'Anānīšo (Enañiesu, 'Enānīšo)

'ANĀNĪŠO (ENAÑIESU, 'ENĀNĪŠO). - A Nestorian monk, he studied with his brother Iesuyab in the school of Nisibis, where both had as a friend and fellow pupil the namesake Iesuyab, who was like them from Adiabene and later became patriarch of the Nestorians. The two brothers embraced the monastic state and entered the monastery of Mount Izla, but afterward 'A. visited the holy places and from there went to the desert of Nitria, where he studied the deeds of the anchorites. Having returned to his homeland, he moved with his brother to the monastery of Beth 'Abe. 'A., says Thomas of Marga, "surpassed in intelligence and erudition all who came before him and all who came after him." Therefore Iesuyab, first metropolitan of Arbela and later patriarch (647-58), availed himself of 'A.'s work in compiling the canonical hours. Among his other works, the Liber canonum de aequilitteris is known to us, published by Hoffmann (Opuscula Nestoriana, Kiel 1880, pp. 2-49).

'A. is famous for having produced a good Syriac recension of the Historia Lausiaca of Palladius, at the request of the patriarch George (658-80). This book, widespread among the Nestorians, was edited by Bedjan (Acta mart. et sanct., VII, Leipzig 1897) in four parts, of which the one inserted between the second and the third is attributed to St. Jerome, although it is now admitted that it is the work of Timothy of Alexandria, translated into Latin by Rufinus. Another edition was made by W. Budge, with an English version (The Book of Paradise, London 1904).

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