Topics (move over topic to see place in topic list)
12 Assyrian Identity
03 Religious festivals, cults, rituals and practices
05 Scientific knowledge and scholarly lore
Keywords
Christianity
geography
naming
Persian language
Period
4th century CE
Channel
Iranian culture
Text
The text makes reference to a place-name Melqi, which derives from the Neo-Assyrian toponym Milqia.
Martyr Legend of Mar Qardagh 67-69: And that holy Mar Qardagh was crowned in the 49th year of king Shapur [II] on Friday. And during the night on which he shined forth on the shabbat, compassionate men gathered together and took the body of the holy one and buried it with great honour. And each year in the day on which the blessed one was crowned, people gathered together at the place of his crowning. And they made a festival and a commemoration for three days. But because the multitude of the gathering, they began also to buy and sell during the days of the saint’s commemoration. And after some time had passed, a great market was built on the place in which the blessed one was stoned. It remains up until this day (= 7th century CE). And the commemoration of the holy one lasts three days, and the market six days. And it is called the souq of Melqi from the name of the fortress of the blessed one. But later a great and handsome church was also built at great expense in the name of the holy one by believing men worthy of good memory. It was built on that tell on which the holy Mar Qardagh was stoned.
