Maphrian facts for kids

The Maphrian (pronounced maph-ree-an) was a very important leader in the Syriac Orthodox Church. It was the second-highest position, just below the patriarch, who is the main head of the church. The area or office led by a maphrian was called a maphrianate.

Throughout history, there have been three main maphrianates in the Syriac Orthodox Church. There was also one, for a short time, in the Syriac Catholic Church.

The first maphrianate was called the Maphrianate of the East. It was set up in 628. This was done to help lead the Syriac Orthodox Church in places like the Sasanian Empire. These were lands outside the control of the Roman Empire. The main office of this bishop was first in Tagrit. He was the second-highest leader after the Patriarch of Antioch.

At first, this leader was called a "catholicos." This was to show they were different from a rival church leader. The name "maphrian" started to be used around the year 1100. In 1156, the maphrian's main office moved to Mosul. The Maphrianate of the East ended in 1860. This was because fewer Syriac Orthodox Christians lived in those areas. By then, it was mostly just a title.

A second maphrianate was created in 1495 in a place called Ṭur ʿAbdin. It's not fully clear what power this maphrian had. No new maphrian was chosen after the last one died in 1844.

Only one Syriac Catholic maphrian ever existed. His name was Baselios Isḥaq Jbeir. He took the title in 1693. He was chosen to be a patriarch but chose to stay a Maphrian instead.

In the 1900s, a new maphrianate started in India in 1912. This created a new church that was mostly independent. It was called the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The main Patriarch of Antioch did not recognize this church until 1958. However, things became difficult again in 1975. The Malankara Orthodox Church then separated from the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church. Since then, there have been two rival maphrianates in India. Today, the leader there is usually called the Catholicos of India.

What Does "Maphrian" Mean?

The word "maphrian" comes from the Arabic word mafiryān. This word itself comes from the Syriac word maphryono. It means "one who bears fruit" or "one who makes things grow." In a church sense, it means someone who "consecrates" or blesses bishops.

A Look Back: The History of the Maphrian

The important role of the maphrian began in the seventh century. But its roots go back to the fifth century. That's when the "Catholicos of the East" was first appointed. This was to unite Christians in the Sassanian Empire. It also helped them connect with Christians in the Roman Empire.

After the Nestorian Schism in 431, some Christian teachings were called wrong. Followers of these teachings, called Nestorians, had to move. Many went to the Sassanian Empire. Because of this, the catholicos position became more Nestorian. This forced other Christians, like the Miaphysites, to leave.

Despite this, the town of Tagrit in Mesopotamia did not become Nestorian. It became a center for Miaphysite Christians. For the Syriac Orthodox Church in the East, a "Metropolitan of the East" was created. This was done by Jacob Baradaeus. But this leader, Ahudemmeh, was executed in 575. During this time, Miaphysites faced much hardship. The Sassanians suspected them of supporting the Byzantines. This was because their church leader lived in Byzantine lands. Nestorians at the Shah's court also encouraged this suspicion.

The Persians often captured people from Roman lands. They brought many back as enslaved people. This included Byzantines, Egyptians, and Syrians. This increased the number of Miaphysites in Persia. These Miaphysites were under the Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan of the East. But in 624, the position was empty for five years.

After a long war ended in 628, a new leader was chosen. In 629, the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Athanasius I Gammolo appointed Marutha of Tagrit. He became the first maphrian. His job was to organize the Miaphysites in the Sassanian Empire. He worked from Tagrit, which was a strong Miaphysite area.

Marutha of Tagrit was very successful. He had help from the king's doctor, Gabriel de Shiggar. This doctor had the full trust of Queen Shirin. This allowed Marutha to rebuild churches and lead the church. He also did important missionary work. He spread the Syriac Orthodox faith among Arabs and along the Tigris River. With the maphrian's appointment, the church in Persia gained more independence. This helped improve the standing of Miaphysites in the Persian Empire. It also helped show they were not favoring the Byzantines.

Over time, the relationship between the Maphrian and the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch became difficult. Sometimes, this led to disagreements and interference in elections. In 869, a meeting called the Council of Capharthutha was held. Its goal was to set rules for their relationship. The Council decided that the patriarch would consecrate the Maphrian. In return, the Maphrian would consecrate a new Patriarch. Both leaders agreed not to interfere in each other's work.

However, Maphrians often had disagreements with bishops in their own areas. For example, the leader of the Monastery of Mar Mattai was jealous of Tagrit's influence. The maphrianate was based in Tagrit until 1089. Then, the main cathedral was destroyed. The office moved to Mosul. The maphrian returned to Tagrit in 1152. He united the two areas of Nineveh and Tagrit. But he was forced to move permanently to the Monastery of Mar Mattai in 1155. He still kept control over Tagrit and Nineveh.

From 1533, the title changed to the "Maphrian of Mosul." This was to tell it apart from a new office, the Maphrian of Tur Abdin. Over time, fewer Syriac Orthodox Christians lived in Mesopotamia. The maphrianate lost its original importance. It became mostly a title for the second-highest church office. It was finally ended in 1860.

In 1975, the title was used again. It was for the regional head of the Syriac Orthodox Church in India. The current Maphrian there is Baselios Thomas I.

Where the Maphrian Had Influence

The Maphrianate of the East oversaw many church areas. Here are some of the places that were under its care at different times:

See Also

• List of maphrians