Pope Damian of Alexandria
Encyclopedia
Pope Damian of Alexandria was the 35th Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria
(reigned 569 - 605). He is regarded as a saint
by the Coptic Orthodox Church, with a feast day of 18 Ba'unah
, that is, 25 June.
Originally from Syria, where his brother was a prefect in Edessa
, he became a monk in his early years and spent sixteen years in the Egyptian desert of Scete
, where he was ordained a deacon in the monastery of St. John the Short
. Afterward, he went to a monastery near Alexandria
and continued to practice asceticism
.
When Pope Peter IV of Alexandria was enthroned on the See of St. Mark, he made Damian a private secretary, during which Damian earned much esteem for his goodness. After Peter's death in 569, the bishops unanimously agreed to ordain him a patriarch
. In addition to pastoring the church, he wrote many epistles and discourses, including a reaffirmation of the miaphysite and non-Chalcedonian
views. He reigned for almost thirty-six years.
by traveling secretly to Antioch to install a replacement Patriarch. Although this action did not have the support of all the Syrian bishops, Damian had enough support to convene a meeting and choose a replacement. However, the Chalcedonian
patriarch, probably Gregory of Antioch
, discovered the plan and prevented it, forcing Damian and his colleagues to flee. Damian then went to Constantinople
, where he consecrated some bishops and took part in a church council, which he later repudiated.
The Synaxarium
entry for Damian recounts the following two theological controversies in which he was involved:
Damian was very active in fighting views that he considered heretical, including not only tritheism, but also the Chalcedonians, Pope Leo's Tome, Bishop Julian of Halicarnassus
, the Agnoetae
, the Meletians
, the Acephali
, the Gaianites (supporters of a rival to Theodosius I), Stephen of Alexandria
and Paul of Beth Ukame. Although most of Damian's writings are lost, he did influence many writers in his own time, such as John of Parallos
, who, like Damian, focused on combating heresy.
Patriarch of Alexandria
The Patriarch of Alexandria is the Archbishop of Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt. Historically, this office has included the designation of Pope , and did so earlier than that of the Bishop of Rome...
(reigned 569 - 605). He is regarded as a saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
by the Coptic Orthodox Church, with a feast day of 18 Ba'unah
Paoni
Paoni , also known as Baona, is the tenth month of the Coptic calendar. It lies between June 8 and July 7 of the Gregorian calendar...
, that is, 25 June.
Originally from Syria, where his brother was a prefect in Edessa
Edessa
Edessa may refer to:*Edessa, Greece*Edessa, Mesopotamia, now Şanlıurfa, Turkey*County of Edessa, a crusader state*Osroene, an ancient kingdom and province of the Roman Empire...
, he became a monk in his early years and spent sixteen years in the Egyptian desert of Scete
Wadi El Natrun
Wadi El Natrun is a valley located in Beheira Governorate, Egypt, including a town with the same name. The name refers to the presence of eight different lakes in the region that produce natron salt. In Christian literature, the region is also referred to as the Nitrian Desert...
, where he was ordained a deacon in the monastery of St. John the Short
John the Dwarf
Saint John the Dwarf , also called Saint John Colobus or Saint John Kolobos, was an Egyptian Desert Father of the early Christian church.-Life:John the Dwarf was born in the town of Basta in Egypt to poor Christian parents...
. Afterward, he went to a monastery near Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
and continued to practice asceticism
Asceticism
Asceticism describes a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from various sorts of worldly pleasures often with the aim of pursuing religious and spiritual goals...
.
When Pope Peter IV of Alexandria was enthroned on the See of St. Mark, he made Damian a private secretary, during which Damian earned much esteem for his goodness. After Peter's death in 569, the bishops unanimously agreed to ordain him a patriarch
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...
. In addition to pastoring the church, he wrote many epistles and discourses, including a reaffirmation of the miaphysite and non-Chalcedonian
Non-Chalcedonian
Non-Chalcedonianism is the view of those churches that accepted the First Council of Ephesus of 431, but, for varying reasons, did not accept allegiance to the Council of Chalcedon following it in 451. The most substantial Non-Chalcedonian tradition is known as Oriental Orthodoxy...
views. He reigned for almost thirty-six years.
Controversies
While serving as Patriarch, Damian performed some controversial actions in trying to complete his predecessor's attempt to depose Patriarch Paul II of AntiochPaul the Black of Alexandria
Paul II or Paul the Black of Alexandria was the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch during 550—575. He became a monk at the Outer Monastery of Gubba Baraya. He studied the literatures of both the Greek and the Syriac languages. He later became a secretary to the Patriarch Theodosius I of...
by traveling secretly to Antioch to install a replacement Patriarch. Although this action did not have the support of all the Syrian bishops, Damian had enough support to convene a meeting and choose a replacement. However, the Chalcedonian
Chalcedonian
Chalcedonian describes churches and theologians which accept the definition given at the Council of Chalcedon of how the divine and human relate in the person of Jesus Christ...
patriarch, probably Gregory of Antioch
Gregory of Antioch
Gregory of Antioch was the Greek Patriarch of Antioch from 571 to 593.Gregory of Antioch began as a monk in the monastery of the Byzantines in Jerusalem, or so we learn from Evagrius Scholasticus. He was transferred by the emperor Justin II to Sinai. He was abbot there when the monastery was...
, discovered the plan and prevented it, forcing Damian and his colleagues to flee. Damian then went to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, where he consecrated some bishops and took part in a church council, which he later repudiated.
The Synaxarium
Synaxarium
Synaxarion, Synexarion, pl. Synaxaria —Latin: Synaxarium, Synexarium—the name given in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches to a compilation of hagiographies corresponding roughly to the martyrology of the Roman Church.There are two kinds of synaxaria:*Simple...
entry for Damian recounts the following two theological controversies in which he was involved:
- The first involved some followers of Melitius El-Assyuty who drank wine before Communion, claiming that Jesus had given the disciples two cups at the Last SupperLast SupperThe Last Supper is the final meal that, according to Christian belief, Jesus shared with his Twelve Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. The Last Supper provides the scriptural basis for the Eucharist, also known as "communion" or "the Lord's Supper".The First Epistle to the Corinthians is...
and that only for the second did he say "This is My Blood." Damian explained that the first cup was the cup of the Jewish passover, which Jesus nullified with the second cup. Damian also informed them that the church canonsCanon lawCanon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
ban those that eat before communion from partaking of the Eucharist. Damian's counsel persuaded some, but those who rejected his teaching were driven away.
- The second involves Damian's dialogue with Patriarch Peter of AntiochPeter of CallinicumPeter of Callinicum or Peter III of Raqqa was the non-Chalcedonian 39th patriarch of Antioch who responded at length in Syriac to accusations of tritheism formulated by his colleague Damian of Alexandria in his Adversus Tritheistas or Many-lined Letter...
, in which Damian accused his colleague of tritheismTritheismTritheism is the belief that there are three distinct, powerful gods, who form a triad. Generally three gods are envisaged as having separate powers and separate supreme beings or spheres of influence but working together...
and was in turn accused of SabellianismSabellianismIn Christianity, Sabellianism, is the nontrinitarian belief that the Heavenly Father, Resurrected Son and Holy Spirit are different modes or aspects of one God, as perceived by the believer, rather than three distinct persons in God Himself.The term Sabellianism comes from...
. Although Damian pulled support for his understanding of the Trinity from the Bible and from the teaching of the early church fathersChurch FathersThe Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, Christian Fathers, or Fathers of the Church were early and influential theologians, eminent Christian teachers and great bishops. Their scholarly works were used as a precedent for centuries to come...
, he was never able to persuade Peter and, as a result, he ordered that Peter's name not be mentioned in the Divine LiturgyDivine LiturgyDivine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy. As such, it is used in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches. Armenian Christians, both of the Armenian Apostolic Church and of the Armenian Catholic Church, use the same term...
while Peter remained alive. The schism between the Alexandrian and Antiochene churches lasted for almost a decade after Damian's death.
Damian was very active in fighting views that he considered heretical, including not only tritheism, but also the Chalcedonians, Pope Leo's Tome, Bishop Julian of Halicarnassus
Aphthartodocetae
The Aphthartodocetae were members of a 6th century Non-Chalcedonian sect. Their leader Julian, Bishop of Halicarnassus taught that Christ's body was always incorruptible...
, the Agnoetae
Agnoetae
Agnoetae was a general name given to those heretical sects which in one form or another denied the divine omniscience either of the incarnate Christ or of God the Father....
, the Meletians
Meletians
The Meletians were one of a large group of denominations in early Christian history. The point with which they broke with the larger church was about the ease with which lapsed Christians reentered the church. They were named after Meletius of Lycopolis....
, the Acephali
Acephali
Acephali is a term applied to several sects as having no head or leader....
, the Gaianites (supporters of a rival to Theodosius I), Stephen of Alexandria
Stephen of Alexandria
Stephen of Alexandria was a 7th century Byzantine philosopher, astronomer and teacher. He was a public lecturer in the court of Heraclius . In the manuscripts he is called the Universal Philosopher.He taught on Plato and Aristotle, and on Geometry, Arithmetic, Astronomy and Music.- Works :1...
and Paul of Beth Ukame. Although most of Damian's writings are lost, he did influence many writers in his own time, such as John of Parallos
Parlais
-History:As a Roman colony it was called Julia Augusta Parlais, and money was coined under this title. Ptolemy calls it Paralais and places it in Lycaonia . Kiepert identified it with Barla, in the Ottoman vilayet of Koniah, but W. M...
, who, like Damian, focused on combating heresy.