still accepting the “New Prophecy” that the Montanists were promoting.

That said, here is another report:

Palut went to Antiochia and was, according to an old tradition, consecrated by Serapion, the bishop. We know from the very old books telling of the acts of Sharbil and Barsamya ... that Palut undoubtedly was the bishop of Edessa. The successor of Palut was Abshelama, (Malech GD. History of the Syrian Nation and the Old Evangelical-Apostolic Church of the East From Remote Antiquity to the Present Time. 1910, p. 81)

Consider the following:

We have seen that there was some evidence to suggest that Palut, with his Antiochene consecration, occupied the position in Edessa of a dissenter from the main body of Christians. (Burkitt, p. 32)

But the old order of things in Edessa about 200 a.d., both in Church and in State, was coming to an end: ... Palut, the new bishop, had been ordained by Serapion of Antioch, but though those outside might at first call his followers Palutians, as if they were a new sect, he or his immediate successors soon became the undisputed presidents of the Catholic Church in Edessa ... The followers of Bardaisan remained with¬ out the pale of the Church, and continued to the fifth century. It is not known at what time the Marcionites first established themselves in Edessa. They also remained till the time of Rabbula ... After Palut’s successor ‘Abshelama came Barsamya ... (Burkitt, p. 35)

By the late second century various Christian groups existed here side by side: Gnostics, Marcionites, Bardaisanites, and the so-called Palutians, predecessors of the later normative church. (Possekel U. Expectations of the End in Early Syriac Christianity. Hugoye: Journal of Syriac Studies 11.1: June 28, 2018)

As a dissenter who was connected to Serapion, this would point to Palut opposing the heresies that had affected Edessa. Now we have something that may help clear matters up. It should be obvious that around when Serapion would have ordained Palut, there were multiple groups in Edessa Bardaisan was somewhat Gnostic and he had church services on Sunday (Barnard, pp. 171-172)--Marcion was also anti-Sabbath--here is a link: Marcion: The First Protestant?

We would consider that those associated with Palut were faithful and those who followed Ahadabui (Ahha d'Aboui), who was ordained in 3rd century Jerusalem, were not.

Notice also:

Mid to late fourth century. Ephrem (d. 373) lived in Nisibis until he moved to Edessa ... He decries the fact that his community had earlier been called Palutians after their bishop Palut, presumably because the name “Christians” was already claimed by one or more other communities. ... Palut did not want people to name themselves after him. ... Because [Addai’s successor Aggai] died speedily and rapidly at the breaking of his legs he was unable to lay his hand upon Palut ... Palut. himself went to Antioch and received ordination to the priesthood from Serapion ... (Penn M. Invitation to Syriac Christianity: An Anthology. University of California Press, 2022, pp. 34-35, p. 42)

Palut who, as a representative of the Orthodox Church in Edessa in the late second and early third centuries, represented a minority of believers calling themselves Christian ... At that time there predominated at Edessa an internal Christian syncretism of Babylonian proportions in which Marcionites and Manichaeans referred to themselves as Christians and the followers of Palut were called 'Palutians.' (Baumer, p. 17)

So, there were multiple groups in Edessa. And Babylonian and other pagan influences affected the majority. But that would not have included Palut or Serapion would not have laid hands upon him. And Palut would have held views that opposed many now held by the Orthodox Church (see also Some Similarities and Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Continuing Church of God). As far as the Marcionites go, here is a link to a related article: Marcion: The First Protestant?

Serapion of Antioch, like Theophilus of Antioch and Polycarp of Smyrna, denounced Marcion:

Moreover, brethren, we, having discovered to what kind of heresy Marcion adhered, and seen how he contradicted himself, not understanding of what he was speaking, as you will gather from what has been written to you -for, having borrowed this said Gospel from those who were familiar with it from constant perusal, namely from the successors of those who were his leaders in the heresy, whom we call Docetae (for most of the opinions held by him are derived from their teaching), we were able to read it through; and while we found most of its contents to agree with the orthodox account of the Saviour, we found some things inconsistent with that, and these we have set down below for your inspection (Serapion of Antioch. Translated by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. From the book concerning the Gospel of Peter--Eusebius Church History VI,12. Excerpted from Volume I of The Ante-Nicene Fathers. Alexander Roberts and James)

Church of God leaders denounced Marcion, while the Church of Rome tolerated him. Furthermore, Palut would have had to deal with the Marcionites and be in opposition to them as well, like Serapion who reportedly ordained him did.

Notice what the Protestant historian Kenneth Latourette stated related to Marcion:

Marcion insisted that the Church had obscured the Gospel by seeking to combine it with Judaism. (Latourette KS. A History of Christianity, Volume 1: to A.D. 1500. HarperCollins, San Francisco, 1975, p. 126)

In other words, the original true Church of God truly did combine faith in Christ with practices that Marcion considered to be to Jewish. And Marcion was denounced by leaders from Asia Minor for rejecting the true faith (see Marcion: The First Protestant?) and seemingly Palut. But in time, many of Marcion's anti-Judaic positions were accepted by the Eastern Orthodox, Edessa was affected by Marcion, and 'Churches of the East' no longer keep the seventh day Sabbath, eat biblically unclean animals, etc.

That said, what seems available on Aggai has him in the first century A.D., hence I do not see him as the immediate predecessor to Palut as some suggested.

Schools

One called Macarius reportedly had a school in Edessa and trained Lucian of Antioch:

Lucian of Antioch, (born c. 240, Samosata, Commagene, Syria [] ...

According to Suidas, Lucian was born at Samosata, Kommagene, Syria, to Christian parents, and was educated in the neighboring city of Edessa, Mesopotamia, at the school of Macarius. ... At Antioch, Lucian was an ordained presbyter. Eusebius of Caesarea notes his theological learning and Lucian’s vita (composed after 327) reports that he founded a Didaskaleion, a school. (TEXTUAL STUDIES: Lucian of Antioch (c. 240-312 C.E.): The Teacher of Arius? Chirstian Publishing House Blog. https://christianpublishinghouse.co/2021/05/26/textual-studies-lucian-of-antioch-c-240-312-c-e-the-teacher-of-arius/ accessed 04/10/25)

Lucain, a presbyter of Antioch ... was born at Samosata about A.D. 240, and educated under Macarius at Edessa. He settled at Antioch. (Cruttwell CT. The heretical sects, Volume 2. Scribner, 1893, p. 532)

Here is a translation into English from the Souda/Suda of the 10th century:

[Lucian] the martyr; this man was from Samosata in Syria, born in the upper class. In his youth he met a certain man called Makarios, who lived in Edessa and gave explanatory lectures on the sacred books, and in a short time [Lucian] made his own whatever excellence this man had. ... He also entered the holy service, became a presbyter in Antioch, and established a large school there, as the best people from various regions were coming to him. This man thought that the holy books had taken in much of what was counterfeit within themselves, because time had corrupted much of their content, and there had been continuous changes in them from one thing to another, and on account of certain worthless men, who had been in the forefront of Hellenism and who wished to pervert their meaning and put in much that was illegitimate. So he re-edited the books, taking his cues from the Hebrew language, which he had learned quite well, as he put much effort into the correction of the holy books. And furthermore one can find that he guarded the purity of the divine doctrines to the greatest degree among his contemporaries. For he also published doubtless most excellent letters, from which one may very easily learn what idea he held of divine matters. He was martyred in the time of Maximian in Nicomedia of Bithynia. (Makarios. Suda On Line. http://www.stoa.org/sol-entries/lambda/685 Translated by: Akihiko Watanabe on 21 May 1999. Accessed 16 April 2025)

So, we see influence from Edessa. Note that Makarios is the same person as Macarius.

Supposedly 'Abshelama (who is also called Barshelama) succeeded Palut as bishop of Edessa. Macarius/Makarios may have been the one to succeed 'Abshelama. Because Macarius/Makarios had a school, he may have been the leading Church of God overseer until succeeded by Lucian who went to Antioch. Lucian was martyred in 312.

The Catholic Encyclopedia states:

The exact date of the introduction of Christianity into Edessa is not known. It is certain, however, that the Christian community was at first made up from the Jewish population of the city. According to an ancient legend, King Abgar V, Ushana, was converted by Addai, who was one of the seventy-two disciples. (For a full account see ABGAR.) In fact, however, the first King of Edessa to embrace the Christian Faith was Abgar IX (c. 206). Under him Christianity became the official religion of the kingdom. As for Addai, he was neither one of the seventy-two disciples as the legend asserts, nor was he the Apostle Thaddeus, as Eusebius says (Church History IV.13), but a missionary from Palestine who evangelized Mesopotamia about the middle of the second century, and became the first bishop of Edessa. ... He was succeeded by Aggai, then by Palout (Palut) who was ordained about 200 by Seraphion of Antioch. ... Antioch caused in important Syriac literary movement at Edessa of which the city long remained the centre. Thence came to us in the second century the famous Peshitto, or Syriac translation of the Old Testament; also Tatian's Diatessaron, which was compiled about 172 ... Among the illustrious disciples of the School of Edessa special mention is due to Bardesanes (154-222) ... (Vailhé, Siméon. "Edessa." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 5. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909)

Let me add that presuming Palut was ordained by Serapion c. 200, then he would not have been the direct successor of Aggai

Encyclopedia.com has the following:

EDESSA, SCHOOL OF

With the conversion of the royal house to Christianity (c. 202), Edessa became a center of Oriental Christian culture and theological activity. Mention is made of the disciples of Bardesanes and Lucian of Antioch, who had studied exegesis with Macarius of Edessa (Die griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller der ersten drei Jahrhunderte 21.184) and Eusebius of Emesa attended lectures on Scripture there (Patrologia Graeca 67:1045). (https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/edessa-school accessed 04/14/25)

It has been asserted:

In the 2nd and 3rd centuries, Edessa became famous as an important centre of learning and the cultural capital of early Christianity, (Knight SA. Part 1a. The Blessed city of Edessa. Malankara Research, July 24, 2020. https://malankararesearch.org/2020/07/24/part-1-the-blessed-city-of-edessa/ accessed 04/14/25)

The Catechetical School of Edessa stands as a testament to the city's profound influence on Christian education and theological development. Established in the 2nd century AD, this institution became a beacon of Christian scholarship in the ancient world. ...

The school specialized in biblical exegesis, developing the "Antiochene" method of interpretation that emphasized the historical and literal meaning of biblical texts. This approach contrasted with the allegorical methods popular in Alexandria. (Osroene: Ancient Kingdom at the Crossroads of Christianity and Civilization. Sar-El, January 7, 2025 https://sareltours.com/article/osroene accessed 04/14/25)

If that is the case, that supports the view that Macarius taught Lucian at a school in Edessa as the Antiochene method of biblical interpretation is what Lucian was known for.

Speculative Succession List

It may be that the Apostle Thomas and later Jude/Thaddeus were in Edessa.

According to the Greek Orthodox who claim Marcus of Jerusalem as Judah Kyriakos' successor, bishop Judah lived for a time after that (Judas of Jerusalem. Orthodox Wiki, accessed 04/11/25 https://en.orthodoxwiki.org/Judas_of_Jerusalem)--perhaps another decade or so. Judah Kyriakos would not have been in Jerusalem--so he would have had to go somewhere else. Edessa was NOT part of the Roman Empire then--only a client state--so while Edessa was far away (like 600 miles/1000 km) it could have been considered as a safe location to seek refuge in--and one that was too far.

If Judah Kyriakos really did end up in Edessa, then it is reasonable to conclude that there may have been other Christians after Thaddeus in Edessa before and after he arrived.

Furthermore, if Judah Kyriakos relocated the Jerusalem Church to Edessa in 136 A.D., he would have had original Christian teachings and practices with him. Since it looks like he could have been followed by two Jewish leaders-- Abraham (Abraham I of Kashker) and Yaʿqob I (Mar Yacob I)-- it is likely that they were faithful Christians. It is probable that one of their successors, perhaps Ebid M'shikha, was not faithful.

Whether or not, we have reports that Palut had hands laid upon him by Serapion. This may be because Palut and Serapion saw the emergence of the apostate church in that region.

In his c. 200 AD Epistle to Caricus and Ponticus, Serapion warned of a “lying confederacy" (Greek Ψευδοῦς τάξεως) that was affecting Rome, Alexandria, Asia Minor, and elsewhere. Although that related confederacy had been denounced by Thraseas of Eumenia around 160 and by Apollinaris of Hierapolis in 177, Bishops Eleutherius and Victor I of Rome seemingly had accepted it after that (Victor died in 199). Let me add that although some claim that Serapion was in communion with the Church of Rome, Serapion's denouncement of the false Gospel of Peter, which Rome and Alexandria had accepted to a degree, also shows he was not in communion with their confederacy.

From what I have been able to research, Barsamya was not a Church of God Christian (supposedly he taught Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine--Drijvers JW. Marutha of Maipherqat on Helena Augusta, Jerusalem and the Council of Nicaea. Papers presented at the thirteenth International Conference on Patristic Studies held in Oxford 1999. Peeters, pp. 58-59) nor was Papa Bar Gaggai. Actually, the Assyrian Church of the East admits that Papa Bar Gaggai changed things in the 4th century:

At the turn of the fourth century (c. AD 310) Papa bar Gaggai, the bishop of the capital city of the Persian Empire, Seleucia-Ctesiphon, organized the bishops of the Church in a form which resembled the model developed in the West. He centralized the administration of the Church under his own jurisdiction and assumed the title “Catholicos of the East.” From that time on, the bishop of the imperial capital held this office. ... The teaching of the Church of the East is based on the faith of the universal Church as set forth in the Nicene Creed. The mystery of the Holy Trinity and the mystery of the Incarnation are central to its teaching. The church believes in One Triune God: (About us. Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East. https://www.assyrianchurch.org/about-us/ accessed 04/18/25)

But around the claimed start time (c. 247 A.D.) for Papa bar Gaggai, there was man named Macarius who ran a school in Edessa and trained Lucian of Antioch. Neither of them were trinitarian--the Nicene Creed referred to above was put forth by Roman Emperor Theodosius in 380 and adopted by the Greco-Roman confederation in 381--it was not the original creed nor are several of its statements consistent with the Bible or original Christianity (see also What Was the Original Apostles' Creed? What is the Nicene Creed?). The Nicene Creed was not something the early apostles could have ever agreed to!

So, what about possibly faithful leaders in the Edessian Church of the East?

The following speculative list is highly questionable as we have limited information to prove whether some of these actually lived and in the order they lived, but seems to show what could have been faithful succession in Edessa:

Thomas the Apostle seemingly visited Edessa.
1. Thaddeus (sometimes also known as Addai) apparently was killed in Edessa c. 65.
2. Mar Aggai (c. 66 – c. 81)
3. Mar Mari (c. 87 – c. 121)
4. Abris (Abres or Ahrasius) (c. 121 – c. 136 AD)
5. Judah Kyriakos (c. 136 - c. 148 AD)
6. Abraham (Abraham I of Kashker) (c. 148 – c. 171 AD)
7. Yaʿqob I (Mar Yacob I) (c. 172 – c. 190 AD)
8. Palut (c. 198 – c. 220)
9. ‘Abshelama (c. 220 – c. 254)
10. Macarius of Edessa (c. 254 – c. 275)
11. Lucian of Antioch (c. 275 – 312)

The above list is quite speculative. However, it is based on parts of numerous reports and put together in a way that would point to consistency of belief of those on the list. For example, Thomas and Thaddeus would have kept the 7th day Sabbath and Holy Days, as would Judah Kyriakos and his Jewish successors (as well as the predecessaors). Macarius taught Lucian, and Lucian also was a Sabbath keeper--and like all early faithful Christian leaders, Lucian was binitarian.

For the accepted (though subject to change as some names may be added/changed) succession list of the Continuing Church of God, check out the free ebook: Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession?

Concluding Comments

There seem to have been visits by Christian leaders to Edessa in the first and second centuries. But whether the stories related to several of them are true is uncertain--plus there are several contradictions between and even within some of the reports.

But it may be the Apostle Thomas and later Jude/Thaddeus were in Edessa. They would have been Sabbath keepers.

And the last Jewish bishop of Jerusalem may have went there. He would have be been a Sabbath keeper. Plus, the Jews that are in several of the succession lists would also have been Sabbath keepers.

But this is something that most groups who consider themselves a "Church of the East" did not care for.

There are reports about different leaders, which makes sense presuming different groups of professing Christians, in Edessa in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th centuries A.D.

There are historical reports that point to the faithful in Edessa keeping the 7th day Sabbath and biblical holy days, while being binitarian, and also standing for a non-allegorical view of the Bible.

An evengelist in the old Worldwide Church of God taught that some there were our spiritual ancestors. We in the Continuing Church of God recognize that as well as we have a leader in Edessa in our succession list. We also consider ourselves to be the faithful remnant of the original Church of the East and could also be considered to hold to the liturgy of the original eastern rite.

But the Church of Rome has opposed the original faith and we are not in communion with that group.

Consider, now, that the late Roman Catholic priest Malachi Martin lived and worked in Vatican City for years. He was deeply involved in researching and writing about Church history, theology, and the inner workings of the Roman Catholic Church.

In a book he wrote, Malachi Martin reported a meeting between Jewish Christians and Bishop of Rome Sylvester I, but gave no source (so, perhaps, it may have come from the archives in the Vatican library?):

A meeting between Sylvester (Pope Sylvester I) and the Jewish Christian leaders took place in 318....The vital interview was not, as far as we know, recorded, but the issues were very well known, and it is probable the Joses, the oldest of the Christian Jews, spoke on behalf of the Desposyni and the rest. ...That most hallowed name, desposyni, had been respected by all believers in the first century and a half of Christian history. The word literally meant, in Greek, "belonging to the Lord." It was reserved uniquely for Jesus' blood relatives. Every part of the ancient Jewish Christian church had always been governed by a desposynos, and each of them carried one of the names traditional in Jesus' family--Zachary, Joseph, John, James, Joses, Simeon, Matthias, and so on. But no one was ever called Jesus. Neither Sylvester nor any of the thirty-two popes before him, nor those succeeding him, ever emphasized that there were at least three well-known and authentic lines of legitimate blood descent from Jesus' own family..." ...The Desposyni demanded that Sylvester, who now had Roman patronage, revoke his confirmation of the authority of the Greek Christian bishops at Jerusalem, in Antioch, in Ephesus, and in Alexandria, and to name desposynos bishops to take their place. They asked that the practice of sending cash to Jerusalem as the mother church be resumed... These blood relatives of Christ demanded the reintroduction of the Law, which included the Sabbath and the Holy Day system of Feasts ... of the Bible. Sylvester dismissed their claims and said that, from now on, the mother church was in Rome and he insisted they accept the Greek bishops to lead them. ... This was the last known dialogue with the Sabbath-keeping church in the east led by the disciples who were descended from blood relatives of Jesus the Messiah. (Martin M. The Decline and Fall of the Roman Church. Putnam Pub Group, 1981, pp. 30-31). https://www.geni.com/people/Saint-Judah-Kyriakos-Bishop-of-Jerusalem/6000000002396224184

So, apparently some did attempt to see if the Church of Rome would accept various aspects the original faith, but it was denied. These claimed blood relatives of Jesus would have likely included claims related to Judah Kyriakos, who may have relocated to Edessa.

But Sylvester, who was a contemporary to Emperor Constantine—a man who detested Jews as well as Christians with practices he considered to be Jewish—refused to contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3), even when he was reminded of aspects of it. Hence, true succession of doctrine was not coming from Rome.

Because of persecution released by Roman Emperor Theodosius in the late 4th century, the faithful in many areas had to flee (Edessa was part of the Roman Empire then)--but some went further east. Such as into Armenia.

The Nazarenes clung to the ancient ceremonies, but they did not denounce Gentile believers. They were the remnant of the more moderate Jewish Christians who were not prepared to surrender the national customs. Late in the fourth century, they still lingered in the synagogues of the east. (Blackwell, p. 10)

Nazarenes removed to at the time they were beginning to be infiltrated by the Elkasites.

The first Armenian writer who notices them is the patriarch Nerses II in an encyclical of 553 where he condemns those “who share with Nestorians in belief and prayer, and take their breadofferings to their shrines and receive communion from them, as if from the ministers of the oblations of the Paulicians.”

This man first wrote the history, or had a comment about the Paulicians, in 553 so that they must have been there earlier than this. (Blackwell, p. 25)

One wonders if some called Paulicians had spiritual descent from those called Palutians in Edessa.

Anyway, while there were changes in Edessa. The faithful continued, though after Theodosius there were few, if any, left in Edessa as many had to move.

Throughout the church age, the faithful have often had to move, and that impacted people in the east.

More details on that can be found in the free ebook: Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession?