Western Armenia – Early Christian tombs in Urfa, the family tomb of Armenian King Abgar V.
August 29, 2022 / Archaeology, History /
From March 2 to 1, in the city of Edessa (Urfa) in Western Armenia, during archaeological excavations, about 80 early Christian tombs were discovered, among them the family tomb of the Armenian king Abgar V.
The tomb, in which 10 members of the royal family were buried, was decorated with mosaics and the image of a cross. A slab was also found, on which was the Assyrian inscription “The Great King Abgar V Ukama Mannu, the first Christian ruler of Edessa”.
King Abgar is revered as the first Armenian king to believe in Christ.
In the 4th century, Eusebius of Caesarea discovered in the archives of Edessa a document testifying to the king’s correspondence with Jesus Christ, in which Abgar called Christ the “Son of God” and asked him for healing.
According to legend, Abgar Ukkama, stricken with leprosy, sent his archivist Hannan (Ananias) to Christ with a letter in which he asked Christ to come to Edessa and heal him. Hannan was an artist and Abgar asked him, if the Savior could not come, to write his picture and bring it to him.
Hannan found Christ surrounded by a thick crowd; he stood on a stone, where he could see better, and tried to represent the Saviour.
Seeing that Hannan wanted to paint his portrait, Christ asked for water, washed himself, wiped his face with a cloth, and his image was imprinted on this cloth. The Savior gave this board to Hannan with instructions to take it with a letter in response to the sender.
In this letter, Christ refused to go to Edessa himself, saying that he must accomplish what he was sent to do. After completing his work, he promised to send one of his disciples to Abgar. After receiving the portrait, Abgar was cured of his primary illness, but his face was still damaged.
After Pentecost, the holy apostle Thaddeus, one of the apostles, went to Edessa, completed the healing of Abgar and converted him to Christianity.
A fresco in the Varag Armenian Chapel of St. Gevorg depicting Abgar holding the non-hand-made image.
Albert Mikayelyan Հայաստան Armenia Armenia
Western Armenia, Early Christian Tombs in Urfa, the family tomb of Armenian King Abgar V.
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