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Commemorated on February 16
The Monk Maruph was bishop of a city founded by him, Tigrit (Greek –Martyropolis), – a border city between the Byzantine empire and Persia. He was famed for his knowledge and his piety, he wrote about the martyrs, and he suffered for his faith in Christ under the Persian emperor Sapor. He also left behind other works in the Syrian language, among which the most famous are: “Commentary on the Gospel”, “Verses of Maruph”, “Liturgy of Maruph” and “The 73 Canons of the OEcumenical Council at Nicea” (325) with an account of the acts of the Council. In the year 381 Saint Maruph participated in the II OEcumenical Council at Constantinople – convened against the heresy of Macedonius, and in the year 383 – at the local Antioch Council against the Messalians. During the years 403–404 Saint Maruph set off to Constantinople to plead with the emperor Arkadius to protect Persian christians. He was twice sent by the emperor Theodosius the Younger to the shah Izdegerd to secure the peace between the empire and Persia. In the year 414 Saint Maruph, having done his duty as envoy to the court of Izdegerd, persuaded the shah to a favourable disposition towards christians, and he assisted greatly in the freedom of confession of the true faith in Persia. He rebuilt christian churches razed during the persecution by the Persian shah Sapor. He also located relics of saints that had suffered martyrdom and transferred them to Martyropolis (Tigrit). He died there in about the year 422. The relics of Saint Maruph were later transferred to Egypt and placed in a skete monastery of the Mother of God.
© 1996–2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.