Babai the Great was a prominent 6th and 7th-century theologian and monk of the Church of the East. Born in Beth Zabdai, he studied at the Christian School of Nisibis before becoming an influential abbot. He is most recognized for revitalizing monastic discipline and developing a systematic Christology that remains foundational to his church's tradition. During a long period when the church lacked a formal patriarch due to political interference from the Sasanian Empire, he served as a key leader and monastic visitor, providing essential ecclesiastical administration and spiritual guidance.