Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century/Ephraim (6), bp. of Antioch and patriarch
Ephraim (6) (Ephrem, Ephraemius, or, as Theophanes gives the name,
Euphraimius), bp. of Antioch and patriarch,
a.d. 527-545. The title,
ὁ Ἀμίδιος, given him by Theophanes, indicates
that he was a native of Amida in Armenia. He devoted the early part of his life
to civil employments, and became Count of the East in the reign of Justin I. The
city of Antioch having been nearly destroyed in
a.d. 525 and 526 by earthquake and
conflagration, Ephraim was sent by Justin as commissioner to relieve the sufferers
and restore the city. The high qualities manifested in the fulfilment of these duties
gained the affection and respect of the people of Antioch, who unanimously chose
him bishop on the death of Euphrasius (Evagr. H. E. iv. 5, 6). His consecration
is placed in a.d. 357. As bishop he
exhibited an unwavering firmness against the heretical tendencies of his day. Theophanes
says that he shewed "a divine zeal against schismatics" (Chronogr. p. 118).
Moschus tells a story of his encounter near Hierapolis with one of the pillar ascetics,
a follower of Severus and the Acephali (Prat. Spiritual. c. 36). Ephraim
examined synodically the tenets of Syncleticus, metropolitan of Tarsus, who was
suspected of Eutychian leanings but was acquitted (Phot. Cod. 228). In 537,
at the bidding of Justinian, he repaired with Hypatius of Ephesus and Peter of Jerusalem
to Gaza to hold a council in the matter of Paul the patriarch of Alexandria, who
had been banished to that city and there deposed. In obedience to the emperor Justinian,
Ephraim held a synod at Antioch, which repudiated the doctrines of Origen as heretical
(Liberat. c. 23, apud Labbe, Concil. v. 777 seq.; Baronius, Annal.
537, 538) He was the author of a large number of theological treatises directed
against Nestorius, Eutyches, Severus, and the Acephali, and in defence of the decrees
of Chalcedon. In 546, yielding to severe pressure, he subscribed the edict Justinian
had put forth condemning "the three chapters" (Facund. Pro Defens. Trium Capit.
iv. 4). He did not survive the disgrace of this concession, and died in 547.
His copious theological works have almost entirely perished, and we have little knowledge of them save through Photius (Biblioth. Cod. 228, 229), who speaks of having read three of the volumes, but gives particulars of two only. Some few fragments of his defence of the council of Chalcedon, and of the third book against Severus, and other works, are given by Mai (Bibl. Nov. iv. 63, vii. 204) and are printed by Migne (Patr. Gk. lxxxvi. par. 2, pp. 2099 seq.). Theophanes, Chronogr. ad ann. 519, p. 118 d; Moschus, Prat. Spiritual. cc. 36, 37; Cave, Hist. Lit. i. 507; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. lib. v. c. 38; Le Quien, Oriens Christ. ii. 733).
[E.V.]