Iyasus was born in Dehana, which may have been the woreda in the Wag Hemra Zone, although G.W.B. Huntingford identifies it with Dahna, a village 15 miles east of the Tekeze River.[1] At the age of 30, Iyasus Mo'a travelled to the monastery of Debre Damo during the abbacy of Abba Yohannis where he was made a monk, and was given arduous tasks by the abbot. After seven years, he left Debra Damo and came to live with a hermetic community around the eighth-century church of Istanafanos at Lake Hayq, and organized this group into a monastery with rules and a school. One of the students of this school was Saint Tekle Haymanot, who stayed at the monastery for 10 years.[2] One of the Zagwe kings later made him abbot of this monastery.[1]
His biography, the Gadla Iyasus Mo'a ("Acts of Iyasus Mo'a"), records that Yekuno Amlak had fled from the authorities in Amba Sel and hid in the church because of a prophecy (tinbit) that he would become a king. His mother, upon hearing such prediction, brought him to Istifanos Monastery in Lake Hayq and begged the priests there to hide her son and save him from being killed. Iyasus Mo'a protected and educated the boy, and in return, Emperor Yekuno Amlak built the structure to house his community. Later hagiographies state that Yekuno Amlak was helped by Tekle Haymanot, but the critical researches of Carlo Conti Rossini suggest that the Gadla Iyasus Mo'a is closer to the correct version of events.[3]
Notes
^ abHuntingford, The Historical Geography of Ethiopia (London: The British Academy, 1989), p. 74
^Taddesse Tamrat, Church and State in Ethiopia (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1972), pp. 158–160.
iyasus, 1214, 1294, ethiopian, saint, ethiopian, orthodox, tewahedo, church, feast, december, hedar, ethiopian, calendar, life, ethiopian, monk, abbot, istifanos, monastery, lake, hayq, amba, native, depiction, born1214dehana, begemder, between, zagwe, dynasty. Iyasus Mo a 1214 1294 was an Ethiopian saint of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church his feast day is 5 December 26 Hedar in the Ethiopian calendar In life he was an Ethiopian monk and abbot of Istifanos Monastery in Lake Hayq of Amba Sel Iyasus Mo aNative depiction of Iyasus Mo aBorn1214Dehana Begemder between Zagwe dynasty and Alodia Died1294 aged 79 80 Venerated inEthiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo ChurchMajor shrineIstifanos Monastery Lake Hayq Amhara Region EthiopiaFeast5 DecemberLife EditIyasus was born in Dehana which may have been the woreda in the Wag Hemra Zone although G W B Huntingford identifies it with Dahna a village 15 miles east of the Tekeze River 1 At the age of 30 Iyasus Mo a travelled to the monastery of Debre Damo during the abbacy of Abba Yohannis where he was made a monk and was given arduous tasks by the abbot After seven years he left Debra Damo and came to live with a hermetic community around the eighth century church of Istanafanos at Lake Hayq and organized this group into a monastery with rules and a school One of the students of this school was Saint Tekle Haymanot who stayed at the monastery for 10 years 2 One of the Zagwe kings later made him abbot of this monastery 1 His biography the Gadla Iyasus Mo a Acts of Iyasus Mo a records that Yekuno Amlak had fled from the authorities in Amba Sel and hid in the church because of a prophecy tinbit that he would become a king His mother upon hearing such prediction brought him to Istifanos Monastery in Lake Hayq and begged the priests there to hide her son and save him from being killed Iyasus Mo a protected and educated the boy and in return Emperor Yekuno Amlak built the structure to house his community Later hagiographies state that Yekuno Amlak was helped by Tekle Haymanot but the critical researches of Carlo Conti Rossini suggest that the Gadla Iyasus Mo a is closer to the correct version of events 3 Notes Edit a b Huntingford The Historical Geography of Ethiopia London The British Academy 1989 p 74 Taddesse Tamrat Church and State in Ethiopia Oxford Clarendon Press 1972 pp 158 160 Taddesse Tamrat Church and State p 67 External links EditBiography of Iyasus Mo a from The Dictionary of Ethiopian Biography Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Iyasus Mo 27a amp oldid 1104501810, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
