The Berber "Jesus"

The Berber people are the indigenous inhabitants of the Maghreb in Northwestern Africa. They are denizens of Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Mali, Mauritania, and the Sahara. To its east lies Egypt.

Berber tongues belong to the Afroasiatic language family. More than 40 million people use Berber. Its written script is ancient, but has been preserved by the Tuaregs and is still in usage today. (Mena B. Lafkioui, “Berber Languages and Linguistics,” Oxford Bibliographies, 2022.) Berber is also written in Latin and Arabic scripts.

At the time of the crucifixion of Jesus, a man visiting Jerusalem for Passover, a Jew called Simon the Cyrene, was conscripted into carrying the cross of the Lord by Roman soldiers. (Mark 15:21) Cyrene was a major port city of northern Libya; it had been established by the Greeks in approximately 600 BC. There a sizable Jewish community lived, to which Simon belonged.

At Pentecost, Libyans from around Cyrene were also present in Jerusalem.

“Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together and they were bewildered, because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. They were amazed and astonished, saying, ‘Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes..’” (Acts 2: 5 -11)

Mark, the writer of the Gospel of Mark, was from Cyrene. His father and mother Mary from the tribe of Levi, had moved him to Jerusalem. (Acts 12:12) (Daniel Isgrigg, Ph.D.) The Apostle Mark took the Gospel through the desert to Libya.

At the time of the early church, Cyrene was part of the Roman Empire.

The Gospel came to Cyrene through Mark. It arrived via Egypt, from Jerusalem. The Good News spread among Jews, Greeks, Romans and native Berber tribes.

The Gospel moves with people, on boats along the coast and inland on foot or camel with caravans, as it was with the early church.

Ancient fathers of the church are the descendants of this mixture of peoples.

Mouloud Mammeri (b. 1917) of Algeria was a linguist, researcher and writer. He wrote that though the church fathers, ie. Tertullian, Cyprian, Augustine and others, used Latin, their books demonstrated their Berber roots. Mammeri maintained that Berber was the local tongue while colonizing languages were used for written purposes, to include Phoenician, Latin, Greek, Arabic, and French. (Mena B. Lafkioui and Vermondo Brugnatelli, “Berber in contact: linguistic and sociolinguistic perspectives,” University of Leiden, Netherlands, 2008.”)

The apologist Tertullian of Carthage, born 155/160 AD in present day Tunisia, spoke against Gnosticism and was the first theologian to write in Latin. He was both a trained lawyer and a priest. Tertullian “set the tone for how many of the subsequent church fathers approached their theologian discussions.” (Concordia Seminary)

Cyprian, (b. 200 AD) of Carthage, also believed to have been Berber, became a priest, a developer of Christian thought, a bishop and finally a martyr. His teacher was Tertullian.

In 203 AD, a group of believers was each put to death by the sword within a Roman arena in North Africa. This included Perpetua and Felicitas—women of Carthage. Perpetua left a written record of her imprisonment. “The Martyrdom of Saints Perpetua and Felicitas,” from The Acts of the Christian Martyrs, Translation by MUSURILLO, S.J., Rev. Herbert Anthony, Papyrologist, Oxford Univ Press, 1972.)

Augustine was born (354 AD) in Thagaste, North Africa—a city of Romanized native Berbers—and educated in Carthage. He was a priest and bishop who battled against competing heresies. A prolific writer, Augustine’s work explored and set precedents for Christian exegesis, the concept of free will, the sin of abortion, original sin and the Trinity.

These three men among others affected generations of believers worldwide for 2,000 years. The followers of Jesus in North Africa were extremely important to the church, even today.

By the fourth century AD, several Christian Berber kingdoms existed; by them, the Christian faith stretched into present day Morocco. (BBC)

Then came 80,000 of the Germanic Vandals from Spain. For 99 years, from 435 to 534 AD they ruled parts of North Africa persecuting Christians. (FOURNIER É. The Vandal Conquest of North Africa: The Origins of a Historiographical Persona. The Journal of Ecclesiastical History. 2017;68(4):687-718. doi:10.1017/S0022046916002827)

Islam came out of Arabia and swept across Egypt (639 AD) and Northern Africa.

In 642 AD, Islam destroyed Cyrene. In 698 AD, Carthage was captured by the Muslims. Many Christians fled to Sicily Italy, Spain and other locations around the Mediterranean coast. A few went north to Germany. Through the tenth century, orthodox churches remained opened in North Africa. At this time, Latin in the local North African churches was replaced with Arabic.

The Arabs mixed with the local populations as well. When Muslim men married native women, the children were automatically deemed Muslim at birth.

Christian centers of thought were no more. Christian kingdoms were finished. Christian communities shrank. (Britannica) By the 11th Century, three exoduses of believers from North Africa had occurred.

Christianity in North Africa was hit over and over by outside attacks: Roman, the Vandals, and Islam. It took time. (Isichei, Elizabeth, “A HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN AFRICA: From Antiquity to the Present,” Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, Great Britain, 1995.)

Each invader brought its own type of false religion, none of which were friends of Christianity.

When persecution of Christians comes, some become martyrs. Others flee. And a few survive and remain as a remnant on the land.

The Berbers have remained a remnant on the land throughout North Africa. Today, they are resisting Islam’s foreign culture, language and religion. Many are coming to know the Jesus that their forefathers knew. (“Berber Christians in Algeria,” VOM)

They are the spiritual and physical descendants of the early church. The Berber tongue was an early church language.

It is vitally important that the church remembers this division of the body and the sacrifices and contributions that their forefathers made to keep Christianity alive in North Africa. May the church not forget the Berbers who helped develop the framework for Christian thought that exists today in every congregation of the Lord.

To honor the Lord and the early and modern Berber speaking church in North Africa, the Name of “Jesus” or ⵢⴻⵛⵛⵓ in the Tarafit script has been embroidered in this artwork titled “I AM.”

Watch the story of Jesus in Berber/Tarafit:

Please share!

More about the art piece: “I AM”

(C) Kelly Jadon 2025

The Romanian "I AM"

The Apostle Andrew first brought the Gospel to Scythia Minor, a Roman province, which is known today as Dobruja in Romania. There he converted pagans to Christianity, who later became the first Slavic martyrs.

Paul wrote of the Scythians, referring to them as believers:

“Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.” (Colossians 3:11) These were members of the early apostolic church.

Many Christian artifacts and remains from early churches dating from 300 AD to 400 AD have been located in Romania.

During the early 300s AD, the believers of Scythia Minor underwent horrific persecution at the direction of Roman Emperor Diocletian. (Georgi Atanasov, Pontica, 2023. Muzeul de Istorie Națională și Arheologie Constanța)

Monasticism rose up from the early Romanian church. Living lives of humbleness devoted to God and being always in prayer, these men became leaders in church doctrine. (Emanuel GAFIŢA, “Scythian Monks and their contribution to the clarification of the fourth century theology,” Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania, 2020.)

Dionysius Exiguus, a Scythian monk, established the usage of numbering the years in remembrance of Jesus—Anno Domini—The Year of the Lord, thus replacing the pagan method of counting the years of Emperor Diocletian, the murderer he hoped to forget.

The monks have continued the ancient ways of prayer, as initiated by Jesus and taught by the apostles for 2000 years.

“Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’” (Matthew 6:9-13)

Each day the monks pray: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner.” Known as the Jesus prayer, it keeps the speaker humble and the Lord in full control.

The Romanian monks have kept the forefathers commands to be always in prayer.

Paul wrote: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” (1Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Prayer is important to God. It is a gift from Him to His people, that they might speak and be heard and then receive His Word in response.

Since the time of the Apostolic Fathers and the early church, the monks have kept specific times, ways and words of prayer.

Jesus went alone to the wilderness to overcome the devil with Scripture. He also went up mountaintops to pray, especially at night.

The Romanian monks have a tradition of hermitage following in the footsteps of Christ, even today. These men seek to live in God’s presence continually. They seek purity and unification with God. Keeping oneself from sin and being in unity with God through prayer is a lifestyle of servant leadership, as demonstrated by Christ.

In Romania, the Valley of the Cells has international recognition; it is a mountain where men come to become “hesychasts,” or hidden monks (hermitage), living individually within caves. An archaeological monument, the monastery there has existed since 1215 AD.

The monks of Romania live alone, centering themselves and their hearts on God alone, withdrawing from distractions. (100 years old monk’s life advice, TRINITAS TV, 2009. Elders.org) In this way, they may always pray.

When one is praying, he is always thinking about the Lord, who Himself prays for His church, always interceding. “Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, but rather, was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” (Romans 8:34)

The monks are valuable intercessors.

Communism came to Romania in 1959. Monasteries were closed. Monks were sent out to work instead of to pray. Some leadership fled to the forests to live alone and continue to pray.

Communism was a spiritual attack against the Romanian Orthodox Church, its unification and power of prayer.

The adversary also sought to destroy Jesus at the cross, but was defeated. This act of God gave birth to the church and made it powerful—full of the Holy Spirit.

“However, instead of weakening the monks, the years of communist persecution only made them stronger. Hidden in the light of God, these hesychast monks protected the country with their prayer.” (Cristian Curte, “The Last Great Romanian Spiritual Father on Mount Athos: On Elder Iulian of Prodromou Skete,” Translation by Jesse Dominick, Orthodox Christianity, 2023)

Nothing can stop prayer.

Thus, the Romanian monks have endured persecution both in the past and in modern days. Overcoming spiritual attacks is a type of preparation that builds spiritual hierarchy.

Other ancient preparations by Romanian monks include fasting and perpetual prayer. The Lord fasted 40 days in the wilderness. Romanian monks fast and encourage their church to fast at specific times.

They recall the words of the Lord when describing how to cast out a deaf and dumb spirit: “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17:21)

(Patriarchate of Romania, Patriarch of Romania: Humble prayer and fasting fill man with God’s sanctifying love, Orthodox Times, 2025.)

Romanian Orthodox monks’ prayers can break curses and cast out demons, even the hardest types to remove.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the Romanian Orthodox Church leadership, took action. Each day church bells would be rung at noon and specific prayers were to be made in unison by both the clergy and laity of the Church. “‘Priests in parishes and monasteries will also read special prayers for the end of the pandemic,’ the office of the Holy Synod said at the end of the statement.” (Romanian faithful to jointly pray from their homes daily at noon, Orthodox Times, 2020.)

The church in every nation must ring their bells and unite in prayer at specific times for specific purposes.

The Romanian Orthodox Church stands united, as a Christian nation.

The Romanian monks are the example of Christian leadership to the church today. They live lives devoted to Christ; they have been tested by government change, persecution and plague. In addition, they are spiritually prepared to battle in prayer and direct their church in how, when and what to pray.

The Romanian language is Latin (an early church language) at its core, the only tongue within the Eastern Orthodox Church to have a Romance language. Before the Great Schism of 1054 AD, the Romanian Orthodox Church was aligned with Constantinople. Its liturgical language was Koine Greek, the language of the New Testament. In 1568, its Divine Liturgy began in the Romanian language.

Today, the Romanian Orthodox Church retains 386 monasteries, with 2,886 monks and 5,225 nuns. (World Council of Churches) Approximately 19 million people worldwide belong to the Romanian Orthodox Church. During the coronavirus, many of these faithful prayed for its end. To this, the church worldwide owes them thanks, specifically to their leadership and monasteries who initiated the prayers and promoted them. The prayer lives of the Romanian monks are an inspiration to all the church.

To honor the Lord and the witness of the Romanian Orthodox Church for Jesus and keeping the ways of the early church for 2,000 years, I have embroidered in Romanian “Eu sînt” meaning “I AM” from John 18:5 into this artwork titled “I AM.”

Listen to the Lord’s prayer in Romanian:

Please share!

More about the art piece: “I AM”

(C) Kelly Jadon, 2025

The Georgian "I AM"

Georgia is a country in the Caucasus; an important location, it is the juncture of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. The area has been contested for by the ancient Persian and Roman Empires and in modern days, by the former USSR.

Georgia first heard the Gospel in the first century from the Apostle Andrew. Upon this apostolic account, the Georgian Orthodox Church is founded.

God’s timing is perfect.

Around the year 300 AD, a young Roman woman, remembered as Saint Nino, came to Georgia. A believer, she led key individuals to the Lord, and they too became known as Christians. This included King Mirian III, who founded the Chosroid dynasty. A royal family, they were descendants of Iranian Mihranids (Persians).

God can use just a few obedient persons as His witnesses to alter a nation for good. He can use women as well as men to lead others to the knowledge of Christ. “For there is no partiality with God.” (Romans 2:11)

It is important that government leaders are true believers. Those who are not may be put in place by God to become godly leaders. Brave men and women who will give a true account of Jesus to political figures are necessary to lead them to the Truth.

Archeological evidence demonstrates that Christians lived in Georgia during the 3rd Century.

The ancient city of Mtskheta is a holy city to the Georgian Orthodox Church; it is considered the birthplace of Christianity in Georgia. In 337 AD, it was in the nation’s capital of Mtskheta that Christianity was declared the official religion of Georgia. The city today remains the headquarters of the Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church. UNESCO

The Chosroid dynasty sat squarely at the crossroads of the East (Persian Empire) and the West (Roman Empire) which went to war with one another. The Georgian king was a vassal of the Persians, but his faith was that of the Christians in Rome.

Persian influence spread Zoroastrianism, but the Georgian Church stood against it.

Zoroastrianism is no friend of Christianity.

About 400 AD the Georgian alphabet was created to bring the written Gospel to Georgians. The first reference comes from an inscription on a church in Israel/Palestine.

Literacy is important for the spread of the Truth of Jesus.

Known as Asomtavruli, the oldest Georgian alphabet was based upon the Greek Gospel and birthed by King Parnavaz (Ministry of Education, Georgia). This written script united the Georgians in language, giving it dominance over any other tongue spoken. (Chkhartishvili, Mariam. 2021. Narrative Sources on the Creation of Georgian Alphabet PRO GEORGIA.JOURNAL OF KARTVELOLOGICAL STUDIES. .No 31 — 2021,pp.. 101 -113 ISSN 1230-1604. 31. 101 -113.)

The creation of the written Georgian language was a work of God for His people, the church.

The Georgian letter called “jani” looks like the letter “X” in English. The Georgian word ჯვარი or “cross” begins with “jani” (X).

Jesus is described as “The Word” by John in the Gospel. Words are formed from letters. Jesus stated, “I am the Alpha and the Omega.” These are Greek letters.

Jesus also said, “I am the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 22:13)

The last letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the “tav.” It too in its first form is the shape of the cross. (Theopolis Institute) In the book of Ezekiel, all those marked with the “sign” or the “tav” would be saved from destruction. (Ezekiel 9:4)

All true Georgian believers are spiritually marked with the sign of the cross or “jani” which is a reminder to them everyday in the usage of their alphabet.

Asomtavruli is still utilized by the Georgian Orthodox Church in religious texts and ceremonies. It is a holy alphabet, a Christian language, as are its descendants, Nuskhuri and Mkhedruli.

The unique Georgian language is included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List of Humanity.

The Georgian tongue is an early church language. The Georgian people are the physical and spiritual descendants of the early church.

By 500 AD, pilgrims were already making the trek from Georgia to the Holy Land to see where the Lord was born in Bethlehem and where He grew up in Nazareth. Their presence was notable as well in Jerusalem.

In 1226 AD, the Mongol Sultan Jalal al-Din captured the Georgian capital of Tbilisi. It was a city of Christians. Those who would not give up Jesus were put to death. Thousands became martyrs.

In 1624, Queen Consort Ketevan of Georgia was tortured and executed in Iran because she would not give up Jesus.

Islam is no friend of Christianity.

The Georgian Orthodox Church has withstood 2,000 years of the world and its ways. It endured 70 years of Soviet communism, governing control and purges. Churches were closed. Monks were imprisoned and executed. Persecution by the Soviets aimed to banish the Church and promote atheism.

Atheism and Communism are no friends of Christianity.

After that time, the Church rose again, to establish itself as the “custodian” of Georgian nationalism. The Georgian people trust their Church because it has been stable throughout history.

Today, Georgian Orthodox Church leadership stands against immorality, specifically coming from Western allies.

“…one leading Georgian cleric, Metropolitan of Vani and Baghdati Diocese Anton Bulukhia, publicly rebuked the U.S. and EU embassies in Tbilisi and said he was closing a European club in his diocese. ‘You want to force your profligate, obscene and depraved ideals’ on Georgia, he said on July 11. (Archil Gegeshidze and Mikheil Mirziashvili, The Orthodox Church in Georgia’s Changing Society, July 23, 2021, Carnegie Endowment Org.)

Immorality is no friend of Christianity.

Generations of men, like the grass of the field, come and then fade quickly. But the Church must stand. To stand, unity is necessary. The Lord prayed for this unity. In fact, He gave up His life, that the church would be one body, each part covered with His shed blood.

Jesus prayed, “I am not asking on behalf of them alone, but also on behalf of those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.” (John 17:20-21)

The Georgian Orthodox Church has stood together both with the Lord and with the Georgian people, even at the point of martyrdom for 2,000 years. They have survived and will continue to do so. This branch of the church is an inspiration for others, “that the world may believe” that Jesus was sent by God the Father.

What has held the Georgian Orthodox Church together? The Lord Himself. He has prayed that the church would be united. (John 17) His Gospel, His Word, the Name of Jesus is the power of God to stand firm.

Paul equated the ability to “stand firm” to a phalanx—a military unit of eight men across and eight men deep with shields overlapping one another, armed with spears. Together, holding the shield of faith, they hold their place and their faith. (Ephesians 6:13)

The phalanx is armed with prayer, calling upon the power of God. It moves forward in offense and can also maintain a defense against every fiery dart of the enemy.

They are as the church praying to God for the release of Peter from the prison. (Acts 12:5)

All branches of the church—Orthodox, Catholic, Protestants, Oriental and the Church of the East, must stand together peacefully with the Georgian Orthodox Church against immorality which is indeed consuming the world. (Romans 1:24) It should not consume the church as well. (2 Corinthians 10:4)

All branches of the church should be speaking out against immorality. (Colossians 3:5)

When the Lord returns, He will find His bride spotless. To be clean of sin is to be free of immorality. The bride must make herself and keep herself ready. (Rev 19:7)

To honor the Lord and the witness of the Georgian Orthodox Church for Jesus among the Persians, Mongols, Muslims and Communists for 2,000 years, I have embroidered in Georgian მე ვარ , meaning “I AM” from John 18:5 into this artwork titled “I AM.”

Listen to the Lord’s prayer in Georgian:

Please share!

More about the art piece: “I AM”

(C) Kelly Jadon, 2025