Maruthas
Encyclopedia
Saint Maruthas or Marutha of Martyropolis was a monk who became bishop
of Maypherkat in Mesopotamia
(Meiafarakin) for a period beganing before 399 and still in office in 410. He's believed to have died before 420. He is venerated as a Saint by Catholics
, Greek Orthodox
believers and Copts
, his feast being kept on 4 December.
He brought into his episcopal city the relics of so many martyrs that it received the surname Martyropolis.
He was a friend of Saint John Chrysostom
.
He acted as an ambassador between the East Roman Emperor and the Persian Emperor.
In the interests of the Church of Persia, which had suffered much in the persecution of Shapur II, he came to Constantinople
, but found Emperor Arcadius
too busily engaged in the affairs about the exile of St. John Chrysostom. Later Maruthas was sent by Emperor Theodosius II
to the court of Persia, where, notwithstanding the Magi, he won the esteem of King Yazdegerd I of Persia by his affability, saintly life, and, as is claimed, by his knowledge of medicine.
So Marutha managed to negotiate a peace between the two empires.
He was present at the general First Council of Constantinople
in 381 and at a Council of Antioch
in 383 (or 390), at which the Messalians were condemned. For the benefit of the Persian Church he is said to have held two synods at Ctesiphon
. A great organizer, he was one of the first to give a regular structure to the church, helped in his mission by the catholicos
Isaac.
His writings include:
He also wrote hymns on the Holy Eucharist, on the Cross, and on saints died in Shapur's persecution.
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 Maypherkat in Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
(Meiafarakin) for a period beganing before 399 and still in office in 410. He's believed to have died before 420. He is venerated as a Saint by Catholics
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, Greek Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
believers and Copts
Coptic Christianity
The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is the official name for the largest Christian church in Egypt and the Middle East. The Church belongs to the Oriental Orthodox family of churches, which has been a distinct church body since the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451, when it took a different...
, his feast being kept on 4 December.
He brought into his episcopal city the relics of so many martyrs that it received the surname Martyropolis.
He was a friend of Saint John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom , Archbishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father. He is known for his eloquence in preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and his ascetic...
.
He acted as an ambassador between the East Roman Emperor and the Persian Emperor.
In the interests of the Church of Persia, which had suffered much in the persecution of Shapur II, he came to 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:...
, but found Emperor Arcadius
Arcadius
Arcadius was the Byzantine Emperor from 395 to his death. He was the eldest son of Theodosius I and his first wife Aelia Flaccilla, and brother of the Western Emperor Honorius...
too busily engaged in the affairs about the exile of St. John Chrysostom. Later Maruthas was sent by Emperor Theodosius II
Theodosius II
Theodosius II , commonly surnamed Theodosius the Younger, or Theodosius the Calligrapher, was Byzantine Emperor from 408 to 450. He is mostly known for promulgating the Theodosian law code, and for the construction of the Theodosian Walls of Constantinople...
to the court of Persia, where, notwithstanding the Magi, he won the esteem of King Yazdegerd I of Persia by his affability, saintly life, and, as is claimed, by his knowledge of medicine.
So Marutha managed to negotiate a peace between the two empires.
He was present at the general First Council of Constantinople
First Council of Constantinople
The First Council of Constantinople is recognized as the Second Ecumenical Council by the Assyrian Church of the East, the Oriental Orthodox, the Eastern Orthodox, the Roman Catholics, the Old Catholics, and a number of other Western Christian groups. It was the first Ecumenical Council held in...
in 381 and at a Council of Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
in 383 (or 390), at which the Messalians were condemned. For the benefit of the Persian Church he is said to have held two synods at Ctesiphon
Ctesiphon
Ctesiphon, the imperial capital of the Parthian Arsacids and of the Persian Sassanids, was one of the great cities of ancient Mesopotamia.The ruins of the city are located on the east bank of the Tigris, across the river from the Hellenistic city of Seleucia...
. A great organizer, he was one of the first to give a regular structure to the church, helped in his mission by the catholicos
Catholicos
Catholicos, plural Catholicoi, is a title used for the head of certain churches in some Eastern Christian traditions. The title implies autocephaly and in some cases is borne by the designated head of an autonomous church, in which case the holder might have other titles such as Patriarch...
Isaac.
His writings include:
- Acts of the Persian Martyrs (these acts remember the victims of the persecution of Shapur II; ample portions of this work have survived, though perhaps written by someone other than Maruthas)
- History of the Council of Nicaea
- A translation in Syriac of the canons of the Council of NicaeaFirst Council of NicaeaThe First Council of Nicaea was a council of Christian bishops convened in Nicaea in Bithynia by the Roman Emperor Constantine I in AD 325...
- A Syrian lytugy, or anaphoraAnaphora (liturgy)The Anaphora is the most solemn part of the Divine liturgy, Mass, or other Christian Communion rite where the offerings of bread and wine are consecrated as the body and blood of Christ. This is the usual name for this part of the Liturgy in Eastern Christianity, but it is more often called the...
- Commentaries on the Gospels
- Acts of the Council of Seleucia-Ctesiphon (26 spurious canons of a synodSynodA synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
held in 410)
He also wrote hymns on the Holy Eucharist, on the Cross, and on saints died in Shapur's persecution.