Ignatius IV (Youssef) Sarrouf (or ''Aganatios Sarruf'', 1742–1812) was

Patriarch The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and in certai ...

of the

Melkite Greek Catholic Church el, Μελχιτική Ελληνική Καθολική Εκκλησία , image = Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Damascus, Syria.jpg , imagewidth = 200px , alt = , caption = , abbreviatio ...

in 1812. He is remembered for both his patriarchate (short and ended by his murder), and for having been, as

metropolitan Metropolitan may refer to: * Metropolitan area, a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories * Metropolitan borough, a form of local government district in England * Metropolitan county, a typ ...

Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...

, a leading figure in the early history of the Melkite Church.

Life

Early life

Youssef Sarrouf was born in 1742 in

Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...

. In 1756 he entered in the Basilian Chouerite Order, being the only monk born in Damascus. On 15 August 1758 he made the

solemn vows A solemn vow is a certain vow ("a deliberate and free promise made to God about a possible and better good") taken by an individual during or after novitiate in a Catholic religious institute. It is solemn insofar as the Church recognizes it a ...

taking the name of ''Ignatius''. In 1764 he was ordained

deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Churc ...

and in 1773 he was ordained

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...

. From 1773 for five years he was in Damascus where he became distinguished for his sermons and for raising funds for the patriarch. On 8 July 1778 Ignatius (Youssef) Sarrouf was consecrated

metropolitan bishop In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan (alternative obsolete form: metropolite), pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis. Originally, the term referred to the b ...

by Patriarch

Theodosius V Dahan Theodosius V (Athanase Joasaph) Dahan (1698–1788) was Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1761 to 1788. Life Joasaph Dahan was born in Beirut in 1698. He entered in the religious order of the Basilian Chouerites and in 172 ...

Bishop of Beirut

His years as metropolitan of Beirut were marked by his attempt to reform the two Melkite

monastic orders Monasticism (from Ancient Greek , , from , , 'alone'), also referred to as monachism, or monkhood, is a religious way of life in which one renounces worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual work. Monastic life plays an important role ...

: the

Basilian Salvatorian Order , abbreviation = BS , nickname = Salvatorian Fathers , formation = , founder = Archbishop Euthymios Michael Saifi , founding_location = Saida, Lebanon , type = Monastic order of pontifical rig ...

and particularly the Basilian Chouerite Order where he came from and that had its headquarters in his

diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...

. The discipline of this order was actually relaxed, and the monks, who run many parishes, considered themselves almost outside the

jurisdiction Jurisdiction (from Latin 'law' + 'declaration') is the legal term for the legal authority granted to a legal entity to enact justice. In federations like the United States, areas of jurisdiction apply to local, state, and federal levels. Jur ...

of their own bishop. Sarrouf made a first attempt of reform in 1782, imposing a rule of ten points on the monks, who rejected it. In his efforts of disciplining the monasteries, he antagonized many bishops, all monks, and particularly

Germanos Adam Germanos Adam (born in 1725 in Aleppo, Syria – died on 10 November 1809 in Zouk Mikael, Lebanon) was the Melkite Catholic bishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Aleppo during the late 18th century and a Christian theologian. Life ...

bishop of

Aleppo )), is an adjective which means "white-colored mixed with black". , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = , map_caption = , image_map1 = ...

who took the part of the monks, even if outside his jurisdiction. A visit of an

Apostolic Legate 300px, A woodcut showing Henry II of England greeting the pope's legate. A papal legate or apostolic legate (from the ancient Roman title ''legatus'') is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic ...

in 1784 settled the issue for some years. The dispute reappeared in 1790 with Patriarch

Athanasius IV Jawhar Athanasius IV Ignace Michael Jawhar (or ''Jahouar'' or ''Jauhar'' or ''Giohar'', 1733–1794) was Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1788 to 1794. He previously claimed to be patriarch from 1759 to 1764 and from 1765 to 1768. L ...

on the side of Ignatius Sarrouf against Germanos Adam on the side of the monks. The death of Athanasius Jawhar in 1794 left the issue unresolved. In 1796, seeing the impossibility of obtaining a disciplinary reform of the monastic orders, Ignatius Sarrouf founded his an own monastic order, the Order of Saint

Simeon Stylites Simeon Stylites or Symeon the Stylite syc, ܫܡܥܘܢ ܕܐܣܛܘܢܐ ', Koine Greek ', ar, سمعان العمودي ' (c. 390 – 2 September 459) was a Syrian Christian ascetic, who achieved notability by living 37 years on a smal ...

near

Baskinta Baskinta ( ar, بسكنتا) is a Lebanon, Lebanese village situated at an altitude ranging from 1250 metres above sea level and climbs up to approximately 1800 meters of height at Qanat Bakish, making it one of the highest villages of Lebanon. It ...

. This foundation was strongly contested by the

synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word ''wikt:synod, synod'' comes from the meaning "assembly" or "meeting" and is analogous with the Latin ...

Zouk Mikael Zouk Mikael ( ar, زوق مكايل, also spelled Zuq Mikha'il or Zouk Mkayel) is a town and municipality in the Keserwan District of the Keserwan-Jbeil Governorate in Lebanon. Its inhabitants are predominantly Melkite and Maronite Catholics. The ...

in 1797 led by his opponents: the new Patriarch

Agapius II Matar Agapius II Matar, (sometime also known as ''Agapios III'', 1736–1812) was Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1796 to 1812. Life Agapius Matar was born in 1736 in Damascus. He entered young in the Basilian Salvatorian Order. ...

and Germanos Adam. Sarrouf in obedience accepted the resolution of the synod but appealed to

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. Other clashes arose between Sarrouf and patriarch Agapios II Matar: for example in 1798 the patriarch created the new diocese of Gebail from a part of the diocese of Beirut and appointed a Chouerite monk, Clement Badra, to govern it. Sarrouf refused to leave the district. All these issues were taken to Rome that confirmed the dismissal of the Order of Saint Simeon, confirmed the creation of the diocese of Gebail (with the agreement that at the death of Clement Badra it returned under Beirut), but supported Sarrouf in enforcing his ten points of disciplinary reform for the monasteries (even if without success). For the above reasons, in 1810 Ignatius Sarrouf, with other three bishops, strongly opposed the appointment of Maximos Mazloum, the pupil of Germanos Adam, as bishop of Aleppo by Patriarch Agapios II Matar.

Patriarch

After the death of Agapios II Matar, two candidates competed for the election of the new Patriarch: the young Maximos Mazloum, leader of the party which harked back to Germanos Adam and to the previous patriarch Agapios II Matar, and Ignatius Sarrouf, already 70, supported by the

missionaries A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...

and by Aloisio Gandolfi, the

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

. A compromise was brokered: Maximus Mazloum remained superior of the seminary established in

Ain Traz The Ain Traz Seminary of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, located southeast of Beirut, Lebanon, has served various roles during its 200-year history. History The village of Ain Traz was home to the Maronite Saad clan, members of whom where Fren ...

and on 12 February 1812 Ignatius Sarrouf was elected Patriarch, and confirmed immediately by

. He had not the time to take a formal position against Germanos Adam and Maximos Mazloum because he was murdered by a Melkite layperson on 16 November 1812 for unknown reasons. He was succeeded by

Athanasius V Matar Athanasius V Gabriel Matar was Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church for a few months in 1813. Life Gabriel Matar was born in Damascus. He was the brother of patriarch Agapius II Matar and, as his brother, he too entered in the relig ...

, brother of the previous patriarch Agapios II Matar and partisan of Mazloum's party.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sarrouf, Ignatius 04 Syrian Melkite Greek Catholics Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchs of Antioch 1812 deaths 1742 births Assassinated religious leaders Eastern Catholic monks People from Damascus