Romanus was born at Tikrit in the 9th century and became a monk at the monastery of Qartmin in Tur Abdin.[2] He was educated in medicine and became known as a skilful physician.[2] His nickname, "the Roman" (Romanus), was derived from his knowledge of Greek.[3] At this time, the patriarchal office had lain vacant for four years after the death of Ignatius II in 883 due to disagreement amongst the church's bishops.[4] In response to the demands of their congregants, the bishops assembled at Amida to deliberate and hold an election by lot in which twelve names were put forward.[4]
Romanus was thus chosen to succeed Ignatius II as patriarch of Antioch, and was consecrated at Amida on 5 February 887 (AG 1198) by Timothy, archbishop of Samosata, upon which he assumed the name Theodosius.[5] No details of Theodosius' tenure as patriarch are known,[6] except that he had some buildings constructed at the monastery of Qartmin with Ezekiel, bishop of Tur Abdin.[7] He served as patriarch of Antioch until his death on 1 June 896 (AG 1207) at the monastery of Qartmin, where he was buried.[4] As patriarch, Theodosius ordained thirty-two bishops, as per Michael the Syrian's Chronicle, whereas Bar Hebraeus in his Ecclesiastical History credits Theodosius with the ordination of thirty-three bishops.[5]
Works
Theodosius translated and commented on the Book of Hierotheos at the request of Lazarus, bishop of Cyrrhus.[2][8] His commentary consisted of five books in three treatises, of which the first two treatises were completed at Amida, whilst the third was finished at Samosata.[2][6] Although the book had been deemed heretical and repudiated by the Patriarch Quriaqos of Tagrit as the work of Stephen Bar Sudhaile in a canonical statement at a synod,[9] Theodosius seems to have accepted its authenticity and makes no mention of Stephen.[6] Theodosius' positive opinion of the book has been noted to reflect the tradition of mysticism prevalent at the monastery of Qartmin.[8] Theodosius' commentary was later used by Bar Hebraeus in his own commentary on the book,[6] and was also recopied by Abu Nasr of Bartella in 1290 in a manuscript entitled On The Hidden Mysteries of the House of God, but only contained half of the commentary (Za'faran MS. 213).[2]
Other surviving works include a medical syntagma (Syriac: Kunnash, "compendium") attributed to Theodosius, as noted by Bar Hebraeus, of which only a fragment survives (Vatican MS. 192).[2] In addition, a synodical epistle to Pope Michael III of Alexandria and a homily for Lent, both of which are in Arabic, is preserved (Brit. Mus. MS. 7206).[2] He also wrote a treatise for the deacon George in which he compiled and explained one hundred and twelve maxims (Syriac: melle remzonoyoto d-ḥakime, "symbolic sayings of wise men"),[6] most of which were of Pythagorean origin that he had translated from Greek into Syriac; a copy of this treatise in Syriac and Arabic still survives (Paris MS. 157).[2] A few canons were later also attributed to Theodosius.[6]
Episcopal succession
As patriarch, Theodosius ordained the following bishops:[5]
Van Rompay, Lucas (2011). "Theodosios Romanos the physician". In Sebastian P. Brock; Aaron M. Butts; George A. Kiraz; Lucas Van Rompay (eds.). Gorgias Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Syriac Heritage: Electronic Edition. Gorgias Press. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
