Euthymios Saifi
Encyclopedia
Euthymios Michael Saifi (or Aftimios Sayfi, 1643 – 1723) was the Melkite Catholic
bishop
of Tyre and Sidon
during the early 18th century. A leading proponent of re-establishing communion between the Orthodox Church of Antioch
and the Catholic Church, he is often described as the architect of the Melkite Catholic Church.
in about 1643. He was admitted in the entourage of patriarch Macarios III Zaim
and he was schoolmate of Macaire's nephew, the future patriarch Cyril Zaim
. Michael Saifi was ordained deacon
in 1666, priest
shortly later and appointed teacher of the patriarchal school. In 1682 he was consecrated bishop of Tyre and Sidon by Cyril Zaim, who has become patriarch in the meantime.
Saifi, like many clerics in the patriarchate of Antioch, wanted to formally re-establish ties to the Church of Rome. In December 1683 he openly declared himself in communion with the Roman Catholic Church.
Saifi founded the Basilian Salvatorian congregation
and the Melkite Holy Savior Monastery (Deir-el-Moukhales) at Joun
near Sidon. with the aim of supporting pastoral and missionary activities by well-educated and celibate Melkite clergy.
Four Melkite bishops of catholic tendencies, who considered unlawful the 1794 agreement about the Patriarchal succession between Cyril Zaim and Athanase Dabbas, urged Saifi to became patriarch. Saifi wrote to Rome that did not allowed him to be proclaimed patriarch, but on 6 December 1701 appointed him Apostolic administrator
for all the Catholic faithfuls in the Melkite Church.
Saifi had a very strong missionary zeal who led him to interfere in other diocese
s affairs and also in other patriarchates affairs: he clashed with both the Maronite and the Jerusalem patriarchates.
He and his missionaries promoted not only the full communion
with the See of Rome but also many Liturgical Latinisation
s: different uses in fasting
and a review of the liturgical books. These Latinizations were nor wished nor liked by Rome, that condemned them many times (for example by Propaganda Fide in 1723 and formally on 15 March 1729) but spread anyway among some of the Catholic partisans in the Melkite Church.
Charging Saifi of meddling in other patriarchates affairs and of latinisations, in October 1718 the Patriarch Jeremias III of Constantinople ordered him to be deposed and exiled. Patriarch Cyril Zaim of Antioch did not executed this order, but he died shortly later. The succession of Cyril Zaim saw two opponents: Euthimios Saifi himself and the former patriarch Athanasius III Dabbas
, who was supported by the Patriarch of Constantinople and who signed the succession's agreements of 1694. Saifi's opposition to Dabbas was also weakened by the Latin Franciscan
s who always supported Athanasius, and thus Saifi had to renounce. Athanasius Dabbas, in a synod held in Constantinople
in 1722, deposed and exiled Saifi to allow some Greek bishop to take possession of his important episcopal See. Saifi, still supported by his faithfuls, was exiled in Adana
. He escaped in 1723 returning to Damascus
, where he died on 8 October 1723.
One year after his death, through his work, his nephew, Seraphim Tanas
, was elected as the Greek Patriarch of Antioch under the name Cyril VI.
Melkite Greek Catholic Church
The Melkite Greek Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See as part of the worldwide Catholic Church. The Melkites, Byzantine Rite Catholics of mixed Eastern Mediterranean and Greek origin, trace their history to the early Christians of Antioch, Syria, of...
bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Tyre and Sidon
Sidon
Sidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah...
during the early 18th century. A leading proponent of re-establishing communion between the Orthodox Church of Antioch
Patriarch of Antioch
Patriarch of Antioch is a traditional title held by the Bishop of Antioch. As the traditional "overseer" of the first gentile Christian community, the position has been of prime importance in the church from its earliest period...
and the Catholic Church, he is often described as the architect of the Melkite Catholic Church.
Life
Michael Saifi was born in DamascusDamascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
in about 1643. He was admitted in the entourage of patriarch Macarios III Zaim
Macarios III Zaim
Patriarch Yousef Yuhanna Meletios Macarios III Zaim was Melkite Greek Patriarch of Antioch from 1647 to 1672. He led a period of blossoming of his Church and he is also remembered for his travels in Russia and for his involvement in the reforms of Russian Patriarch Nikon.-Life:Yousef Zaim was born...
and he was schoolmate of Macaire's nephew, the future patriarch Cyril Zaim
Cyril V Zaim
Patriarch Constantine Cyril V Zaim , sometimes known also as Cyril III, was Greek Patriarch of Antioch.-Life:Constantine Zaim was born on about 1655 in Aleppo and he was the nephew of Patriarch Macarios III Zaim, who died in 1672...
. Michael Saifi was ordained deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
in 1666, priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
shortly later and appointed teacher of the patriarchal school. In 1682 he was consecrated bishop of Tyre and Sidon by Cyril Zaim, who has become patriarch in the meantime.
Saifi, like many clerics in the patriarchate of Antioch, wanted to formally re-establish ties to the Church of Rome. In December 1683 he openly declared himself in communion with the Roman Catholic Church.
Saifi founded the Basilian Salvatorian congregation
Basilian Salvatorian Order
The Basilian Salvatorian Order is a religious order of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. The Latin name of this order is Ordo Basilianus Sanctissimi Salvatoris, the French name is Ordre Basilien Salvatorien. The name cames from its motherhouse, the Holy Saviour monastery, The Basilian Salvatorian...
and the Melkite Holy Savior Monastery (Deir-el-Moukhales) at Joun
Joun
Joun is a Lebanese village sitting on seven hills in the Chouf district of Mount Lebanon at a distant 13 kilometers from the city of Sidon....
near Sidon. with the aim of supporting pastoral and missionary activities by well-educated and celibate Melkite clergy.
Four Melkite bishops of catholic tendencies, who considered unlawful the 1794 agreement about the Patriarchal succession between Cyril Zaim and Athanase Dabbas, urged Saifi to became patriarch. Saifi wrote to Rome that did not allowed him to be proclaimed patriarch, but on 6 December 1701 appointed him Apostolic administrator
Apostolic Administrator
An apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
for all the Catholic faithfuls in the Melkite Church.
Saifi had a very strong missionary zeal who led him to interfere in other diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s affairs and also in other patriarchates affairs: he clashed with both the Maronite and the Jerusalem patriarchates.
He and his missionaries promoted not only the full communion
Full communion
In Christian ecclesiology, full communion is a relationship between church organizations or groups that mutually recognize their sharing the essential doctrines....
with the See of Rome but also many Liturgical Latinisation
Liturgical Latinisation
Liturgical Latinisation, also known as Latinisation, is the process by which liturgical and other aspects of the Churches of Eastern Christianity were altered to resemble more closely the practices of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church...
s: different uses in fasting
Fasting and Abstinence in the Roman Catholic Church
For Roman Catholics, fasting is the reduction of one's intake of food to one full meal a day. This may or may not be accompanied by abstinence from meat when eating....
and a review of the liturgical books. These Latinizations were nor wished nor liked by Rome, that condemned them many times (for example by Propaganda Fide in 1723 and formally on 15 March 1729) but spread anyway among some of the Catholic partisans in the Melkite Church.
Charging Saifi of meddling in other patriarchates affairs and of latinisations, in October 1718 the Patriarch Jeremias III of Constantinople ordered him to be deposed and exiled. Patriarch Cyril Zaim of Antioch did not executed this order, but he died shortly later. The succession of Cyril Zaim saw two opponents: Euthimios Saifi himself and the former patriarch Athanasius III Dabbas
Athanasius III Dabbas
Patriarch Paul Procopius Athanasius III Dabbas , sometimes known also as Athanasius IV, was the last Greek Patriarch of Antioch before the 1724 split which divided the Melkite Church between the Melkite Greek Catholic Church and the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch....
, who was supported by the Patriarch of Constantinople and who signed the succession's agreements of 1694. Saifi's opposition to Dabbas was also weakened by the Latin Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
s who always supported Athanasius, and thus Saifi had to renounce. Athanasius Dabbas, in a synod held in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
in 1722, deposed and exiled Saifi to allow some Greek bishop to take possession of his important episcopal See. Saifi, still supported by his faithfuls, was exiled in Adana
Adana
Adana is a city in southern Turkey and a major agricultural and commercial center. The city is situated on the Seyhan River, 30 kilometres inland from the Mediterranean, in south-central Anatolia...
. He escaped in 1723 returning to Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, where he died on 8 October 1723.
One year after his death, through his work, his nephew, Seraphim Tanas
Cyril VI Tanas
Patriarch Cyril VI Tanas, also known as Cyril VI of Antioch , became the first leader of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church following the schism of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch in 1724...
, was elected as the Greek Patriarch of Antioch under the name Cyril VI.