Conditions Governing Use

The materials from Washington and Lee University Special Collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used should be fully credited with the source. Permission for publication of this material, in part or in full, must be secured with the Head of Special Collections.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation

The Lord's Prayer in Arabic (WLU Coll 0166), Special Collections and Archives, James G. Leyburn Library, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchased in 2024

Biographical Note

This brief biography was prepared by Anthony Edwards, Associate Professor of Arabic at Washington and Lee University.

Nāṣīf al-Shudūdī (Nasseef Shedoody) was born in Beirut in January 1824 to Melkite Greek Catholic parents. He was educated by the American Protestant missionaries at their Boys' School in town from 1835 though, at least, August 1841. From August/September 1849 to 1851, he served as an interpreter for Father Flavianus Kfoury (1802–86), of St. John's Monastery of Choueir at Khenchara on Mt. Lebanon, during his tour of the United States and Canada to raise funds to repair the monastery and expand educational opportunities for the Melkite Greek Catholic community. After returning to Beirut, Shedoody became a merchant. He was unsuccessful in business and declared bankruptcy in 1858. Twice, in 1858 and 1872, he requested the protection of the United States, in light of having secured "affiliated [US] citizenship" in New York City in February 1851. Nasseef Shedoody died some time before 1907/8. Shedoody penned this "Lord's Prayer in Arabic (March 1850)" as a fundraising memento during his visit to the United State with Father Kfoury.

Content Description

This collection consists of a manuscript of the Lord's Prayer handwritten in Arabic by Nasseef Shedoody while in Baltimore, Maryland on March 25, 1850. The document is signed by Shedoody.