Abraham Echellensis

From Maronite History

Abraham Echellensis, Abraham al-Haqlany, (End of the sixteenth Century - 1664) was another illustrious pupil of the Maronite College in Rome.

Birth and Life

He was born in Lebanon, in the village of Haqel, hence his Latin name Echellensis and his Lebanese surname al-Haqlany.

Abraham went to Rome and he entered the Maronite College of Rome. After finishing his studies, he taught Syriac and Arabic at the University of Pisa and at the College of Porpagande in Rome.

Offices

Prince Fakhr-al-Din II appointed him as his delegate to the court of Tuscany.

In 1635, he was appointed interpreter at the Congregation of Propagande and president of the committee in charge of revision of the Arabic version of the Bible.

In 1640, he went to Paris on the request of de Richelieu and Lejai, to participate in the preparation and execution of the Polyglot Edition of the Bible, in collaboration with Sionita.

In 1642, he returned to Rome to resume teaching and other works.

In 1645, he was recalled to Paris to teach Syriac and Arabic at the Royal College of Paris.

Sources

• Butros Dau - Religious, Cultural and Political History of the Maronites (Lebanon, 1984)