Paul the Black of Alexandria
| Paul II | |
|---|---|
| Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East | |
| Church | Syriac Orthodox Church |
| See | Antioch |
| Installed | 550 |
| Term ended | 575 |
| Predecessor | Sergius of Tella |
| Successor | Peter III |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 500 Alexandria, Eastern Roman Empire |
| Died | 584 Constantinople, Eastern Roman Empire |
Paul II the Black of Alexandria (Greek: Παυλος Μελανος; Classical Syriac: ܦܘܠܘܣ ܬܪܝܢܐ ܦܛܪܝܪܟܐ ܕܐܢܛܝܘܟܝܐ) was the Patriarch of Antioch and head of the Syriac Orthodox Church from 550 until his deposition in 575.
Paul was born in c. 500 in the city of Alexandria in Egypt, and became a monk at the Monastery of Gubba Barraya, located between the cities of Beroea and Hierapolis in Syria. He was educated in Greek and Syriac literature and became abbot of a convent at Alexandria. Paul became syncellus to Pope Theodosius I of Alexandria at Constantinople and, at the patriarchal palace, engaged in a debate with the tritheists Conon of Tarsus and Eugenius of Seleucia in the presence of John Scholasticus, Patriarch of Constantinople. Pope Theodosius proposed to Saint Jacob Baradaeus, Bishop of Edessa, that Paul be consecrated patriarch, and thus he was elected and Saint Jacob Baradaeus and Eugenius, Bishop of Seleucia, consecrated Paul in 550, or 564.
On 20 March 571, Paul left the Monastery of the Acoemetae at Constantinople for the patriarchal palace to discuss the schism within the church between Chalcedonians and non-Chalcedonians with John Scholasticus and three other non-Chalcedonian bishops. Paul and the three other bishops were tortured until they agreed to enter into communion with John who would in exchange condemn the Council of Chalcedon, but John refused to do so until he had received the consent of Pope John III. The group expressed their dismay at John's pretences and were detained at the Monastery of Saint Abraham in Constantinople where they faced further torture. Paul later escaped Constantinople and fled to the court of Al-Mundhir III ibn al-Harith, King of the Ghassanids. Saint Jacob Baradaeus excommunicated Paul, but restored him to communion at a synod in 575. Paul's rehabilitation was unpopular with Egyptian non-Chalcedonians and many were in favour of his deposition as patriarch.
...
Wikipedia