Oriental Orthodox Saints who Accepted the Council of Chalcedon
A Note on the Ancient Sources
The Ethiopian Synaxarion
The Ethiopian Synaxarium is based on the MSS. British Musuem Orient 660 [dated 1654], and 661 [dated 1655] and can be found in Budge's The Book of the Saints.
The Syriac Menologion
The Syriac Menologion as found in Graffin and Nau, Patrologia Orientalis, Volume 10 uses the following MSS.: Paris Syriac 146 (17th cent), Vatican Syriac 69 (A.D. 1547), and British Library Add. 17232 (10-11th cent).
The Armenian Synaxarion
The Armenian Synaxarium is based on Bayan's version found in multiple volumes of Graffin and Nau's Patrologia Orientalis. Bayan's text is based on two manuscripts, A & B. Bayan believed that A (Paris Arm. 180) was that of Ter Israel (hence why his Synaxarion is called the Synaxarion of Ter Israel) but it actually is that of Kirakos and dated to 1269. B is the Synaxarion that was printed in Constantinople in 1834, with the text itself coming from a version of the Synaxarion commissioned ca. 1287 by the future Catholicos of Armenia, Grigor VII {Brock, 'Armenian Synaxarion', p. 393}.
The Catholicos of Armenia Grigor VII (1293─1307) held to a Chalcedonian persuasion and harmonized the Armenian Synaxarion with Greek and Latin versions. This Synaxarion, wrongly introduced as that of Ter Israel, has become the Textus Receptus in the Armenian Church, and was unaffected by the liturgical reforms undertaken by Catholicos Simeon Erewanits'i between 1770 & 1775 {Terian, 'Earliest Edition', p. 7}.
The Saints
Empress Eudocia
Empress Eudocia was the wife of Emperor Theodosius II. After being accused of adultery, she moved to Jerusalem and pursued a devoutly religious life, sponsoring much of the religious activity of Jerusalem. After the Council of Chalcedon, she intially (under the guidance of a monk named Theodosius) sponsored anti-Chalcedon activity in the region of Palestine. This she did for some time, until she was convinced by the Chalcedonian monk Euthymius to "accept the definition issued by the Ecumenical Council that lately gathered at Chalcedon" {Price, tr., Cyril, p. 45}.
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 5, p. 369 (3rd Navasard = 13th August) [MSS. A + B]
Simeon the Stylite
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Simeon the Stylite is a revered saint in the Chalcedonian and Oriental Orthodox Churches, and is claimed by both to have either supported or condemned Chalcedon.
Three Lives of Symeon have come down to us:
- The Life by Theodoret of Cyrus
- The Life by Simeon's disciple, Antonius
- The Life by an anonymous Syriac writer
None of these lives give us Simeon's attitude to Chalcedon. Theodoret perhaps wrote his
Life of Simeon prior to Chalcedon; writing after would imply that Simeon was a dyophysite, for why would Theodoret endorse someone who condemned and rejected Chalcedon as a great saint of the Church? The Anonymous Syriac
Life is seemingly from a Chalcedonian perspective given that it refers to Emperor Leo as "the Christian [and] beliv[ing]" emperor {Doran, tr.,
Lives of Simeon, p, 194} gives no clear expression of Symeon endorsing Chalcedon. The
Life by Antonius ignores Chalcedon and the fallout as well.
The silence of the Lives on the issue is interesting. Were they attempting to cover Simeon's anti-Chalcedonian beliefs by omission? Did they fear that his pro or anti Chalcedonian beliefs could be condemned by the Church universal in the coming years and would hence completely ruin the great ascetic's reputation? Or was Simeon's Chalcedonian belief a minor point in his attitude and life?
An argument used to suggest that Simeon rejected Chalcedon is his relationship with the Syrian Monk Barsauma. This monk, who actively opposed Chalcedon, had a Life of his own written about him. According to the Life of Barsauma, Simeon had a conversation with an angel who told him that a man of greater holiness was approaching:
The
angel of the Lord appeared to [Simeon] in the night, saying: “Why do you think that you are the most excellent of the righteous? No one on earth
in this generation can compete for righteousness with Barsauma, who
lives on a high mountain on the frontier with Armenia. {Palmer, Life of Barsauma, pp. 36─37}
The two then meet. Interestingly, no words of Barsauma to Simeon are recorded, but Simeon's praise for Barsauma is recorded:
When Barsauma was about to enter
the enclosure through the gate, the righteous Simeon stretched out his
two arms to welcome him. Then Simeon lifted up his voice and cried out: “Welcome, servant of the living God! Blessed was your departure and blessed is your
return! Praise to Christ who heeded my sinful voice and deemed me
worthy to see your face!” {Palmer, Life of Barsauma, p. 47}
Barsauma is not mentioned in any of the Lives of Simeon. The scholar Matti Moosa refers to an unpublished MS. of the Life of Simeon that supposedly mentions Barsauma, but it seems that Moosa made a mistake in taking the engagements between Barsauma and Simeon in the Life of Barsauma and confused the two {Menze, "Introduction", p. 12, n. 41}. The engagements between Barsauma and Simeon only occur in the Lives of Barsauma; the Lives of Simeon make no reference to Barsauma. This points towards the idea that Simeon's interactions with Barsauma are a fiction intended to bolster the holiness of Barsauma.
Nevertheless, even assuming that the accounts given in the Life of Barsauma are authentic, this would not prove that Simeon was anti-Chalcedonian. All the interactions betwen Simeon and Barsauma occur before the Council of Ephesus in 449, with no interaction between the two after the Council of Chalcedon. The silence of the Life of Barsauma is interesting. It could be because the author of the Life of Barsauma was hearing reports (if the Life of Barsauma was written when Simeon was alive) that Simeon had accepted Chalcedon, he could then have fabricated the angelic visitations and the interactions between Simeon and Barsauma to promote Barsauma over Simeon in holiness and thus Anti-Chalcedon over Chalcedon; if the interactions between the two were genuine, then the author of the Life of Barsauma could still have been ignoring the reports that Simeon had accepted Chalcedon. The words that Simeon spoke to Barsauma could easily have been hyperbolic words of praise from ascetic to another who travelled to meet with him.
Three letters have come down in Syriac that purport to be from Simeon in which he explicitly condemns Chalcedon. However, it would appear that the letters are forgeries written down by Miaphysites eager to recruit Simeon to their side {Torrey, 'The Letters of Simeon the Stylite'}. Supporting Torrey is Paul Naaman who says that the second of the letters (the one to Mar Jacob") is a "forge[ry] by the Monophysites" {Naaman, The Maronites, p. 77}
In contrast to to the forged letters, Torrey gives reasons that push Simeon towards the Chalcedonian camp that are to be found in his article. They appear to me to be sound in pushing forward Simeon's acceptance of Chalcedon.
The lack of clear Chalcedonian or Anti-Chalcedonian views taken by Simeon after Chalcedon in the sources hints that Simeon was not a fervent or perhaps even clear advocate of one side of the other. It is easy to see that this ascetic monk, heartbroken at the division caused by Chalcedon, could choose to distance himself from the debate and focus on his own salvation. That being said the evidence, in my eyes, points towards Simeon accepting Chalcedon, despite himself not being a clear or enthusiastic proponent of it.
Daniel the Stylite
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The Life of Daniel relates that Daniel was a supporter of the council of Chalcedon. He famously stepped down from his pillar and went into the city of Constantinople to protest against the Emperor Basilicus' Encyclical that condemned Chalcedon.
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 18, p. 22 (3rd of Kalotz = 11th of December) [MSs. A + B]
Syriac:
PO, Vol. 10, pp. (11th of December) [MS. Paris Syr. 146] <Patriarch Meletius, and Daniel>, 116 (11th December) [MS. 17232] <Saint Daniel>; Rajan,
Martyrs, pp. 121─123 (11th of December)
Theodosius the Cenobiarch
Theodosius declared: "If anyone does not accept the four councils [Nicaea, Constantinople, Ephesus, Chalcedon] like the four Gospels, let him be anathema" {Price, tr., Cyril, p. 161}
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 19, pp. 20─21 (4th of Aratz = 11th of January) [MSS. A + B]
Sabas the Sanctified
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., Vol. 16, p. 167 (27th of Tre = 5th of December) [MSS. A + B]
Euthymius the Great
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 19, pp. 62─63 (13th of Aratz = 20th of January) [MSS. A + B]
Theoctistus
Associate of Euthymius the Great.
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 5, p. 488 (24th of Navasard = 3rd of September) [MS. B]
Romanos the Melodist
According to Andrew Louth "The Christology of the kontakia of Romanos is Chalcedonian" {Louth, 'Christology', p. 144}.
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 6, p. 328 (25th of Hori = 4th of October) [MSS. A + B]
Benedict of Nursia
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 21, pp. 188─190 (13th of Areg = 21 of March) [MSS. A + B]
Pope Agapitus I
The account given by the Armenian Synaxarion says that Agapitus had "divine doctrine" which "completely anathematised Severus of Antioch".
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 21, pp. 320─322 (12th of Ahekan = 19th of April) [MSS. A+B].
John the Silent
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 21, pp. 458─462 (8th of Mareri = 15th of May) [MSS. A + B]
Simeon the Stylite the Younger
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 21, pp. 495─501 (19th of Mareri = 26th of May) [MSS. A + B]
Patriarch John IV "The Faster" of Constantinople
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 5, pp. 478 (23rd of Navarsard = 2nd of September) [MS. A] & 482─483 [MS. B] (23rd of Navasard = 2nd of September)
Pope Gregory I "The Dialogist" of Rome & Emperor Justinian
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 21, pp. 159─162
Pope John V "The Almsgiver" of Alexandria
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 16, pp. 12─16 (3rd of Tre = 11th of November) [MSS. A + B]
Eithiopian: Budge, Vol. 1, pp. 250─251 (16th of Kedar = 12th of November).
Gregory of Agrigento
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 16, pp. 85─106 (15th of Tre = 23rd of November) [MSS. A + B]
Theodore of Sykeon
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 21, pp. 328─335 (15th of Ahekan = 22nd of April) [MSS. A + B]
Maximus the Confessor
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Maximus taught that Jesus Christ was "in the duality of his natures" {DelCogliano, ed., Early Christian Writings, Vol. 4, p. 507}.
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 5, p. 369 (3rd of Navarsard = 13th of August) [MSS. A + B]
Syriac: PO, Vol. 10, pp. 70 (20th January) [MSS. Paris Syr. 146 + Vatican Syr. 69] <Maximus, Confessor>, 118 (20th January) [MS. 17232] <Maximus, Confessor>; Rajan, Martyrs, pp. 306─307.
Pope Martin
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 6, p. 242 (7th of Hori = 16th of September) [MS. B]
Eumenius of Gortyna
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 6, p. 255 (9th of Hori = 18th of September) [MS. B]
The Saving of the City of Constantinople during the reign of Heraclius
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 21, p. (2nd of Avelats = 7th of August) [MS. B]
Sophronius of Jerusalem
"[I] teach that Christ is in two natures" {Allen, ed. and tr., Sophronius, p. 97}.
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 21, p. 64 (11th of Maheki = 17th of February) [MS. B]
Germanus of Constantinople
Armenian: Griffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 21, pp. 434─436 (3rd of Mareri = 10th of May) [MSS. A + B]
John of Damascus
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John was a believer of Jesus Christ being in two natures: "we confess one Person of the Son of God incarnate in two natures that remain perfect"{Chase Jr., tr., Writings, p. 273}. He also fully upheld Chalcedon: "[The Monophysites] wrote many things against the inspired council of the 630 Fathers of Chalcedon" {Chase Jr., tr., Writings, p. 139}.
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 16, p. 164 (26th of Tre = 4th of December) [MS. B]
Eithiopian: Budge, Book of the Saints, Vol. 2, pp. 348─350.
Syriac: Rajan, Martyrs, pp. 243─235
Tarasius of Constantinople
"[Since I believe that Christ is] in two natures, I anathematize Eutyches, Dioscorus, and all their headless multitude, together with Severos, pursued by God, and the lawless Julian of Halicarnassus" {Price, tr., Nicaea, pp. 212─213}.
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 21, p. 94 (19th of Mehaki = 25th of February) [MS. B]
The Seventh Ecumenical Council
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 15, p. 302 (2nd of Samhi = 11th of October) [MSS. A + B]
All the fathers of Nicaea II were Chalcedonian. What is also important to notice is that it implies that the Councils of Chalcedon, Constantinople II, and Constantinople III are the fourth, fifth, and sixth ecumenical councils respectively.
Stephen the Monk of Constantinople
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 19, p. 37 (7th of Aratz = 14th of January) [MS. B]
Stephen of Triglia
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 5, p. 488 (24th of Navarsard = 3rd of September) [MS. B]
Theophylact of Nicomedia
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 21, p. 140 (30th of Meheki = 8th of March) [MSS. A + B]
Luke the Stylite
The evidence for him being an adherent of Chalcedon comes from the Coptic Synaxarium. The Synaxarium says that the following happened after Luke's death.
His disciple went and told the Patriarch about his departure. The Patriarch went with the priests, crosses and censors and came to where the body of the saint was. They carried him to Constantinople on the third day of his departure, with hymns and prayers, and they placed him in the sanctuary and that was on the 17th day of Kiahk. After they prayed on him the third day prayer and the believers present received the blessing of his pure body, they put him in a marble sarcophagus next to the bodies of the saints. God revealed many signs and miracles from his body. {Coptic Synaxarium, p. 232}
This account is reiterated near verbatim by the Ethiopian Synaxarium {Budge, Book of the Saints, Vol. 2, p. 387─388} Which is itself based on the Jacobite-Arabic Synaxarium {Graffin & Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 3, pp. 468 & 474─475}.
Going solely by the account as given by the Coptic/Eithiopic Synaxarium, it seems that the Patriarch in question could only be the Eastern Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople. The most likely situation explanation is that Luke, who was a soldier in the Byzantine army and fought the Bulgarians, who resided outside of the Imperial City, whose disciple asked the Patriarch of the same city to bury him with honours with the other saints, could only have done so if he was a Chalcedonian.
Luke of Steiris
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 21, p. 6 (1st of Meheki = 8th of February) [MS. B]
Ignatius of Constantinople
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 15, p. 365 (15th of Samhi = 24th of October) [MS. B]
Zosimus of Syracuse
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 21, p. 24 (5th of Meheki = 12th of February) [MSS. A + B]
The Transfer of the Body of Saint Lazarus to Constantinople under Emperor Leo VI
This event remembers the time in which Emperor Leo VI translated the relics of Saint Lazarus to Constantinople. What is interesting is that the emperor is praised as a Christian and pious emperor, despite him being a Chalcedonian.
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 15, p. 328 <by the order of the pious emperor Leo> (8th of Samhi = 17th of October) [MS. B]
Coptic: Coptic Synaxarium, p. 97 (21st of Baba) <one of the Christian emperors>
Eithiopian: Budge, Saints, Vol. 1, p. 177 (21st of Takemt = 18th of October) <Salutation to the emperor who translated the body of Lazarus from Cyprus>
Boris and Gleb
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 21, pp. 397─404 (28th of Ahekan = 5th of May) [MSS. A + B]
Thomas Becket
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 21, pp. 404─408 (28th of Ahekan = 5th of May) [MSS. A + B]
Emperor Constantine and Empress Irene
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 21, p. 537 <during the days of the pious emperor Constantine, and Irene> [MSS. A + B]
Emperor Manuel I Komnenos
Armenian: Graffin and Nau, eds., PO, Vol. 21, pp. 604─606 (16th of Margats = 22nd of June) [MS. B]
Bibliography
Allen, Pauline, ed. and tr., Sophronius of Jerusalem and Seventh-Century Heresy (Oxford: 2009)
Brock, Sebastian, 'Ephrem and the Persian Martyrs in the Armenian Synaxarion', in Federico Alpi et al., eds., Armenia through the Lens of Time (Leiden: 2022)
Budge, E. A. Wallis, The Book of the Saints of the Ethiopian Church,
Volume 1 (Cambridge: 1928)
Volume 2 (Cambridge: 1928)
Chase Jr., Frederic H., tr., Saint John of Damascus: Writings (Washington, D.C.: 1958)
Coptic Synaxarium: Lives of Saints (Oxford Publishing House: 2006)
DelCogliano, Mark, ed., The Cambridge Edition of Early Christian Writings, Volume 4 (Cambridge: 2022)
Doran, Robert, tr., The Lives of Simeon Stylites (Kalamazoo, Michigan: 1992)
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Louth, Andrew, 'Christology in the East from the Council of Chalcedon to John Damascene', in Francesca Aran Murphy, The Oxford Handbook of Christology (Oxford: 2015)
Menze, Volker, "Introduction", in Volker Menze and Johannes Hahn, eds., The Wandering Holy Man (Oakland, California: 2010)
Naaman, Abbot Paul, The Maronites: The Origins of an Antiochene Church (Collegeville, Minnesota: 2011)
Palmer, Andrew N., tr., The Life of the Syrian Saint Barsauma (Oakland, California: 2020)
Price, Richard, The Acts of the Second Council of Nicaea (787) (Liverpool: 2020)
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Rajan, Cor-Episcopo K. Mani, Martyrs, Saints & Prelates of The Syriac Orthodox Church: One Volume (Puthencruz, Kerala: 2017)
Terian, Abraham, 'Peter, Paul, and Related Accounts in the Earliest Edition of the Armenian Synaxarion', in St. Nersess Theological Review, Volumes 5─6 (2000─2001)
