Saint John-Maron
From Maronite History
Contents |
Preface
John Maron was chosen as the first Maronite patriarch in 686.
There are different theories on how John Maron was chosen as patriarch. One of them claims that he was ordained by Pope Honorius (however, Stephen El Douaihy maintains that it was pope Sergius, particularly considering that Honorius died in 638). Others, including Joseph Assemani (d. 1768) and Bishop Yusuf al-Dibs (d. 1907), claim that John Maron was chosed by the Mardaites' bishops.
Introduction
St. John Maron was a church and civil leader. He was the founder and the organizer of the Maronite hierarchical structure.
Birth and early life
He was born in the village of Sarum in the region of Antioch, son of Agathon of Alidipas, nephew of Carloman[1], who came from France to Antioch either in the time of the Byzantine Empire or during the war between Arabs and Byzantines. He received the name of John from his parents and the name Maron when he became a monk of St. Maron's.
At an early age, he was sent to Antioch to continue his studies in Syriac and Greek. Later, he was sent to St. Maron monastery where he pursued his studies in math, grammar, science and Holy scriptures.
Sources
- Kamal Salibi - A House of Many Mansions - The History of Lebanon Reconsidered (University of California Press, 1990).
- Butros Dau - Religious, Cultural and Political History of the Maronites (Lebanon, 1984)
- Matti Moosa - The Maronites in History (Syracuse University Press, 1986).
