PATRIARCH EPHRAIM OF ANTIOCH

According to the Book of Acts of the Apostles, it was in Antioch that “the disciples of the Lord Jesus were first called Christians” (Acts 11:26). Founded by the Apostle Peter, the Church of Antioch was for a long time the leader in the entire East. Before the founding of Constantinople in 330 and the proclamation of its ecclesiastical independence at the IV Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon in 451, the pastoral jurisdiction of Antioch included Asia Minor, Palestine, and other vast territories.

But from the middle of the 5th century great upheavals began for this Church. Approximately half of Syrian Christians did not accept the decision of the Council of Chalcedon on Christology. Formally joining the “Monophysite” confession, they formed their own hierarchy headed by their patriarch; since 519 they existed independently, that is, in schism. In 526, Antioch was destroyed by a terrible earthquake. Three years later, to ward off the Wrath of God, Antioch was renamed Theopolis, that is, literally from Greek, “City of God.” But this did not help, and the name did not stick.

In this difficult apocalyptic time, Saint Ephraim of Amida was elected Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch. He is named after his place of birth in the city of Amida, modern Turkish Diyarbakir, on the banks of the Tigris in the last quarter of the 5th century. Like the ancient Church Fathers Ambrose of Milan (339–397) and Paulinus of Nola (354–431), who served as provincial governors before, he was formerly an important imperial official: Prefect of Constantinople, then Minister of Finance of the Empire, and then Comes of the East. Ancient historians of the time testify to his honesty and integrity in this position. Ephraim resisted his election to the patriarchate, but yielded to the imperial will. Justinian I (527–565) actively influenced the affairs of the Church and was himself a very significant theologian. During his long, almost two decades, bishopric, from 527 to 545, Ephraim worked to restore the destroyed city. He opposed the Monophysites and suffered attacks from an angry crowd of heretics.

Once Ephraim returned one famous stylite to the communion of the Orthodox Church. “He personally went to him and asked him, and even tearfully begged him, to give up his delusion,” says the Life. Apparently, not taking the words of the Patriarch seriously, and considering him simply a high church official, the stylite suggested building a large fire and, as in the ancient lives of the saints, entering it together. Unexpectedly, Ephraim agreed, but the ascetic “did not want to leave the pillar.” Then Ephraim put his bishop’s omophorion into the fire, which remained unharmed. The Patriarch left behind many theological works, of which, unfortunately, only fragments have reached us.

In addition to the earthquake and church divisions, Antioch was then threatened by the Persians, and just a century after the patriarchate of Ephraim, the city was conquered by Arab armies. The example of the saint teaches how dangerous divisions in faith are and how destructive civil strife is. Praying with the words of the liturgy “for the unity of all,” the Church calls upon his intercession in the Heavenly Kingdom.