Maruthas

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For the fourth century martyr of Persia, see Zanitas and Lazarus of Persia.

Saint Maruthas was a monk who became bishop of Tagrit or Maypherkat in Mesopotamia (modern Tikrit, in Iraq), friend of Saint John Chrysostom, believed to have died before 420. He is venerated as a Saint by Catholics, Greek Orthodoxs and Copts, his feast being kept on 4 December. He brought into his episcopal city the relics of so many martyrs that it received the surname Martyropolis. In the interests of the Church of Persia, which had suffered much in the persecution of Shapur II, he came to Constantinople, but found Emperor Arcadius too busily engaged in the affairs of St. John Chrysostom. Later Maruthas was sent by Emperor Theodosius II to the court of Persia, where, notwithstanding the Magi, he won the esteem of King Yazdegerd I of Persia by his affability, saintly life, and, as is claimed, by his knowledge of medicine. He was present at the general First Council of Constantinople in 381 and at a Council of Antioch in 383 (or 390), at which the Messalians were condemned. For the benefit of the Persian Church he is said to have held two synods at Ctesiphon. A great organizer, he was one of the first to give a regular structure to the church, helped in his mission by the catholicos Isaac. His writings include:

  • Acts of the Persian Martyrs (these acts remember the victims of the persecution of Shapur II; ample portions of this work have survived, though perhaps written by someone other than Maruthas)
  • History of the Council of Nicaea
  • A translation in Syriac of the canons of the Council of Nicaea
  • A Syrian lytugy, or anaphora
  • Commentaries on the Gospels
  • Acts of the Council of Seleucia-Ctesiphon (26 spurious canons of a synod held in 410)

He also wrote hymns on the Holy Eucharist, on the Cross, and on saints died in Shapur's persecution.

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This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.