Baselios Solomon

Baselios Solomon was the Maphrian of the East of the Syriac Orthodox Church, from 1509 until his death in 1518.

Biography

Solomon was born in the city of Mardin in the late fifteenth century to Joseph, son of Elianus of Mardin. He received his education at the Monastery of Mor Hananyo, where he also became a monk. Solomon was consecrated maphrian by the patriarch Ignatius Yeshu I in late 1509, two years after the death of the previous maphrian, and adopted the name Baselios and took up residence in the Monastery of Mor Mattai.

In 1514, Solomon was forced to flee from the Monastery of Mor Mattai to the village of Esfes in Tur Abdin, north of İdil, upon facing accusations of having committed a crime. The maphrian resided in Esfes and continued to administer the maphrianate until his death in 1518.

References

• The Scattered Pearls: A History of Syriac Literature and Sciences - Ignatius Aphrem I Barsoum. 
• "Catholicate of the East".