Native called "Nazarenes"....

[Paul Younan]

Shlama Akhay,

There was some questions about this quote from ancient Persia:

This period of peace and prosperity for the Christian community lasted until the reign of Bahram II (276-293AD). First persecutions included that of Bahram's Christian concubine Candida, one of the first Persian Martyrs. The persecutions were supported and even promoted by the powerful high priest Kirdir who in one inscription declares how Ahriman and the idols suffered great blows and continues as follows: "and the Jews (Yahud), Buddists (Shaman), Hindus (Brahman), Nazarenes (Nasara), Christians (Kristiyan), Baptists (Makdag) and Manicheans (Zandik) were smashed in the empire, their idols destroyed, and the habitations of the idols annihilated and turned into abodes and seats of the gods".

...and why the distinction was made between "Nazarenes" and "Christians" during this persecution by the Persian empire. Some have thought that this refers to Jewish vs. Gentile believers, but in fact the native believers in the empire were referred to by the earlier Semitic designation "Nazarenes" without regard to their ethnic background.

The term "Kristyan" refers to those believers who were deported from Greek-speaking lands like Antioch....

From http://www.iranchamber.com/religions/his..._iran1.php :

In their literature they identify themselves as 'pure ones', 'just ones' or 'people of God'. Distinctions are made between ethnic Christians, nasraye and deported ones and their descendants called Krestyane. They also referred to themselves as misihaye (those who believe in Messiah).