SOME OTHER REMARKABLE FINDINGS IN THE BLESSED CITY OF EDESSA Ill start with the ancient city of Edessa (Syriac: Urhoy) and a coin of Abgar VIII, king of Edessa (reign: 177-212), where he has a (possible) Christian cross on his tiara. Of course we have the legend of Abgar the Black and his letter exchange with our Lord, but most historians dont believe that Abgar the Black was the first Christian king of Edessa. Edessa very likely had a Church early as well that was destroyed by a great flood in 201, it is the first historical record of a Church building (anywhere). Anyway, this Abgar VIII coin is the earliest-known instance of a monarch displaying the Christian cross symbol on his head-dress. He probably adopted Christianity before 192 as well since that is when the reign ended of an Emperor who he would have dared to be open with about his Christian affiliation.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 20:23:42 +0000
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