Bar Sauma
Encyclopedia
Barsauma was Metropolitan
of Nisibis
in the 5th century, and a major figure in the history of the Church of the East
. A capable politician, he was on good terms with Peroz I
, King of the Sassanid Empire
of Persia, and wielded great influence in the Church of the East. As such he was frequently in conflict with the Catholicos, or Patriarch, of the Church, first Babowai
and then Acacius
. Under his leadership the church moved away from Roman
loyalties and became increasingly aligned with the Nestorian
movement, declared heretical in the Roman Empire.
early in his career, where his mentor had been Ibas. Barsauma was expelled with Ibas and other churchmen for their support of Nestorian
teachings, declared heretical at the First Council of Ephesus in 431. Though Ibas was acquitted of heresy at the Council of Chalcedon
in 451, following his death in 457 his associates found themselves expelled from their positions once again. Barsauma and other of Ibas' followers relocated to Sassanid
Persia, where the persecuted local church had declared itself independent of all other churches.
Barsauma became metropolitan
of Nisibis
, one of the five great archdioceses of the Church of the East
. He quickly became a favorite of King Peroz I
, who preferred his compliant stance to that of Babowai
, Catholicos of Seleucia-Ctesiphon and head of the Persian Church, whom he regarded as a pro-Roman traitor. Over time Barsauma and Babowai's relationship grew openly antagonistic. Barsauma was instrumental in Babowai's downfall, ultimately leading to the latter's execution by Peroz in 484.
Following Babowai's death, Barsauma became the most powerful figure in the Persian Church, though he was never elevated to the position of Catholics, or Patriarch. He pursued a policy of pro-Persian, anti-Roman interaction, and under his leadership the church adopted a more Nestorian theology, though it never fully adhered to the doctrine in his lifetime. He headed Synod of Beth Lapat
in 484, which led the church to adopt some Nestorian teachings, and succeeded in getting the church to recognize Theodore of Mopsuestia
, the mentor of Nestorius
, as a spiritual authority in 486, setting the stage for future developments.
In 485 Barsauma's political enemies consecrated the moderate churchman Acacius
patriarch, in the hope that he would prevent the takeover of the Church of the East by the Nestorians, but Acacius, despite frequent quarrels with Barsauma, was unable to prevent the victory of the powerful Nestorian faction. A synod held at Beth Edrai under the presidency of Acacius in 485 entrenched Nestorianism
within the Church of the East.
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
of Nisibis
Nisibis (East Syrian Ecclesiastical Province)
The Nisibis region was a metropolitan province of the Church of the East between the fifth and seventeenth centuries. The province of Nisibis had a number of suffragan dioceses at different periods in its history, including Arzun, Beth Rahimaï, Beth Qardu , Beth Zabdaï, Qube d’Arzun, Balad,...
in the 5th century, and a major figure in the history of the Church of the East
Church of the East
The Church of the East tāʾ d-Maḏnḥāʾ), also known as the Nestorian Church, is a Christian church, part of the Syriac tradition of Eastern Christianity. Originally the church of the Persian Sassanid Empire, it quickly spread widely through Asia...
. A capable politician, he was on good terms with Peroz I
Peroz I
Peroz I Peroz I Peroz I (also Pirooz; Peirozes (Priscus, fr. 33); Perozes (Procopius, De Bello Pers. I. 3 and Agathias iv. 27; the modern form of the name is Perooz, Piruz, or the Arabized Ferooz, Firuz; Persian: پیروز "the Victor"), was the seventeenth Sassanid King of Persia, who ruled from 457...
, King of the Sassanid Empire
Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
of Persia, and wielded great influence in the Church of the East. As such he was frequently in conflict with the Catholicos, or Patriarch, of the Church, first Babowai
Babowai
Babowai was the Patriarch of the Church of the East 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 a...
and then Acacius
Acacius (Nestorian Patriarch)
Acacius was patriarch of the Church of the East from 485 to 496. He is included in the traditional list of patriarchs of the Church of the East. During his reign he struggled to prevent the Church of the East from aligning itself with the 'Nestorian' doctrine espoused by the metropolitan Bar...
. Under his leadership the church moved away from Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
loyalties and became increasingly aligned with the Nestorian
Nestorianism
Nestorianism is a Christological doctrine advanced by Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople from 428–431. The doctrine, which was informed by Nestorius's studies under Theodore of Mopsuestia at the School of Antioch, emphasizes the disunion between the human and divine natures of Jesus...
movement, declared heretical in the Roman Empire.
History
Barsauma had been a teacher at the School of EdessaSchool of Edessa
The School of Edessa , often mistaken to be one and the same as the School of Nisibis, was a theological school of great importance to the Syriac speaking world. It had been founded as long ago as the 2nd century by the kings of the Abgar dynasty. In 363 Nisibis fell to the Persians, causing St....
early in his career, where his mentor had been Ibas. Barsauma was expelled with Ibas and other churchmen for their support of Nestorian
Nestorianism
Nestorianism is a Christological doctrine advanced by Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople from 428–431. The doctrine, which was informed by Nestorius's studies under Theodore of Mopsuestia at the School of Antioch, emphasizes the disunion between the human and divine natures of Jesus...
teachings, declared heretical at the First Council of Ephesus in 431. Though Ibas was acquitted of heresy at the Council of Chalcedon
Council of Chalcedon
The Council of Chalcedon was a church council held from 8 October to 1 November, 451 AD, at Chalcedon , on the Asian side of the Bosporus. The council marked a significant turning point in the Christological debates that led to the separation of the church of the Eastern Roman Empire in the 5th...
in 451, following his death in 457 his associates found themselves expelled from their positions once again. Barsauma and other of Ibas' followers relocated to Sassanid
Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
Persia, where the persecuted local church had declared itself independent of all other churches.
Barsauma became metropolitan
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
of Nisibis
Nisibis (East Syrian Ecclesiastical Province)
The Nisibis region was a metropolitan province of the Church of the East between the fifth and seventeenth centuries. The province of Nisibis had a number of suffragan dioceses at different periods in its history, including Arzun, Beth Rahimaï, Beth Qardu , Beth Zabdaï, Qube d’Arzun, Balad,...
, one of the five great archdioceses of the Church of the East
Church of the East
The Church of the East tāʾ d-Maḏnḥāʾ), also known as the Nestorian Church, is a Christian church, part of the Syriac tradition of Eastern Christianity. Originally the church of the Persian Sassanid Empire, it quickly spread widely through Asia...
. He quickly became a favorite of King Peroz I
Peroz I
Peroz I Peroz I Peroz I (also Pirooz; Peirozes (Priscus, fr. 33); Perozes (Procopius, De Bello Pers. I. 3 and Agathias iv. 27; the modern form of the name is Perooz, Piruz, or the Arabized Ferooz, Firuz; Persian: پیروز "the Victor"), was the seventeenth Sassanid King of Persia, who ruled from 457...
, who preferred his compliant stance to that of Babowai
Babowai
Babowai was the Patriarch of the Church of the East 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 a...
, Catholicos of Seleucia-Ctesiphon and head of the Persian Church, whom he regarded as a pro-Roman traitor. Over time Barsauma and Babowai's relationship grew openly antagonistic. Barsauma was instrumental in Babowai's downfall, ultimately leading to the latter's execution by Peroz in 484.
Following Babowai's death, Barsauma became the most powerful figure in the Persian Church, though he was never elevated to the position of Catholics, or Patriarch. He pursued a policy of pro-Persian, anti-Roman interaction, and under his leadership the church adopted a more Nestorian theology, though it never fully adhered to the doctrine in his lifetime. He headed Synod of Beth Lapat
Synod of Beth Lapat
The Synod of Beth Lapat was council of the Church of the East, held in 484 under the leadership of Catholicos Bar Sauma. The most significant result of the synod was the church's official adoption of the doctrine of Nestorianism...
in 484, which led the church to adopt some Nestorian teachings, and succeeded in getting the church to recognize Theodore of Mopsuestia
Theodore of Mopsuestia
Theodore the Interpreter was bishop of Mopsuestia from 392 to 428 AD. He is also known as Theodore of Antioch, from the place of his birth and presbyterate...
, the mentor of Nestorius
Nestorius
Nestorius was Archbishop of Constantinople from 10 April 428 to 22 June 431.Drawing on his studies at the School of Antioch, his teachings, which included a rejection of the long-used title of Theotokos for the Virgin Mary, brought him into conflict with other prominent churchmen of the time,...
, as a spiritual authority in 486, setting the stage for future developments.
In 485 Barsauma's political enemies consecrated the moderate churchman Acacius
Acacius (Nestorian Patriarch)
Acacius was patriarch of the Church of the East from 485 to 496. He is included in the traditional list of patriarchs of the Church of the East. During his reign he struggled to prevent the Church of the East from aligning itself with the 'Nestorian' doctrine espoused by the metropolitan Bar...
patriarch, in the hope that he would prevent the takeover of the Church of the East by the Nestorians, but Acacius, despite frequent quarrels with Barsauma, was unable to prevent the victory of the powerful Nestorian faction. A synod held at Beth Edrai under the presidency of Acacius in 485 entrenched Nestorianism
Nestorianism
Nestorianism is a Christological doctrine advanced by Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople from 428–431. The doctrine, which was informed by Nestorius's studies under Theodore of Mopsuestia at the School of Antioch, emphasizes the disunion between the human and divine natures of Jesus...
within the Church of the East.