Mar Saba

Coordinates: 31°42′18″N 35°19′52″E / 31.705°N 35.331°E / 31.705; 35.331

The Holy Lavra of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified, known in Arabic as Mar Saba (Arabic: دير مار سابا‎; Hebrew: מנזר מר סבא‎; Greek: Ἱερὰ Λαύρα τοῦ Ὁσίου Σάββα τοῦ Ἡγιασμένου), is a Greek Orthodox monastery overlooking the Kidron Valley in Bethlehem Governorate of Palestine. The traditional date for the founding of the monastery by Sabbas the Sanctified of Mutalaska, Cappadocia is the year 483 and today houses around 20 monks. It is considered to be one of the oldest inhabited monasteries in the world, and still maintains many of its ancient traditions. One in particular is the restriction on women entering the main compound. The only building that women can enter is the Women's Tower, near the main entrance.

The monastery holds the relics of Saint Sabbas. Mar Saba is occasionally referred to as the Convent or Monastery of Santa Sabba.

Mar Saba was also the home of St. John of Damascus (676 - 749), a key religious figure in the Iconoclastic Controversy, who around 726 wrote letters to the Byzantine emperor Leo III the Isaurian refuting his edicts prohibiting the veneration of icons (images of Christ or other Christian religious figures). John worked as a high financial officer to the Muslim Caliph Abd al-Malik; he eventually felt a higher calling and migrated to the Judaean desert, where he was tonsured a monk and was ordained a hieromonk (monastic priest) at the Monastery of Mar Saba. St. John's tomb lies in a cave under the monastery.

Saba

Saba (/ˈsɑːbə/) is a Caribbean island and the smallest special municipality (officially public body) of the Netherlands. It consists largely of the potentially active volcano Mount Scenery, at 887 metres (2,910 ft) the highest point of the entire Netherlands.

Saba has a land area of 13 square kilometres (5.0 sq mi). As of January 2013, the population was 1,991 inhabitants, with a population density of 150 inhabitants per square kilometre (390/sq mi). Its towns and major settlements are The Bottom (the capital), Windwardside, Hell's Gate and St. Johns.

Etymology

The origin of the name "Saba" is often believed to be derived from the Arawak Indian word for "rock," which was "siba."

History

Christopher Columbus is said to have sighted the island on 13 November 1493. He did not land, being deterred by the island's perilous rocky shores. In 1632, a group of shipwrecked Englishmen landed upon Saba. They stated they found the island uninhabited when they were rescued. There has been clear evidence found indicating that Caribs and Arawak Indians have been on the island.

Tommy Oliver

Thomas "Tommy" Oliver is a character from the universe of the American live action television franchise Power Rangers. He is a main character in the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers TV series, as well as four of its successive incarnations Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers, Power Rangers Zeo, Power Rangers Turbo, and Power Rangers Dino Thunder (where he returns as a legendary Power Ranger veteran). He also appeared in the Power Rangers Wild Force episode "Forever Red", the Power Rangers S.P.D. episode "Wormhole", and in the Power Rangers Super Megaforce episode "Legendary Battle. He has been portrayed by actor Jason David Frank in most all of his appearances, but in the episode "Wormhole", he appeared only in Ranger form and was voiced by actor Jeffrey Parazzo. He was also infrequently portrayed by actor Michael R. Gotto in instances where the story required depicting the character during childhood, such as in the series Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers.

According to the character's fictional history, Tommy is a legend among the Power Rangers community and is considered to be the greatest Power Ranger of all time, having been five different Power Rangers — the Green Ranger, the White Ranger, Zeo Ranger V–Red, the Red Turbo Ranger, and the Dino Thunder Black Ranger — and a part of four Ranger teams over the years. In addition, Tommy is a lifelong practitioner of the martial arts; during the first season of Power Rangers, he was referred to as having a third-degree black belt in karate. By Power Rangers Dino Thunder, he is a 6th degree black belt. ("Return of the Ranger", Power Rangers Dino Thunder - Collision Course DVD)

Saba (sura)

Sūrat Sabaʼ (Arabic: سورة سبأ‎, "Sheba") is the 34th sura of the Qur'an with 54 ayat. It focuses on the lives of Solomon and David, and the promises related to the day of judgment.

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