Antioch & Syriacondemned
Who he was
- He was Catholicos of the East, famous especially for his synod held in Seleucia-Ctesiphon in 486.
- The acts of the synod exist with signatures of Acacius and most of the Persian bishops including three metropolitans, and 21 bishops, the signatures of four of the latter being by their deputies.
- It sanctioned Nestorianism as the only correct theology and rejected contrary doctrines.
- The synod is recorded as having adopted some laws which gave metropolitans, priests, and deacons the freedom to marry even after their ordination. The laws also gave monks the freedom to change their status whenever they desired.
- The date of the synod is considered as the definitive date in the Nestorian Church.
- Barsauma of Nisibis and Acacius both were members of the School of Edessa and had followed Ibas’ teaching before the school was broken up and the Nestorianizers moved east.
- Several times, Acacius invited Barsauma of Nisibis to attend his synod, but he declined. Barsauma explained in a letter to Acacius why he could not be present.
What he wrote
- He wrote homilies about fasting, several discourses against the Orthodox faith, and some letters.
- He translated an article into Persian written by Elisha or Hosea who later became successor of Barsauma as metropolitan of Nisibis.
- He formulated some laws in his synod: - The first canon of the synod determined the identity of the Persian Church which held: “We join the diversities of the two natures in one majesty and adoration, because of the perfect and inseparable conjoining ( suna,feia ) that existed between the Godhead and the Manhood…If anyone does not keep to the confession of perfect God and perfect Man in the unity of the Person(Parsopa)of our Redeemer, let him be anathema.” - The second canon was for monks forbidding them to enter cities or villages which were under the jurisdiction of clergy. - The third canon renewed one of the laws of the synod of Beth Laphat concerning the marriage of priests - it prohibited bishops from imposing virginity upon them; it also permitted evangelic deacons to be married.