Metropolitanate of Fars was an East Syriac metropolitan province of the Church of the East between the sixth and twelfth centuries. It was centered in what is now Fars Province, the historic cradle of ancient Persian civilization. Besides several centers in the Fars region itself, this East Syriac ecclesiastical province also included several dioceses in Arabia and a diocese for the island of Soqotra.

Elijah, Eliya, or Elias of Nisibis was an Assyrian cleric of the Church of the East, who served as bishop of Beth Nuhadra (1002–1008) and archbishop of Nisibis (1008–1046). He has been called the most important Christian writer in Arabic—or even throughout non-Christian Asia—during the 11th century. He is best known for his Chronography, which is an important source for the history of Sassanid Persia.