Book concerning the consecration of Theodore

Title(s):
  • Book concerning the consecration of Theodore
Period covered:
575
Language:
Syriac
State of Preservation:
Fragmentary
Genre:
  • Report
Remarks:
This is one of the numerous texts issued from the ecclesiastical struggles within the Miaphysite Church linked to the controversial figure of Paul of Beit Ukkame, or Paul the Black, patriarch of Antioch from 550 to 575. Paul was the secretary of the patriarch Theodosius I of Alexandria and probably aspired at succeeding him, but he was instead sent to the East and consecrated patriarch of Antioch. In 571 he is said to have accepted communion with the Chalcedonians and was imposed a three-year penitence in order to be rehabilitated. In 575 he meddled in the election of the Syrian monk Theodore as patriarch of Alexandria, probably to regain influence in Egypt. But his candidate was eventually rejected by the local miaphysite community and Paul and Theodore were both excommunicated by the patriarch elected by the rival faction, Peter IV. George Urtaya was one of the two oriental bishops sent to Alexandria to plead Paul's cause, and he ended up taking part in the consecration of Theodore, of which he then produced an eye-witness account.
Edition - Translation:
Fragments:
  • Sergius monk of Nicaea, Defence of Patriarch Paul of Beit Ukkame [Chabot, 1908: 244,21-27; Chabot 1933: 170,32-37]
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