generally at the convent of Deyr Safran, at Merdeen. The maphrian has lived usually at Tagrit, Nineveh, Mosul, and Bagdad. After the East became subject to the Mahometans, the Jacobite patriarch, like the Nestorian, commonly received from the khalif, sultan, or other regnant potentate, a charter or diploma, called by Bar Hebræus, ܣܝܺܔܝܺܠܝܳܘܢ sigilion, by which he was confirmed and protected in his authority.
Some of the Jacobite patriarchs have at various times entered into communion with the see of Rome. The first who did this was Ignatius, in 1552, who sent his profession to pope Julius III. It was at the same time that Moses, a priest of Mardeen, brought the manuscript of the Peschito New Testament into Europe for the purpose of procuring a printed edition of it. The example of that Ignatius was afterwards followed by Ign. Juchanon, Ign. Daoud, Ign. Nahemus, Ign. Andreas, and Ign. Petros, patriarchs, and by Gregory, metropolitan of Damascus, Ignatius, bishop of Alep, and Taizonius, bishop of Jerusalem;[1] but few of these "reconciliations" were permanent. The congregations which have been converted to Romanism, are designated by the steadfast Jacobites, Maghlobeen, the "Beaten," or "Conquered."[2]
When will something be attempted by our Protestant Missionary Societies for the true evangelization of this venerable church?
- ↑ Evodius Assemanni, Biblioth. Mediceæ.
- ↑ The Jacobites mostly abound in Mesopotamia, especially about Mosul and Mardeen. In Palestine there are scarcely any. There are a few families in Damascus and in Nebk, the villages of Sudud and Karysteen: small congregations also subsist in Hooms, Hamah, and Aleppo. In Jerusalem they have a monastic house and a resident bishop. Exclusive of those in Malabar, their entire number does not probably exceed 150,000 souls.
