Marah

Marah may refer to:

See also

Marah (Bible)

Marah (Hebrew: מָרָה‎ meaning 'bitter') is one of the locations which the Torah identifies as having been travelled through by the Israelites, during the Exodus .

The liberated Israelites set out on their journey in the desert, somewhere in the Sinai Peninsula. And it becomes clear that they are not spiritually free. Reaching Marah, the place of a well of bitter water, bitterness and murmuring, Israel receives a first set of divine ordinances and the foundation of the Shabbat. The shortage of water there is followed by a shortness of food. Moses throws a log into the bitter water, making it sweet. Later God sends manna and quail. The desert is the ground where God acquires his people. The 'murmuring motif' will - from here on - be a recurring perspective of the wandering Jewish people.

Events

The narrative concerning Marah in the Book of Exodus states that the Israelites had been wandering in the desert for three days without water; according to the narrative, Marah had water, but it was undrinkably bitter, hence the name, which means bitterness. In the text, when the Israelites reach Marah they complain about the undrinkability, so Moses complains to Yahweh, and Yahweh responds by showing Moses a certain piece of wood, which Moses then throws into the water, making it sweet and fit to drink. Some biblical scholars see the narrative about Marah as having originated as an aetiological myth seeking to justify its name.

Mar

East Syriac: Mar or West Syriac: Mor (as pronounced respectively in eastern and western dialects, from Syriac: ܡܪܝ‎, Mār(y), written with a silent final yodh) is a title of respect in Syriac, literally meaning 'my lord'. It is given to all saints and is also used before Christian name of bishops. The corresponding feminine form given to women saints is Mart or Mort (Syriac: ܡܪܬܝ‎, Mārt(y)). The title is placed before the Christian name, as in Mar Aprem/Mor Afrem and Mart/Mort Maryam. This is the original meaning of the name Martha 'A Lady'.

The variant Maran or Moran (Syriac: ܡܪܢ‎, Māran), meaning 'Our Lord', is a particular title given to Jesus, either alone or in combination with other names and titles. Likewise, Martan or Mortan (Syriac: ܡܪܬܢ‎, Mārtan, 'Our Lady') is a title of Mary.

Occasionally, the term Maran or Moran has been used of various patriarchs and catholicoi. The Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, the Malankara Orthodox Catholicos and the Syro-Malankara Major Archbishop Catholicos use the title Moran Mor. Sometimes the Indian bearers of this title are called Moran Mar, using a hybrid style from both Syriac dialects that reflects somewhat the history of Syrian Christians in Kerala. The Pope of Rome is referred to as Mar Papa by the Nasranis (Saint Thomas Christians) of India.

Marçà

Marçà is a municipality in the comarca of Priorat, Tarragona Province, Catalonia, Spain.

History

In medieval times, after the area had been reconquered from the saracens, the town became part of the Barony of Entença.

The now ruined Sant Marçal monastery was founded in 1611. It was closed down due to the Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizábal in 1835 during Isabella II of Spain's rule. The Desamortización or secularization of the place brought monastic life in the monastery to an end.

Despite having lost almost half of its population since 1900, nowadays Marçà is the third most important town in the Priorat comarca.

Villages

Monuments

The 18th century Santa Maria church.

References

Ímar

Ímar (Old Norse: Ívarr; died c. 873) was a Viking leader in Ireland and Scotland in the mid-late ninth century who founded the Uí Ímair dynasty, and whose descendants would go on to dominate the Irish Sea region for several centuries. He was the son of the king of Lochlann, identified in the non-contemporary Fragmentary Annals of Ireland as Gofraid. The Fragmentary Annals name Auisle and Amlaíb Conung as his brothers. Another Viking leader, Halfdan Ragnarsson, is considered by some scholars to be another brother. The Irish Annals title Amlaíb, Ímar and Auisle "kings of the foreigners". Modern scholars use the title "kings of Dublin" after the Viking settlement which formed the base of their power. Some scholars consider Ímar to be identical to Ivar the Boneless, a Viking commander of the Great Heathen Army named in contemporary English sources who also appears in the Icelandic sagas as a son of the legendary Viking Ragnar Lodbrok.