Pope Peter III of Alexandria
Encyclopedia
Pope Peter III of Alexandria (died 490), also known as Mongus (from Greek mongos, "stammerer"), was Coptic Pope from 477 until his death and after 482 also recognized as Patriarch of Alexandria by the Eastern Orthodox Church
.
, Peter Mongus was an ardent adherent of Miaphysitism
and deacon of Timothy Aelurus. After Timothy expelled the Chalcedonian Patriarch Proterius I
in 457, Mongus took part the persecution of the Chalcedonians.
When Timothy Aelurus, who had been expelled in 460 and returned in 475, died in 477, his followers elected Mongus to succeed him. However, the Byzantine Emperor Zeno
brought Timothy Salophakiolos
, a Chalcedonian who had supplanted Aelurus before in 460, back to Alexandria and sentenced Mongus to death.
Mongus escaped by flight and remained in hiding until 482. In the previous year, John Talaia had succeeded Timothy Salophakiolos as Patriarch. However, as Talaia refused to sign Emperor Zeno's Henoticon (which glossed over the Council of Chalcedon), the Emperor expelled him and recognized Mongus as the legitimate Patriarch on the condition that he would sign the Henoticon. Mongus complied and after taking possession of the see, he signed the controversial document and sent notice of his succession to his fellow Patriarchs. Patriarch Acacius of Constantinople
entered him into his diptychs as Patriarch of Alexandria.
Talaia had meanwhile fled to Rome, where he was welcomed by pope Felix III
, who refused to recognize Mongus and defended Talaia's rights in two letters to Acacius. As Acacius maintained the Henoticon and communion with Mongus, the Pope excommunicated the Patriarchs in 484. This Acacian schism
lasted until 519.
Mongus became the chief champion of all Miaphysites. He held a synod to condemn Chalcedon, and desecrated the tombs of his two Chalcedonian predecessors Proterios and Timothy Salophakiolos. When Acacius died in 489, Mongus encouraged his successor Fravitta
to maintain the schism with Rome. Fravitta's successor Euphemius sought to heal the schism by excommunicating
Mongus, who however died soon afterwards in 490.
in the "Memoires publiés par les membres de la mission archéologique française au Caire", IV (Paris, 1888), 196-228.
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,...
.
Biography
After the Council of ChalcedonCouncil 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...
, Peter Mongus was an ardent adherent of Miaphysitism
Miaphysitism
Miaphysitism is a Christological formula of the Oriental Orthodox Churches and of the various churches adhering to the first three Ecumenical Councils...
and deacon of Timothy Aelurus. After Timothy expelled the Chalcedonian Patriarch Proterius I
Proterius of Alexandria
Hieromartyr Proterius of Alexandria , Patriarch of Alexandria , was elected by the Council of Chalcedon in 451 to replace Dioscorus of Alexandria, who had been deposed by the same council...
in 457, Mongus took part the persecution of the Chalcedonians.
When Timothy Aelurus, who had been expelled in 460 and returned in 475, died in 477, his followers elected Mongus to succeed him. However, the Byzantine Emperor Zeno
Zeno (emperor)
Zeno , originally named Tarasis, was Byzantine Emperor from 474 to 475 and again from 476 to 491. Domestic revolts and religious dissension plagued his reign, which nevertheless succeeded to some extent in foreign issues...
brought Timothy Salophakiolos
Patriarch Timothy III of Alexandria
Patriarch Timothy III of Alexandria , also known as Salophakiolos , was Patriarch of Alexandria from 460 until his death...
, a Chalcedonian who had supplanted Aelurus before in 460, back to Alexandria and sentenced Mongus to death.
Mongus escaped by flight and remained in hiding until 482. In the previous year, John Talaia had succeeded Timothy Salophakiolos as Patriarch. However, as Talaia refused to sign Emperor Zeno's Henoticon (which glossed over the Council of Chalcedon), the Emperor expelled him and recognized Mongus as the legitimate Patriarch on the condition that he would sign the Henoticon. Mongus complied and after taking possession of the see, he signed the controversial document and sent notice of his succession to his fellow Patriarchs. Patriarch Acacius of Constantinople
Patriarch Acacius of Constantinople
Acacius was the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 471 to 489. Acacius was practically the first prelate throughout the Eastern Orthodoxy and renowned for ambitious participation in the Chalcedonian controversy....
entered him into his diptychs as Patriarch of Alexandria.
Talaia had meanwhile fled to Rome, where he was welcomed by pope Felix III
Pope Felix III
Pope Saint Felix III was pope from March 13, 483 to january 3, 492. His repudiation of the Henoticon is considered the beginning of the Acacian schism.-Biography:...
, who refused to recognize Mongus and defended Talaia's rights in two letters to Acacius. As Acacius maintained the Henoticon and communion with Mongus, the Pope excommunicated the Patriarchs in 484. This Acacian schism
Acacian schism
The Acacian schism between the Eastern and Western Christian Churches lasted thirty-five years, from 484-519. It resulted from a drift in the leaders of Eastern Christianity toward Monophysitism, and Emperor Zeno's unsuccessful attempt to reconcile the parties with the Henotikon.-Chronology:In the...
lasted until 519.
Mongus became the chief champion of all Miaphysites. He held a synod to condemn Chalcedon, and desecrated the tombs of his two Chalcedonian predecessors Proterios and Timothy Salophakiolos. When Acacius died in 489, Mongus encouraged his successor Fravitta
Patriarch Fravitta of Constantinople
Fravitta was the patriarch of Constantinople . He is regarded as a saint, and has a feast day of February 18.-Biography:...
to maintain the schism with Rome. Fravitta's successor Euphemius sought to heal the schism by excommunicating
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
Mongus, who however died soon afterwards in 490.
Works
He is said to have written many books, of which however nothing remains. A pretended correspondence between him and Acacius (in Coptic) is proved to be spurious by AmélineauÉmile Amélineau
Émile Amélineau was a French Coptologist, archaeologist and Egyptologist. His scholarly reputation was established as an editor of previously unpublished Coptic texts...
in the "Memoires publiés par les membres de la mission archéologique française au Caire", IV (Paris, 1888), 196-228.