The Syrian Orthodox Church

By H.H. MOR IGNATIUS YACOUB III (1980+)

THE VICTORY OF ITS DOCTRINE

The Syrian Orthodox Church, even in the intensity of persecutions, was armed with the power of truth in conducting discussions with its persecutors, and thus achieved its goal. On the 15th and the 26th of March 533 Emperor Justinian issued two edicts explaining his point of view in the controversy regarding the one or two natures. He emphasised the one-ness of the person of our Lord Jesus Christ and maintained the expression " Theopaschits", the suffering of God. These edicts were examined and approved by John II the Pope of Rome. In 544 Justinian issued another edict against the "Three Chapters" the writings of the Nestorian leaders - Theodore of Mopsuestia, Theodoret of Cyrus and Hiba of Edessa - whom the Council of Chalcedon declared Orthodox without condemning their teachings and writings. This edict was signed by the Chalcedonian Patriarchs, Mina of Constantinople, Zwilas of Alexandria, Ephraim of Antioch and Peter of Jerusalem. He boldly declared that "Dioscorus did not commit any error in the faith". Such declaration was made by Anatoliusa, Patriarch of Constantinople, in 451 in the fifth session of the Council of Chalcedon. The Emperor, after issuing this edict, convened a local Council in Constantinople, in which those three "Chapters" were condemned. Among those who signed the decision was Vigilius, Pope of Rome, who was in Constantinople due to the plague in Italy. The Western bishops considered this as a step against the Council of Chalcedon. In 553 Justinian convened in Constantinople the fifth general Council under the presidentship of Eutyches, the Patriarch of Constantinople, and by the approval of Vigilius of Rome. This Council condemned the above-mentioned Nestorian leaders and their writings and those who accepted or may accept them and passed the following article:

This article was a stab to the heart of the Council of Chalcedon on one hand and a victorious triumph for the Doctrine of The Syrian Orthodox Church on the other.

© 1995 - 2008 Syrian Orthodox Church

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