Editing Yazdegerd I (section)

=== Persecution ===
Reckless acts by the Christians tested Yazdegerd I's tolerance toward them at the end of his reign.{{sfn|Boyce|1984|p=121}} [[Abdas of Susa|Abda]], the bishop of [[Ahvaz|Ohrmazd-Ardashir]] in [[Khuzistan (Sasanian province)|Khuzestan]], and a band of Christian priests and [[laity]] levelled a Zoroastrian [[fire temple]] in {{circa|419–420}}; the court summoned them to answer for their actions.{{sfn|Payne|2015|p=47}} Yazdegerd was said to ask Abda, "Since you are the chief and leader of these men, why do you allow them to despise our kingdom, to transgress against our command, and to act in accordance with their own will? Do you demolish and destroy our houses of worship and the foundations of our fire temples, which we have received from the fathers of our fathers to honor?"{{sfn|Payne|2015|p=47}} Although Abda hesitated to answer, a priest in his entourage replied: "I demolished the foundation and extinguished the fire because it is not a house of God, nor is the fire the daughter of God."{{sfn|Payne|2015|p=47}} Demolishing a fire temple was reportedly a way of broadcasting the "victory of Christianity."{{sfn|Payne|2015|p=47}}

Abda refused to have the fire temple rebuilt, and he and his entourage were executed.{{sfn|Payne|2015|p=47}} At another location, a priest had a [[Atar|sacred fire]] put out and celebrated [[Mass (liturgy)|mass]] there.{{sfn|Boyce|1984|p=121}} Yazdegerd I, forced to yield to pressure from the Zoroastrian priesthood, changed his policy towards the Christians and ordered them persecuted.{{sfn|Sauer|2017|p=190}} Probably due to his change of policy, Yazdegerd appointed [[Mihr Narseh]] of the Suren family as his minister (''[[wuzurg framadar]]'').{{sfn|Shahbazi|2003}} This brief persecution did not mar Yazdegerd I's representation in Christian sources,{{sfn|McDonough|2008|p=131}} some of which justified his actions.{{sfn|McDonough|2008|p=132}}