Ignatius Gregory Peter VI Shahbaddin
Encyclopedia
Mar Ignatius Gregory Peter VI Shahbaddin (died 1702) was the Patriarch
of the Syriac Catholic Church
from 1678 to 1702. His death in tragic circumstances marked the end of the first attempt of union between the Syriac Church and the Catholic Church.
Patriarch Ignatius Abdul Masih I was the leader of the Orthodox faction and since 1662 opposed the pro-Catholic Patriarch Ignatius Andrew Akijan. At the death of Andrew Akijan, in July 1677, he mislead the pro-Catholic faction professing himself in communion
with the Catholic Church in order to be elected as Patriarch, but as soon as he obtained the firman of appointment by the Ottoman Sultan, he did a complete about-face. Thus the pro-Catholic faction in Aleppo
elected in his place his nephew, Shahbaddin, who had became a supporter of Andrew Akijan.
, the confirmation as Patriarch from the Sultan, and he was enthroned on 2 April 1678. He was later confirmed also by Pope Innocent XI
who granted him the Pallium
, the sign of patriarchal authority, on 12 June 1679.
The next years were deeply marked by the clashes between the opposite factions, the pro-Catholic and the pro-Orthodox, who both tried to win over to their side the Ottoman
authorities. This resulted in five depositions and re-instalment of Shahbaddin. Year after year the Ottoman authorities took a stand in favour of the pro-Orthodox faction, and the clashes soon degraded in a true persecution from the Orthodox Syrians towards the pro-Catholic party.
In 1696 Shahbaddin, with Archbishop Gregory Isho (Josue) of Jerusalem, traveled to Rome
to raise funds. In Rome they met Pope Innocent XII
and they remained there till 1700 when, through the support of Leopold I, Emperor of Austria and of Louis XIV of France
, they could reach Istanbul
. Shahbaddin was thus re-installed on 1 March 1701 for the fifth time as Syrian Patriarch in Aleppo.
. Bishop Amin Kahn Risqallah died the same day he arrived in the castle, on 18 November, because of the wounds suffered during the march, and the others captives were kept imprisoned for some months.
Notwithstanding the fierce complaints of the Western rules, Shahbaddin was not released, and on 4 March 1702 he was offered a coffee by the commanding officer of the castle, and in the same night he died, quite surely poisoned.
and Archbishop of Nineveh
Basil Ishaq ibn Jubair (or Isaac Basilios Joubeir, c. 1645 — 1721), who at the time was in Istanbul in the French consulate. He was later confirmed confirmed as Patriarch on 17 November 1704 by Rome
. He anyway did not accepted the title and considered himself only as Maphrian
, waiting for a better time. In 1706 he moved to Rome where he died on 18 May 1721. The Syrian Catholic Church had a new Patriarch only in 1783 with Ignatius Michael III Jarweh.
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
of the Syriac Catholic Church
Syriac Catholic Church
The Syriac Catholic Church is a Christian church in the Levant having practices and rites in common with the Syriac Orthodox Church. They are one of the Eastern Catholic Churches following the Antiochene rite, the Syriac tradition of Antioch, along with the Maronites and Syro-Malankara Christians...
from 1678 to 1702. His death in tragic circumstances marked the end of the first attempt of union between the Syriac Church and the Catholic Church.
Life
Gregory Peter Shahbaddin, possibly born about 1641, was the nephew of Patriarch Ignatius Abdul Masih I and he became the Syrian Archbishop of Jerusalem in 1662.Patriarch Ignatius Abdul Masih I was the leader of the Orthodox faction and since 1662 opposed the pro-Catholic Patriarch Ignatius Andrew Akijan. At the death of Andrew Akijan, in July 1677, he mislead the pro-Catholic faction professing himself in communion
Full communion
In Christian ecclesiology, full communion is a relationship between church organizations or groups that mutually recognize their sharing the essential doctrines....
with the Catholic Church in order to be elected as Patriarch, but as soon as he obtained the firman of appointment by the Ottoman Sultan, he did a complete about-face. Thus the pro-Catholic faction in Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
elected in his place his nephew, Shahbaddin, who had became a supporter of Andrew Akijan.
Patriarch
After election, Shahbaddin obtained, also thanks to the French ConsulConsul (representative)
The political title Consul is used for the official representatives of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between the peoples of the two countries...
, the confirmation as Patriarch from the Sultan, and he was enthroned on 2 April 1678. He was later confirmed also by Pope Innocent XI
Pope Innocent XI
Blessed Pope Innocent XI , born Benedetto Odescalchi, was Pope from 1676 to 1689.-Early life:Benedetto Odescalchi was born at Como in 1611 , the son of a Como nobleman, Livio Odescalchi, and Paola Castelli Giovanelli from Gandino...
who granted him the Pallium
Pallium
The pallium is an ecclesiastical vestment in the Roman Catholic Church, originally peculiar to the Pope, but for many centuries bestowed by him on metropolitans and primates as a symbol of the jurisdiction delegated to them by the Holy See. In that context it has always remained unambiguously...
, the sign of patriarchal authority, on 12 June 1679.
The next years were deeply marked by the clashes between the opposite factions, the pro-Catholic and the pro-Orthodox, who both tried to win over to their side the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
authorities. This resulted in five depositions and re-instalment of Shahbaddin. Year after year the Ottoman authorities took a stand in favour of the pro-Orthodox faction, and the clashes soon degraded in a true persecution from the Orthodox Syrians towards the pro-Catholic party.
In 1696 Shahbaddin, with Archbishop Gregory Isho (Josue) of Jerusalem, traveled to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
to raise funds. In Rome they met Pope Innocent XII
Pope Innocent XII
Pope Innocent XII , born Antonio Pignatelli, was Pope from 1691 to 1700.-Biography:He was born in Spinazzola to one of the most aristocratic families of the Kingdom of Naples, which included many Viceroys, and ministers to the crown, and was educated at the Jesuit college in Rome.In his twentieth...
and they remained there till 1700 when, through the support of Leopold I, Emperor of Austria and of Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
, they could reach Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
. Shahbaddin was thus re-installed on 1 March 1701 for the fifth time as Syrian Patriarch in Aleppo.
Tragic end
This last re-instalment ended in tragedy after a few months due to the persecutions from the pro-Orthodox faction and the Ottoman authorities. On 27 August 1701 Shahbaddin, the Archbishop Dionysius Amin Kahn Risqallah of Aleppo, and most of the clergy were arrested, beaten and imprisoned. On 10 November 1701 they were transferred with a forced march from Aleppo to the castle of AdanaAdana
Adana is a city in southern Turkey and a major agricultural and commercial center. The city is situated on the Seyhan River, 30 kilometres inland from the Mediterranean, in south-central Anatolia...
. Bishop Amin Kahn Risqallah died the same day he arrived in the castle, on 18 November, because of the wounds suffered during the march, and the others captives were kept imprisoned for some months.
Notwithstanding the fierce complaints of the Western rules, Shahbaddin was not released, and on 4 March 1702 he was offered a coffee by the commanding officer of the castle, and in the same night he died, quite surely poisoned.
Successive events
After Shahbaddin's death on 4 March 1702, the clergy remained in prison in Adana till early 1704. During their captivity, on 23 November 1703, they elected as new Patriarch the maphrianMaphrian
The Maphrian was historically the prelate in the Syriac Orthodox Church who ranked second in the hierarchy after the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch. The Maphrian, whose title literally means "one who bears fruit", i.e. "consecrator", was originally the head of the church in Persia and the...
and Archbishop of Nineveh
Nineveh
Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, and capital of the Neo Assyrian Empire. Its ruins are across the river from the modern-day major city of Mosul, in the Ninawa Governorate of Iraq....
Basil Ishaq ibn Jubair (or Isaac Basilios Joubeir, c. 1645 — 1721), who at the time was in Istanbul in the French consulate. He was later confirmed confirmed as Patriarch on 17 November 1704 by Rome
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. He anyway did not accepted the title and considered himself only as Maphrian
Maphrian
The Maphrian was historically the prelate in the Syriac Orthodox Church who ranked second in the hierarchy after the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch. The Maphrian, whose title literally means "one who bears fruit", i.e. "consecrator", was originally the head of the church in Persia and the...
, waiting for a better time. In 1706 he moved to Rome where he died on 18 May 1721. The Syrian Catholic Church had a new Patriarch only in 1783 with Ignatius Michael III Jarweh.