Page:Lesser Eastern Churches.djvu/356

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334
THE LESSER EASTERN CHURCHES

the same faith[1] and are normally in communion with them. Indeed, the Jacobites have always looked up to the Copts as the leaders of their religion, as a larger and wealthier body; also because the old canon law, which in this point they maintain, gives Alexandria precedence over Antioch. But they are a quarrelsome folk, and frequent schisms have interrupted these good relations. Under Damian of Alexandria (570-593 or 605) and Peter Ḳallunīḳyâ of Antioch (578-591)[2] there was a schism concerning some dispute about the Holy Trinity.[3] It lasted till Anastasius of Alexandria (603-614) and Athanasius I of Antioch (595-631), who came to Egypt and made peace.[4] The illegitimate succession of Isaac of Ḥaran as Patriarch of Antioch in 754[5] caused another schism with Egypt.[6] Under Ḳuryaḳus (Cyriacus I) of Antioch (793-817), the Jacobites set up an anti-patriarch, Abraham (or Abira). Many followed him and this caused again a schism with the Copts, which lasted till 825.[7] Under Christodulos of Alexandria (1047-1078) there was schism, because the Jacobites mixed salt and oil with the bread for the Holy Eucharist, which the Copts would not allow.[8] In the 12th century the question of Confession raised by Mark ibn alḲanbar (p. 241) made a schism, since the Jacobites wavered.[9] However, except for such quarrels as these, the two sects have been in communion. Each

  1. Practically. See p. 342.
  2. Counting St. Peter as first Patriarch, and Peter Fullo, he would be Peter III (Lequien, ii. 1359).
  3. Barhebræus says that Damian was guilty of Tritheism, "because" he called the notional properties (dīlâyâthâ maiḳnâniyâthâ) of the Holy Trinity persons (ḳnume). Ed. cit. i. 257. Severus of Al-Ushmunain, on the Coptic side, says that Peter of Antioch was like a deaf asp, and "divided the undivided Trinity" with "a tongue which deserved to be cut out" (ed. Evetts, p. [213]).
  4. See above, p. 222; Barhebræus, i. 270; Severus, pp. [216-217]. When Athanasius received the Synodical letter of Anastasius he said: "The world to-day rejoices in peace and love, because the Chalcedonian darkness has passed away" (ib.).
  5. He was already a bishop (see p. 231); Barhebræus, i. 316.
  6. Bibl. Orient. ii. (Diss. de Mon.) § iii. Renaudot: Hist. Patr. Alex. 217. His account, taken from AlMakīn, is inaccurate. He makes John II, Isaac's predecessor, the uncanonically transferred bishop.
  7. Barhebræus, i. 342, 360; Renaudot: Hist. Patr. Alex. 248-249, 270.
  8. Renaudot, 425; Assemani: Bibl. Orient. loc. cit.
  9. Barhebræus, i. 574-576.