Background
Arab by origin, Abo grew up as a Muslim in Baghdad.
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Abo Tiflis Edit Profile
Career
At the age of seventeen or eighteen, he found himself in Tbilisi, having followed Georgian Prince Nerses, the ruler of Kartli. Nerses, having been slandered before the Caliph, spent three years in confinement. Freed by a new Caliph, he took Abo with him.
Abo"s profession in Baghdad was that of a perfumer, in which he excelled as a maker of fine perfumes and ointments, the art evidently implying knowledge of chemistry.
From Khazaria Nerses moved to Abkhazia, that was also free from the Arab dominion, taking Abo with him. There in Abkhazia Abo zealously followed the Christian life of prayers and ascetic struggles, preparing himself for future mission.
A series of threats and warnings failed to dampen his zeal. In 786, he was denounced as a Christian to the Arab officials in Tbilisi, and arrested.
The judge attempted to persuade Abo Abo to return to the faith of his ancestors.
He confessed his faith at trial, was imprisoned, and executed on January 6, 786. Ioane Sabanisdze, Georgian religious writer and Saint Abo"s contemporary, compiled the martyr"s life in his hagiographic novel "The Martyrdom of Saint Abo".
Politics
Prince Nerses and his party returned to Tbilisi in 782, and Abo, notwithstanding the warning that it was not safe for him to go to Tbilisi, followed him.
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Born
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Died
January 6, 786 (aged 30) -
Nationality
Iraq -
Religion
Christian