Egypt in 538.[1] A Catholic, Paul, became Patriarch of Antioch (519-521), and began persecuting Monophysites, just as Severus had persecuted Catholics. At Jerusalem John III, who was orthodox, was made Patriarch (518-524). Only Egypt under Timothy III of Alexandria (518-538) remained Monophysite.
Then reunion with Rome was arranged easily. Pope Hormisdas sent legates to Constantinople with his famous formula. The Formula of Hormisdas is one of the classical evidences of Papal authority in the early Church. It not only condemns Nestorius, Eutyches, Dioscor, Acacius and the other Monophysite leaders, insists on the Tome of Leo I and on Chalcedon, but it declares in the plainest language possible the supreme authority of the Pope and his right finally to define questions of faith. The Patriarch of Constantinople, the Emperor and all the Eastern Patriarchs and bishops (except in Egypt) sign it. The Pope's name is restored to the Byzantine diptychs; on Easter Day 519 union between East and West is restored.[2]
But the end of this wearisome Monophysite quarrel has not yet come. For another century and a half it was still to disturb the Eastern Church; many more attempts at reconciling the still powerful Monophysite party were to be made, and a large number of other heresies were to grow out of the main one. Egypt was still the stronghold of Monophysism; the more than half rebellious population of that richest province of the empire was always a grave danger.
6. The Three Chapters (544-554)
The great Justinian I (527-565), statesman, lawgiver, conqueror, builder of the Church of the Holy Wisdom,[3] occurs in our story
- ↑ Severus of Al-Ushmunain, the Monophysite historian of the Copts, naturally glories in the memory of "the Patriarch Severus, the excellent, clothed with light, occupant of the see of Antioch, who became a horn of salvation to the orthodox (i.e. Monophysite) Church, and who sat upon the throne of the great Ignatius." History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic Church of Alexandria, ed. B. Evetts (Patrol. Orient, i. 449). See also Zachary Scholasticus: Life of Severus, in F. Nau: Opuscules Maronites, ii. (Paris, 1900). J. Lebon: Le Monophysisme sévérien (Louvain, 1909).
- ↑ For the formula of Hormisdas see Orth. Eastern Church, pp. 84-86.
- ↑ There is now a tendency to belittle Justinian. It is, of course, always possible to say that the work done by a mighty sovereign is really due to
