Ecclesiastical Chronicle, Volume 3

It is said, however, that to this Papas, letters were sent by Mar Jacob of Nisibis original: "Nisibeni" and by Mar Ephrem regarding the cause of the severing of his hand; and to the bishops, meanwhile letters full of help, and malkhānūthā counsel/governance a) malkhānūthā counsel/governance. These are those who had turned their ears away in accusation. And others say that Joseph the Catholicos, while he was driven out by the bishops, composed them.

Letters of consolation are said to have been given by Mar Jacob of Nisibis and by Mar Ephrem to this Papas on the occasion of the loss of his right hand, and letters of rebuke to the bishops because they had rashly risen up against him; but some think that Joseph the Catholicos, when he had been condemned by the bishops, composed them.

One year after this punishment of his, Papas died, having performed his duty for sixty-nine years, and he died in advanced old age. Others, however, believe—though erroneously—that he died twelve years after his right hand had withered.

It is worth noting some things from the Chronographia Eliæ Nisibeni Chronicle of Elias of Nisibis regarding the first bishops of Nisibis, from which he took the first series of the metropolitans of Nisibis, and the rest from the history of the metropolitans of Nisibis. To the year of the Greeks 612, which is 300–301 of Christ, these things are read there: "In the year six hundred and twelve of the Greeks, Babu was appointed as the first head of the bishops of Nisibis." This year Babu was instituted as the first bishop of Nisibis; however, because he did not yet hold the dignity of metropolitan, his name is placed in the diptychs after the name of Mar Jacob. Then to the year 620, of Christ 309: "In the year six hundred and twenty of the Greeks, Babu, bishop of Nisibis, died, and Mar Jacob was chosen, he who had lived on the mountain with Mar Eugenius, and he was appointed bishop." In that year Bishop Babu of Nisibis died, and Mar Jacob, who had lived on the mountain with Mar Eugenius, was elected and appointed bishop in the church of Nisibis. To the year 624, of Christ 313: "In the year six hundred and twenty-four of the Greeks, Mar Jacob began to build a great and glorious temple." In that year Mar Jacob began to build a great temple, which he finished in the space of seven years. To the year 649, of Christ 338: "In the year six hundred and forty-nine of the Greeks, Mar Jacob, metropolitan of Nisibis, died." Mar Jacob, metropolitan of Nisibis, died, and Vologesch, who had lived a solitary life on the mountain of Edessa, succeeded him in the chair. — Yet slightly below, without an indication of the source and perhaps by another hand, there is read an annotation seemingly opposed to the previous one, namely to the year 654, of Christ 343: "In the year six hundred and fifty-four of the Greeks, Vologesch was elected metropolitan in Nisibis." In that year Vologesch was elected metropolitan in Nisibis. — Finally, to the year 672, of Christ 361: "In the year six hundred and seventy-two of the Greeks, Vologesch, metropolitan of Nisibis, died, and Abraham succeeded him." In that year Vologesch, metropolitan of Nisibis, died, and Abraham succeeded him.

From these it is clear, if one trusts Elias, who transcribed the documents of the church of Nisibis, that the first bishop of Nisibis was Babu or Babuaeus, and he is by no means to be confused with another who held the chair of Seleucia and Ctesiphon, as Assemanus wills in Bibl. Orient. I, 18, nor is he to be placed after Saint Jacob, as Bickell contends in Carmina Nisib., 20.