Athanasius III Dabbas
Encyclopedia
Patriarch Paul Procopius Athanasius III Dabbas (1647 – 1724), 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.. He was shortly, from 1705 to 1707, also regent Archbishop of Cyprus.
in 1647 and studied under the Jesuits. He entered in the Mar Saba monastery where at his priestly ordination he took the name of Procopius. Later he was appointed superior
of a monastery in Bethlehem
.. He later moved to Syria
and tried to be appointed bishop of Aleppo
, but without success.
The situation of the hierarchy of the Melkite Church was actually unstable in such a time. After the death of Patriarch Macarios III Zaim
in 1672, the patriarchal throne was disputed between his nephew, Constantine Zaim, who was elected Patriarch at the age of 20 (or less) under the name of Cyril V Zaim
, and Neophytos of Chios
, nephew of previous Patriarch Euthymius III of Chios
and appointed to such position by the Ecumenical Patriarch Dionysius IV of Constantinople
. In 1682 Neophytos of Chios, because of his debts, decided to retire, leaving Cyril V Zaim as the only claimant. This situation lasted not for long: the next contender of the patriarchal throne was actually Paul Dabbas, supported by the Franciscan friars (who opposed Cyril Zaim, charged of simony
) and by his maternal uncle Michael Khayat, very influential with the Sublime Porte. In 1685 Michael Khayat succeeded to get from the Ottoman Empire
a firman
that appointed Paul Dabbas as Patriarch of the Melkite Church. Thus on July 5, 1685 Paul Dabbas was consecrated bishop by Leonce of Saidnaya
and other two bishops, and he was enthroned as Patriarch with the name of Athanasius III. The next nine years were marked by the conflict between him and the previous claiming Patriarch, Cyril V Zaim.
On April 10, 1687, Athanasius III Dabbas made a Roman Catholic profession of faith, and subsequently on June 16 of the same year the Roman Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith confirmed his Patriarchal election. The congratulations of Pope Innocent XI
followed on August 10. Since this date the Vatican
considered him as the legitimate Patriarch of the Melkite Church.
The fight with Cyril V Zaim ended on October 1694 when the two rivals came to an agreement after the arbitration of Salmon, an Aleppian Jew. The terms of the agreement were: Athanasius recognized Cyril as Patriach in change of 13.000 Écus, the appointment to the See
of Aleppo and the right to succession at Cyril's death.. This agreement was judged in 1798 null by the Vatican, which continued to consider Athanasius as Patriarch. From 1700 to 1704 Athanasius Dabbas traveled in Eastern Europe to beg for financial help. He visited in particular the Wallachia
where he got the support of Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu
. At end 1705 Patriarch Gabriel III of Constantinople
had him elected as regent (proedros
) Archbishop of Cyprus, an office Athanasius kept till early 1707. When back to Aleppo, with the help of Abdallah Zakher
he established a printing press
.
In 1716 the reigning Patriarch Cyril V Zaim made he too a Roman Catholic profession of faith and was received in communion
with Rome on May 9, 1718. After Cyril's decision, Athansius declared himself Orthodox, leading the Orthodox party to which he remained faithful to his own death.
On 16 January 1720 Cyril V Zaim died and, after a try of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople to appoint a own bishop as Patriarch, Athanasius was finally proclaimed Patriarch of Antioch, winning also over the candidature, in Damascus, of the pro-Catholic Euthymios Saifi
, a friend of Cyril Zaim. During his four years of patriarchate, he preferred to live in Aleppo rather than in Damascus
where there was the Patriarchal See. He died in Aleppo on 5 August 1724.
Athanasius Dabbas’ succession laid bare the divisions in the Melkite Church: between the pro-Catholic and the pro-Orthodox parties, and also between the communities of Damascus (that supported Cyril V Zaim) and of the Aleppo (tied to Athanasius). Athanasius Dabbas on his deathbed chosen as his own successor the priest Sylvester (1696–1766), a fierce supporter of the Aleppine Orthodox party, while the Melkite community in Damascus proceeded with the formal election of the new Patriarch and elected the pro-Catholic Cyril VI Tanas
. Later, the Patriarch Jeremias III of Constantinople declared Cyril's election to be invalid, excommunicated him, and appointed Sylvester to the patriarchal See of Antioch, consecrating him bishop in Istanbul
. This division marked the split between the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch and the Melkite Greek Catholic Church
.
and translated also in Latin
. He edited and published also liturgical texts, as a Liturgicon in 1701 (which was used by Melkite Greek Catholic Church till 1839) and an Horologion
in 1702.
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...
before the 1724 split which divided the Melkite Church between the Melkite Greek Catholic Church
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...
and the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch.. He was shortly, from 1705 to 1707, also regent Archbishop of Cyprus.
Life
Paul Dabbas 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 1647 and studied under the Jesuits. He entered in the Mar Saba monastery where at his priestly ordination he took the name of Procopius. Later he was appointed superior
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
of a monastery in Bethlehem
Bethlehem
Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...
.. He later moved to Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and tried to be appointed bishop of Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
, but without success.
The situation of the hierarchy of the Melkite Church was actually unstable in such a time. After the death 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...
in 1672, the patriarchal throne was disputed between his nephew, Constantine Zaim, who was elected Patriarch at the age of 20 (or less) under the name of Cyril V 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...
, and Neophytos of Chios
Neophytos of Chios
Patriarch Neophytos of Chios, was Greek Patriarch of Antioch, from 1673 to 1682.-Life:Even if the family of Neophytos was originally from Chios, he was educated in Damascus under the Jesuits. He was the nephew of previous Patriarch Euthymius III of Chios and he was appointed vicar in Aleppo under...
, nephew of previous Patriarch Euthymius III of Chios
Euthymius III of Chios
Patriarch Meletios Euthymius III of Chios , sometimes known also as Euthymius IV, was Melkite Greek Patriarch of Antioch from 1635 to 1647.-Life:...
and appointed to such position by the Ecumenical Patriarch Dionysius IV of Constantinople
Ecumenical Patriarch Dionysius IV of Constantinople
Dionysius IV Mouselimes was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople five times, in 1671-1673, 1676-1679, 1682-1684, 1686-1687 and 1693-1694....
. In 1682 Neophytos of Chios, because of his debts, decided to retire, leaving Cyril V Zaim as the only claimant. This situation lasted not for long: the next contender of the patriarchal throne was actually Paul Dabbas, supported by the Franciscan friars (who opposed Cyril Zaim, charged of simony
Simony
Simony is the act of paying for sacraments and consequently for holy offices or for positions in the hierarchy of a church, named after Simon Magus , who appears in the Acts of the Apostles 8:9-24...
) and by his maternal uncle Michael Khayat, very influential with the Sublime Porte. In 1685 Michael Khayat succeeded to get from the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
a firman
Firman
A firman is a royal mandate or decree issued by a sovereign in certain historical Islamic states, including the Ottoman Empire, Mughal Empire, State of Hyderabad, and Iran under Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. The word firman comes from the meaning "decree" or "order"...
that appointed Paul Dabbas as Patriarch of the Melkite Church. Thus on July 5, 1685 Paul Dabbas was consecrated bishop by Leonce of Saidnaya
Saidnaya
Saidnaya is a city located in the mountains, 1500 metres above sea level, north of the city of Damascus in Syria and was one of the episcopal cities of the ancient Patriarchate of Antioch...
and other two bishops, and he was enthroned as Patriarch with the name of Athanasius III. The next nine years were marked by the conflict between him and the previous claiming Patriarch, Cyril V Zaim.
On April 10, 1687, Athanasius III Dabbas made a Roman Catholic profession of faith, and subsequently on June 16 of the same year the Roman Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith confirmed his Patriarchal election. The congratulations of Pope Innocent XI
Pope Innocent XI
Blessed Pope Innocent XI , born Benedetto Odescalchi, was Pope from 1676 to 1689.-Early life:Benedetto Odescalchi was born at Como in 1611 , the son of a Como nobleman, Livio Odescalchi, and Paola Castelli Giovanelli from Gandino...
followed on August 10. Since this date the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
considered him as the legitimate Patriarch of the Melkite Church.
The fight with Cyril V Zaim ended on October 1694 when the two rivals came to an agreement after the arbitration of Salmon, an Aleppian Jew. The terms of the agreement were: Athanasius recognized Cyril as Patriach in change of 13.000 Écus, the appointment to the See
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of Aleppo and the right to succession at Cyril's death.. This agreement was judged in 1798 null by the Vatican, which continued to consider Athanasius as Patriarch. From 1700 to 1704 Athanasius Dabbas traveled in Eastern Europe to beg for financial help. He visited in particular the Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
where he got the support of Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu
Constantin Brâncoveanu
Constantin Brâncoveanu was Prince of Wallachia between 1688 and 1714.-Ascension:A descendant of the Craioveşti boyar family and related to Matei Basarab, Brâncoveanu was born at the estate of Brâncoveni and raised in the house of his uncle, stolnic Constantin Cantacuzino...
. At end 1705 Patriarch Gabriel III of Constantinople
Patriarch Gabriel III of Constantinople
-Life:Gabriel was born in the town of Smyrna to parents coming from the island of Andros and in 1688 he became Metropolitan of Chalcedon. He was elected Patriarch of Constantinople on 29 August 1702 and reigned till his death...
had him elected as regent (proedros
Proedros
Proedros was a senior Byzantine court and ecclesiastic title in the 10th to mid-12th centuries. The female form of the title is proedrissa .-Court dignity:...
) Archbishop of Cyprus, an office Athanasius kept till early 1707. When back to Aleppo, with the help of Abdallah Zakher
Abdallah Zakher
Abdallah Zakher was a leading Melkite Christian at the time of the Church's re-establishment of Communion with Rome and among other accomplishments he set up the first printing press in the Middle East....
he established a printing press
Printing press
A printing press is a device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium , thereby transferring the ink...
.
In 1716 the reigning Patriarch Cyril V Zaim made he too a Roman Catholic profession of faith and was received in 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 Rome on May 9, 1718. After Cyril's decision, Athansius declared himself Orthodox, leading the Orthodox party to which he remained faithful to his own death.
On 16 January 1720 Cyril V Zaim died and, after a try of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople to appoint a own bishop as Patriarch, Athanasius was finally proclaimed Patriarch of Antioch, winning also over the candidature, in Damascus, of the pro-Catholic Euthymios Saifi
Euthymios Saifi
Euthymios Michael Saifi 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...
, a friend of Cyril Zaim. During his four years of patriarchate, he preferred to live in Aleppo rather than in 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 there was the Patriarchal See. He died in Aleppo on 5 August 1724.
Athanasius Dabbas’ succession laid bare the divisions in the Melkite Church: between the pro-Catholic and the pro-Orthodox parties, and also between the communities of Damascus (that supported Cyril V Zaim) and of the Aleppo (tied to Athanasius). Athanasius Dabbas on his deathbed chosen as his own successor the priest Sylvester (1696–1766), a fierce supporter of the Aleppine Orthodox party, while the Melkite community in Damascus proceeded with the formal election of the new Patriarch and elected the pro-Catholic Cyril VI 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...
. Later, the Patriarch Jeremias III of Constantinople declared Cyril's election to be invalid, excommunicated him, and appointed Sylvester to the patriarchal See of Antioch, consecrating him bishop in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
. This division marked the split between the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch and the Melkite Greek Catholic Church
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...
.
Works
Athanasius Dabbas was a prolific writer and publisher. His masterwork, History of the Patriarchate of Antioch from Saint Peter to 1202 was written in GreekModern Greek
Modern Greek refers to the varieties of the Greek language spoken in the modern era. The beginning of the "modern" period of the language is often symbolically assigned to the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453, even though that date marks no clear linguistic boundary and many characteristic...
and translated also in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
. He edited and published also liturgical texts, as a Liturgicon in 1701 (which was used by Melkite Greek Catholic Church till 1839) and an Horologion
Horologion
The 'Horologion' , or Book of Hours, provides the fixed portions of the Daily Cycle of services as used by the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches...
in 1702.
See also
- Patriarch of AntiochPatriarch of AntiochPatriarch 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...
- List of Greek Orthodox Patriarchs of Antioch
- List of Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchs of Antioch
- Church of Cyprus
- List of archbishops of Cyprus