The History of Yaballaha III and of His Vicar Bar Sauma

by James Alan Montgomery

The History of Yaballaha III is an English translation of the first part of the original Syriac story of the Assyrian Church of the East in the 13th century. It records the adventures of two members of the Church from China who set out on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. On the way, one becomes Patriarch of the Church and the other is sent on a mission to Europe on behalf of the Mongol Khan.

Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

James Alan Montgomery was an American Episcopal clergyman, Oriental scholar, and biblical scholar who was professor of Old Testament and Semitics, first at the Philadelphia Divinity School, and later, from 1913 to 1948, at the University of Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[Yates Buckley · Rating 2 out of 5]

A short historical resource that offers one of the most incredible 3 pages I have read. The travelling religious christian representative sent on behalf of the Mongol empire visits Rome and ia asked how come he has come to the Vatican. And Sauma is found requesting Papal blessing to he can return to the Mongols with approval but there is no Pope. He requests that they find some Pope to put up quickly or if his trip across the planet is in vain it might anger the Mongol rulers.

I surely recount this story wrongly but the fact that ideas take a life of their own is fascinating, and on such a scale... it dazzles.

Bar Sauma also somehow seems like a nice guy...

[Dvd · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a story worth telling to a contemporary crowd! The globe-trotting and reconciling journey of an ancient Uighur Christian leader ought to reshape the limited vision of a white and Western Church. Montgomery helps us access this necessary story for our day.

[Brad Belschner]

Ryan Handermann told me about this. The Reverse-Marco-Polo: a Christian Monk from China visits Medieval Europe in the 1200s and tells the tale. A different translation of this book is available here, for free: http://www.nestorian.org/history_of_r...