Korri Abbey

Sources : Diary of Ael Tobran

Introduction

Ael Tobran's Diary is the only substantial account which survives of the first years of the Laranian monastary. Other works touch on the matter, in particular the Life of Ael Tobran written by the saint's successor Miro, but do not give as great an insight into the real life of the community.

The Diary covers the years from Ael Tobran's divine summons in Shiran in 1109 SA until his death in 1142. The majority of entries are of some length, and both regular and frequent - he notes himself that he found great pleasure in writing in the evenings, before prayers and sleep. That was in the early years of the monastary, and seems to have remained the case for some time. However, as Ael Tobran grew into old age, he wrote less; after a number of sporadic bursts of writing, in 1135 he settled into a routine of writing only a single entry per year, a practice he kept until death.

Far shorter than the total of entries of previous years, these annual reports necessarily present a less detailed picture of monastic life. Nonetheless, they are valuable, and in fact give the reader a perspective not found in the earlier, more frequent entries. For the former have more of a reflective, summary feel to them, and in their length amount to small essays.

It had been Ael Tobran's custom, from the time he came upon the Rock, to travel out to the western shore each year and there write his Diary. Always these were special entries, but it was only after he ceased writing daily entries that these became a recapitulation of everything of importance that had happened in the year.

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I had little alternative than to dispatch Miro to the nearby village for the necessary provender. Fortunately he already knew the way; we had had frequent cause over the years for gratitude that the people there were of a generous nature, and their lord a man of noble and pious heart.