The Thirteen Syrian Fathers
Joseph belonged to the Thirteen Syrian (Assyrian) Fathers, a group of monastic missionaries who arrived from Mesopotamia in the 6th century to strengthen Christianity in Georgia. Led by Saint John of Zedazeni, the company comprised twelve ascetics who accompanied their teacher; in the traditional enumeration Joseph appears fifth among the chief fathers.
The traditional list of the thirteen names David of Gareja, John of Zedazeni, Abibos of Nekresi, Shio of Mgvime, Joseph of Alaverdi, Anton of Martkopi, Thaddeus of Stepantsminda, Pyrrhus of Breti, Jesse of Tsilkani, Stephen of Khirsa, Isidor of Samtavisi, Michael of Ulumbo, and Zenon of Ikalto. Many modern Georgian monasteries bear their names and are traditionally attributed to their founding.
Modern scholarly opinion is divided on the group's origins — whether they were Assyrians, Assyrian-educated Georgians, missionaries, or refugees. Tradition names as many as nineteen Assyrian monks active in Georgia in the 6th century, which has led some to regard the number thirteen as largely symbolic. The vitae are of contested authorship: the Georgian church leaders Arsen I (830–87) and Arsen II (955–80) have been proposed as authors of some accounts, while other texts may date to the late 7th century.