Habib of Edessa

Deacon Habib of Edessa was an associate of Jacob of Saruj under whom he studied, served as a scribe and from whom he learned the art of composing poetry. But no established poem has been ascribed to him. However, a poem beginning thus was ascribed to Jacob of Saruj: "O Jesus the light whose brightness riseth in all of the countries,"83 which was erroneously attributed by later writers to George his disciple. Moreover, it has not been mentioned in an authenticated manuscript.84 We have read a more precise text of this ode beginning thus: "O Jesus the light whose appearance has delighted all the countries," which is either anonymous or was composed by some aliens.85 The Jerusalem copy contains a marginal note by the monk Sergius of Hah in 1483, stating that it is the composition of John bar Shushan. He may be right, because some of its lines contain what would deny its attribution to Habib, especially his saying: "Lift up your mind, O man, to those first as to those in the middle."

Critics disagree about this Sergius. Some believe him to be George, bishop of Saruj while others think he was bishop of Haurah who was ordained in 698 and to whom Jacob of Edessa addressed his famous letter on Syriac calligraphy.