Elias I of Antioch facts for kids

Elias I of Antioch was a very important leader of the Syriac Orthodox Church. He was the Patriarch of Antioch and the head of the church from 709 until he died in 723. A patriarch is like the main spiritual leader of a church. The Syriac Orthodox Church honors him as a saint. His special day is celebrated on November 3.

Who Was Elias I?

Early Life and Church Role

Elias was born into a family that followed the Chalcedonian beliefs. However, he later joined the non-Chalcedonian Syriac Orthodox Church. He made this change after reading the writings of Severus of Antioch.

He became a monk at a place called the monastery of Gubo Baroyo. A monk is someone who dedicates their life to religious service. Later, around 691, he became a bishop. He was made the bishop of Apamea.

Becoming Patriarch

In 709, Elias took over from Julian III as the Patriarch of Antioch. He was officially made patriarch at the monastery of Gubo Baroyo. This important event happened in the year 709.

Important Actions as Patriarch

When Elias became patriarch, he quickly helped Denha. Denha was the archbishop of Tikrit. He had been put in prison by the previous patriarch. Elias released him from the monastery of Qenneshre.

Elias even went with Denha back to Tikrit. He wanted to make sure Denha was welcomed there. After that, Elias returned to his own home at the monastery of Gubo Baroyo.

Elias also met with the Caliph Al-Walid I. A caliph was the leader of the Muslim empire at that time. The Caliph showed great respect to Elias.

In 722, Elias dedicated a new church in Sarmada, Syria. Some local Chalcedonian Christians did not agree with this. But Elias went ahead with the dedication.

In his last year of life, Elias became the first non-Chalcedonian patriarch to enter Antioch in a long time. This was since Severus of Antioch was removed from his position in 518. Elias dedicated a new church there.

Elias passed away on October 3, 723. He was 82 years old. He was buried at the monastery of Gubo Baroyo.

What Did Elias I Write?

Defending Beliefs

When Elias was the bishop of Apamea, he wrote an important letter. This letter defended the beliefs of the Syriac Orthodox Church. It was a response to Leo, a Chalcedonian bishop from Harran.

The letter was about 40 pages long. It had twelve chapters. In his letter, Elias quoted many famous early Christian writers. These included Athanasius of Alexandria, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Cyril of Alexandria. He also mentioned other bishops from his time. Two copies of this letter still exist today.

Letters to the Clergy

As patriarch, Elias also wrote another letter. He wrote it with George, who was the bishop of Ruḥīn. This letter was sent to the church leaders in the village of Ruḥīn. Only a small part of this letter has survived.