The patriarch of the Church of the East (also known as patriarch of the East , patriarch of Babylon , the catholicose of the East or the grand metropolitan of the East ) is the patriarch , or leader and head bishop (sometimes referred to as Catholicos or universal leader) of the Church of the East . The position dates to the early centuries of Christianity within the Sassanid Empire , and the Church has been known by a variety of names, including the Church of the East , Nestorian Church, the Persian Church, the Sassanid Church, or East Syrian .
50-555: Babowai (also Babaeus or Mar Babwahi ) (died 484) was Catholicos of Seleucia-Ctesiphon and Patriarch of the Church of the East from 457 to 484, during the reign of the Sassanid King Peroz I . Babowai was known for his pro- Byzantine leanings, for which he was often in conflict with other members of the anti-Byzantine Church of the East . He was executed in 484. Babowai was known as
100-399: A Catholic line of patriarchs who took the name Joseph was founded at Amid (Diyarbakr). The Patriarch of this church were: Joseph I (1681–95); Joseph II (1696–1712); Joseph III (1713–57); Joseph IV (patriarch, 1757–80; patriarchal administrator, 1781–96); and Joseph V (1804–28). Strictly speaking, Augustine Hindi, who styled himself Joseph V, was merely the patriarchal administrator of
150-550: A learned philosopher. He was also a convert from Magianism , what the Zorastrians would call an apostate , someone who had renounced their religion, and therefore subject to considerable persecution by the Sassanid state . He was imprisoned for seven years, probably 470–480, and tortured repeatedly by the Magi, who were also burning churches and imprisoning other Christians. Babowai
200-455: A major issue at the time, that of whether members of the clergy should be celibate or not. When Babowai wrote a letter to some Roman bishops, asking them to use their influence with the emperor, and procure his intercession with the Shah-in-Shah (King Peroz) to avert persecution, Barsauma somehow managed to intercept the message, even though it had been hidden in the hollow of a cane. Within
250-453: A metropolitan for 15 years and patriarch for 32 years; Eliya VII on 26 May 1617; Eliya VIII on 18 June 1660; Eliya IX Yohannan on 17 May 1700; Eliya X Marogin on 14 December 1722; and Eliya XII Isho[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) yahb in 1804. Eliya XI Denha died of plague in Alqosh on 29 April 1778, and was exceptionally buried in
300-780: A non-existent patriarch invented purely for the purpose of bolstering the legitimacy of Sulaqa's election. The Vatican was taken in by this fraud, and recognised Sulaqa as the founding patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church in April 1553, thereby creating a lasting schism in the Church of the East. It was only several years later that the Vatican discovered that Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on VII Isho[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) yahb
350-688: A notable part in the affairs of the church of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, were 'converted' retrospectively into early patriarchs. Ahadabui was said to have governed the church of Seleucia-Ctesiphon from 204 to 220, and Shahlufa from 220 to 224. However the Chronicle of Seert , names Shahloopa (Shahlufa) as a Patriarch of the Church of the East. Fiey also claims that, for the 2nd century, three patriarchs were frankly invented: Abris (121–37), Abraham (159–71) and [[Yaqob I|Ya[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) qob]] (190). All three men were declared to be relatives of Joseph,
400-765: A satisfactory Catholic profession of faith and presented a letter, drafted by his supporters in Mosul, which set out his claims to be recognized as patriarch. This letter, which has survived in the Vatican archives, grossly distorted the truth. The rebels claimed that the Nestorian patriarch Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on VII Isho[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) yahb had died in 1551 and had been succeeded illegitimately by 'Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on VIII Denha' (1551–8),
450-469: A statement on the same day, notifying the public that a response to the Ancient Church of the East's recommendations for reunification had been delivered to their prelates. The letter requested a prompt response to the terms, and the election of the new Patriarch was suspended until the following week, on June 8, 2015. On June 5, 2015, Aprem Mooken issued a formal statement announcing that the election of
500-453: Is mentioned in a colophon of 1429/30. Shemʿon IV died on 20 February 1497 and was buried in the monastery of Rabban Hormizd near the Mosul village of Alqosh. He was succeeded by two short-reigned patriarchs: Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on V, first mentioned in a colophon of 1500/1, who died in September 1502 and was buried in
550-571: Is not known, but a colophon mentions that he died on 11 September 1570. The dates of Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on VIII Yahballaha's succession and death (presumably in 1570 and 1580 respectively) are not known. Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on IX Denha was elected patriarch in 1580 and (according to Assemani) died in 1600. Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on X, elected in 1600,
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#1733085923081600-525: Is one of three Assyrian Churches that claim continuity with the historical Church of the East (the ancient Patriarchal Province of Seleucia-Ctesiphon ), the others being the Assyrian Church of the East and the Chaldean Catholic Church . Since 1969, the see of the Ancient Church of the East is headquartered in Baghdad. In 1964, a decision by Patriarch Mar Shimun XXIII Eshai of the Assyrian Church of
650-411: Is probably to be preferred. Eliya IV was succeeded by Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on IV at an unknown date in the first half of the 15th century. Eliya's death has conventionally been placed in 1437 but must have been earlier, as a patriarch named Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on
700-538: Is said to have died in 1638, according to a later letter of Eliya XII (d. 1804) cited by Tisserant. Information on the patriarchal succession in the Qudshanis patriarchate for the remainder of the seventeenth and the whole of the 18th century is equally scanty. Several of the Qudshanis patriarchs who succeeded Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on X corresponded with
750-695: The Sassanid Emperor Yazdegerd I , and the Council of Seleucia-Ctesiphon was called, at which the church's hierarchy was formalized. Bishop Mar Isaac was the first to be officially styled Catholicos over all of the Christians in Persia. Over the next decades, the Catholicoi adopted the additional title of Patriarch , which eventually became the better known designation. The conventional list of patriarchs of
800-778: The Amid and Mosul patriarchates, but he liked to think of himself as a patriarch and the Vatican found it politic to indulge him in this fantasy. There were three Qudshanis patriarchs in the decades leading up to the First World War: [[Shimun XVII Abraham|Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on XVII Abraham]] (1820–61), [[Shimun XVIII Rubil|Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on XVIII Rubil]] (1861–1903), and [[Shimun XIX Benyamin|Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on XIX Benjamin]] (1903–18), who
850-530: The Assyrian Church of the East, dialogue of unification continued between the churches. On May 22, 2015, a meeting involving prelates of both Holy Councils took place in Chicago, Illinois, in the library of St. Andrew's Assyrian Church of the East. Present were Yacoub Daniel, Zaia Khoshaba, and Gewargis Younan representing the Ancient Church of the East, and Gewargis Sliwa, Awa Royel, and Iskhaq Yousif representing
900-516: The Assyrian Church of the East. Archdeacon William Toma served as the meeting's common secretary. Yacoub Daniel flew in from Australia for the meeting, and Zaia traveled from Canada. On June 1, 2015, the Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East met in Erbil, Iraq, to discuss the future of the church. The date had previously been arranged for the election of the new Catholicos-Patriarch. Awa Royel issued
950-514: The Church of the East includes around 130 patriarchs. A number of these patriarchs are legendary, or have been included in the standard lists on dubious evidence according to some historians like Jean Maurice Fiey . According to him, the Church of the East, although separated from the State church of the Roman Empire , was not immune to its fashions. One such fashion was to fill in the inevitable gaps in
1000-479: The East to switch over from the traditional Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar led part of the Church of the East, to split off in a schism . The breakaway group called itself the Ancient Church of the East and in 1968 consecrated their own patriarch, Mar Toma Darmo , who strongly opposed to the system of hereditary succession of the position of patriarch of the Church of the East, as well as its adoption of
1050-622: The Gregorian calendar "and other modernizing measures". Mar Darmo was also joined by "various other groups opposed to Mar Shimun." Mar Yacob III Daniel was elected as new patriarch in June 2022. However, he abdicated two months later in August 2022, and on 12 November 2022 the Holy Synod elected Mar Gewargis Younan to take his place. The consecration of the patriarch-elect was scheduled to take place in Baghdad in June 2023, and on 9 June, Mar Gewargis III Younan
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#17330859230811100-570: The Gregorian calendar. Previously, the church used the traditional Julian date for the Christmas Day (December 25 of the Julian calendar currently corresponds to January 7 of the Gregorian Calendar), as the Church of the East had throughout its history. The decision was to be implemented later that year, on December 25, 2010. Following the death (March 2015) of Dinkha IV , Catholicos-Patriarch of
1150-605: The Jacobite church are recorded by the continuator of Bar Hebraeus's Ecclesiastical Chronicle between 1358 and 1364, and on each occasion Denha was living in Karamlish. Denha II is conventionally believed to have been succeeded by the patriarchs Shemʿon II , Shemʿon III and Eliya IV , but a 15th-century list of patriarchs mentions only a single patriarch named Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on between Denha II and Eliya IV, and
1200-525: The Persian capital. While Christianity had been introduced into Assyria then largely under the rule of the Parthian Empire in the first centuries AD, during the earliest period, leadership was unorganized and there was no established succession. In 280, Papa bar Aggai was consecrated as Bishop of Seleucia-Ctesiphon by two visiting bishops, Akha d'abuh' of Arbela and Hai-Beël of Susa , thereby establishing
1250-717: The Vatican in 1830 marked the birth of the Chaldean Catholic Church . Yohannan Hormizd died in 1838, and was succeeded by Joseph VI Audo (1848–1878), [[Nicholas I Zaya|Nicholas I Zay[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) a]] (1840–1847), Eliya Abulyonan (1879–1894), [[Audishu V Khayyath|[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) Abdisho[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) V Khayyat]] (1895–1899), Emmanuel II Thomas (1900–1947), Joseph VII Ghanima (1947–1958), Paul II Cheikho (1958–1989) and Raphael I Bidawid (1989–2003). Patriarch Emmanuel III Delly
1300-1026: The Vatican, but the surviving correspondence does not enable individual patriarchs to be distinguished. The following list of 17th- and 18th-century Qudshanis patriarchs has conventionally been adopted, most recently by Fiey and (provisionally) by Wilmshurst: Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on XI (1638–56), Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on XII (1656–62), Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on XIII Denha (1662–1700), Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on XIV Shlemun (1700–40), Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on XVI Mikhail Mukhtas (1740–80), and Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on XVI Yohannan (1780–1820). These names and reign-dates were first given towards
1350-569: The acts of his synod, was consecrated in February 1318. He was still alive in 1328, but probably died two or three years later, to be succeeded after an uncertain interval by Denha II in 1336/7, who himself died in 1381/2. Denha II is known to have been consecrated in Baghdad, thanks to the patronage of the Christian emir Haggi Togai, but may have been normally resident in the Mosul plain village of Karamlish. Three ceremonial contacts between Denha II and
1400-793: The earthly father of Jesus, and given plausible backstories. Fiey also claims these five phantom 'patriarchs' were included in all the later histories of the Church of the East, and by the 12th century their existence was an article of faith for the historian Mari bin Sulaiman. According to Feiy, they are still included by courtesy in the traditional list of patriarchs of the Church of the East , even though most scholars agree that they never existed. However, not all historians and ecclesiastical scholars regard Fiey's opinion to be correct. The patriarch Yahballaha III died in November 1317, probably on Saturday 12 November. His successor Timothy II , according to
1450-934: The end of the 19th century by the Anglican missionary William Ainger Wigram. A recently discovered list of Qudshanis patriarchs compiled after the First World War by the bishop Eliya of Alqosh, however, gives a completely different set of dates: Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on X (1600–39); Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on XI (1639–53); Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on XII (1653–92); Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on XIII Denha (1692–1700); and Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on XIV Shlemun (1700–17). In 1681
1500-482: The generally recognized succession. Seleucia-Ctesiphon thus became its own episcopal see , and exerted some de facto control over the wider Persian Christian community. Papa's successors began to use the title of Catholicos , a Roman designation probably adopted due to its use by the Catholicos of Armenia , though at first it carried no formal recognition. In 409 the Church of the East received state recognition from
1550-432: The historical record to trace a succession of bishops in individual dioceses right back to the 1st century, preferably to an apostolic founder. This fashion found particular favour in the case of the diocese of Seleucia-Ctesiphon. The first bishop of Seleucia-Ctesiphon for whom incontestable evidence exists was Papa, who was consecrated around 280. During the 6th century ingenious attempts were made to link Papa with Mari ,
Babowai - Misplaced Pages Continue
1600-448: The legendary apostle of Babylonia. The author of the 6th-century Acts of Mari simply ignored the gap of two and a half centuries that separated the two men and declared that Mari had founded the diocese of Seleucia-Ctesiphon shortly before his death and consecrated Papa as his successor. According to Fiey, later writers were more cunning with their inventions. Shahlufa and Ahadabui , two late-3rd-century bishops of Erbil who had played
1650-443: The letter, Babowai had used some imprudent language such as, "God has given us over to an accursed kingdom." Barsauma took advantage of this, and showed the letter to King Peroz, who was understandably furious. Peroz confronted Babowai, who admitted to the letter, and Peroz sentenced Babowai to death. For this, he is regarded by some as a martyr. Babowai founded a catechetical school at Seleucia , of which his successor Mar Acacius
1700-419: The monastery of Mar Awgin; and Eliya V , elected in 1503, who died in 1504 and was buried in the church of Mart Meskinta in Mosul. Eliya V was succeeded by the patriarch Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on VI (1504–38), who died on 5 August 1538 and was buried in the monastery of Rabban Hormizd. According to the colophon of a contemporary manuscript,
1750-420: The next Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East was suspended until September (2015), pending the unification of the churches. It turned out that unification was not achievable. On 18 September, Assyrian Church of the East elected Gewargis III as the new head of the Church, and he was consecrated and enthroned as Catholicos-Patriarch on 27 September 2015. In spite of the fact that unification
1800-403: The patriarchal family available, he was succeeded by his twelve-year-old nephew Eshai, who was consecrated patriarch on 20 June 1920 under the name [[Shimun XXI Eshai|Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on XXI Eshai]]. [[Shimun XXI Eshai|Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on XXI Eshai]]
1850-600: The patriarchal offices of the successor churches: the Chaldean Catholic Church , the Assyrian Church of the East , and the Ancient Church of the East . The geographic location of the patriarchate was first in Edessa and then transferred to the Persian capital of Seleucia-Ctesiphon in central Mesopotamia during the Roman conquest of Edessa. In the 9th century the patriarchate moved to Baghdad and then through various cities in what
1900-623: The patriarchal throne was still vacant on 19 October 1538. Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on's brother the metropolitan Isho[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) yahb Bar Mama, who had been natar kursya throughout his reign, is first mentioned as patriarch in a colophon of 1539. Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on VII Isho[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) yahb died on 1 November 1558 and
1950-456: The superior of the monastery of Rabban Hormizd near Alqosh, but were unable to consecrate him as no bishop of metropolitan rank was available, as canonically required. Franciscan missionaries were already at work among the Nestorians, and they persuaded Sulaqa's supporters to legitimize their position by seeking Sulaqa's consecration by Pope Julius III (1550–5). Sulaqa went to Rome, where he made
2000-872: The town rather than the monastery, which had been abandoned and locked up following a Persian attack in 1743. The information available on Sulaqa and his successors is much less exact. The date of Sulaqa's election in 1552 is not known, but he was confirmed as 'patriarch of Mosul' by the Vatican on 28 April 1553, and was martyred at the beginning of 1555, probably (according to a contemporary poem of [[Abdisho IV Maron|[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) Abdisho[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) IV]]) on 12 January. The date of [[Abdisho IV Maron|[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) Abdisho[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) IV]]’s succession in 1555
2050-421: Was also often in conflict with Barsauma , the metropolitan of Nisibis , though this was not unusual as Babowai was known to be in conflict with many others as well, be they authorities, colleagues, or subordinates. He was known to discipline bishops in his church, and whether right or wrong, some of these bishops would flee to Barsauma for his support. The root of the conflict with Barsauma may have been due to
Babowai - Misplaced Pages Continue
2100-652: Was buried, like his predecessor, in the monastery of Rabban Hormizd near Alqosh . His reign saw the schism of 1552 that resulted in the creation of the Shimun line in 1553. In 1552 a section of the Church of the East, angered by the appointment of minors to important episcopal positions by the patriarch [[Shemon VII Ishoyahb|Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on VII Isho[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) yahb]], revolted against his authority. The rebels elected in his stead Sulaqa,
2150-434: Was consecrated as the 110th Patriarch of the Ancient Church of The East. The Holy Synod is listed as follow: Under the tenure of Addai II, the Ancient Church of the East has made several gestures towards reunification with the Assyrian Church of the East. The most prominent of these is undoubtedly the declaration made in June 2010 stating that the Ancient Church of the East would now celebrate Christmas in accordance with
2200-547: Was consecrated at an uncanonically early age. Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on XIX Benjamin (1903–18) was murdered in the village of Kohnashahr in the Salmas district in 1918, and was succeeded by the feeble [[Shimun XX Paulos|Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on XX Paul]] (1918–20). Paul died only two years after taking office. As there were no other qualified members of
2250-540: Was consecrated in 2003 and abdicated on 19 December 2012. He was succeeded by Louis Raphaël I Sako since 31 January 2013 to the present as the Chaldean Patriarch of Babylon. Ancient Church of the East The Ancient Church of the East ( ACE ) is an Eastern Christian denomination. It branched from the Assyrian Church of the East in 1964, under the leadership of Mar Toma Darmo (d. 1969). It
2300-524: Was in the village of Qudshanis in southeastern Turkey . In the 20th century, the Assyrian patriarch went into exile, relocating to Chicago , Illinois , United States. Another patriarchate, which split off in the 1960s as the Ancient Church of the East , is in Baghdad. The patriarchate of the Church of the East evolved from the position of the leader of the Christian community in Seleucia-Ctesiphon ,
2350-466: Was murdered in the United States in 1975 and succeeded in 1976 by Dinkha IV Hnanya , the first non-Patriarch of the Church of the East to be appointed not by hereditary succession since the 15th century. Dinkha IV was succeeded by Gewargis III . Following the resignation of Gewargis III on 6 September 2021, he was succeeded by Awa IIl . The recognition of the Mosul patriarch Yohannan VIII Hormizd by
2400-482: Was still alive. The patriarchal succession after the schism of 1552 is certain in the case of the Mosul patriarchate, because up to the beginning of the 19th century all but one of its patriarchs were buried in the monastery of Rabban Hormizd and their epitaphs, which give the date of their deaths, have survived. Shem[ʿ] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) ( help ) on VII's successor Eliya VI died on 26 May 1591, after having been
2450-473: Was the first head. Mar Aba undertook substantial remodeling, and gave the school a library. When the Patriarchate was transferred to Baghdad in the 9th century, the school followed it. Catholicos of Seleucia-Ctesiphon Since 1552, rival patriarchal lines were established, traditionalist on one side and pro-Catholic on the other. In modern times, patriarchal succession is claimed from this office to
2500-469: Was then Assyria ( Assuristan / Athura ) and is now northern Iraq , south east Turkey and northwest Iran , including, Tabriz , Mosul , and Maragheh on Lake Urmia . Following the Chaldean Catholic Church split from the Assyrian Church, the respective patriarchs of these churches continued to move around northern Iraq. In the 19th century, the patriarchate of the Assyrian Church of the East
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