The Mid Lent and The Feast of King Abgar The Black & Mor Habib Sahdo

The Mid Lent of the Syriac Orthodox Church is a time of great devotion, fasting, and prayer. It marks the midpoint of the Holy Great Lent and is a time for believers to deepen their spiritual connection with God. On the 25th day of the great lent, the Holy Cross/Sleebo will be placed in the middle of the church, a central part of the ceremony of the Mid lent service.

The history of this practice can be traced back to the Old Testament, where Moses placed a bronze serpent in the middle of the camp to save the people of Israel from the fiery serpents that plagued them. This act foreshadows the crucifixion of Christ and the salvation that comes through his death on the cross. The Holy Sleebo is a visible symbol of this salvation and an invincible weapon against the evil one.

During the Mid Lent, the Menartho / Gogultho is placed in the middle of the church, and the living and life-giving Sleebo is raised on it. This is a powerful reminder of the great truth that has come down to lead us to heaven. It is a time for believers to contemplate the severity of their sins, the horror of death, and the divine care that protects them from the terror of sin and death. The Sleebo is not just a symbol but also a call to action. As believers enter and leave the church, they are reminded to respect and bow down to the Sleebo in the middle of the temple. This act of reverence is a sign of their commitment to follow Christ and to seek His salvation.

The Mid Lent service is organised by the Holy Church as a reminder of the divine presence of Christ, whose suffering and endurance at Calvary and the redemption and  atonement of our sins by His death. Through this sacred service, we should share the love that raised us from the dead and made a place for us on the right-hand side of the Father in glory. We must draw nearer to the hanged man, who came down from the throne of the heavenly majesty to the court of the temple and was placed beside us.

On this mid-Lent day, we commemorate King Abgar, a contemporary of Jesus Christ who ruled the kingdom of Edessa. According to tradition, he suffered from an incurable illness and sought a cure from Jesus. This led to a correspondence between the King and Jesus, documented in various sources, including the "Doctrine of Addai" and the "Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius."

In his letter to Jesus, King Abgar expressed his belief in Him and requested that He visit Edessa to cure him. Although Jesus could not see him, He promised to send one of His disciples, demonstrating His compassion and concern for King Abgar well-being despite being unable to visit him in person.

After Jesus' death and resurrection, St. Thaddeus/ Mor Addai, one of the seventy disciples, was sent to Edessa as instructed by Jesus. He carried with him a square face cloth on which the image of Christ was miraculously imprinted. When King Abgar held the cloth, he was miraculously healed, and he and his subjects became Christians. This event marked the beginning of Christianity in Edessa and led to the development of a unique Christian tradition in the region. The cloth, known as the Mandylion of Christ, became the first holy icon and was revered by Christians for centuries. It was believed to have miraculously imprinted the facial image of Jesus, and its existence was seen as a sign of His divine power.

Furthermore, the Syriac Orthodox Church holds in high regard the memory of deacon Habib of Edessa, a man who dedicated his life to serving his faith. Habib was born in Edessa during the reign of Emperor Licinius, which lasted from 307 to 324 CE. He served as a deacon in the village of Telzeha, located in the region of Phoenicia. Despite the persecution of Licinius, Habib continued to carry out his religious duties with great devotion. He would secretly enter the churches of Telzeha to minister, read the Scriptures, and offer words of encouragement and strength to his fellow believers. With unwavering faith, he admonished his hearers to remain steadfast in the truth of their beliefs, never fearing their persecutors. Due to his unwavering commitment to his faith, Habib was subjected to severe torture and ultimately suffered martyrdom. He remained resolute until his last breath, bearing witness to the strength and power of his convictions. His courageous example continues to inspire and uplift believers to this day.

In conclusion, the Mid Lent period in the Syriac Orthodox Church is a time for profound spiritual contemplation and devotion, symbolised by the Holy Sleebo at the church's centre. This is a potent reminder of Christ's sacrifice and our salvation, urging us to bow down in humility and seek to draw closer to Jesus through prayer, fasting, and good deeds. Moreover, the commemoration of King Abgar during this time is a compelling testament to the enduring nature of faith and Christianity's transformative power. His correspondence with Jesus Christ and a subsequent healing through the Mandylion is a testament to the compassion and healing power of Christ, inspiring Christians for centuries. May the Mid Lent season bring us closer to God and strengthen our faith in Christ, drawing on the lessons of King Abgar's and Mor Habib's remarkable history.