Abraham the Great of Kashkar was the father of the Assyrian monastic revival in the 6th century.
He left there to preach the Gospel at Al-Hirah, leaving there to study monastic life at Scetes.
Initially, all monks and nuns were hermits, but in about 350 Mar Awgin founded the first cenobitic monastery of Mesopotamia on Mount Izla above the city Nisibis, patterned upon the Egyptian model.
[1] But at the synod of Beth Lapat the Church of the East decided that all monks and nuns should marry.
[3] Born to a family of humble means,[4] Abraham's feast day is celebrated on the 6th Friday after Epiphany.