The Maronites’ historical myth in a document of the 17th century from the National Library of Russia

The article examines an historical section called al-Sharh (“Interpretation”) of a Maronite document about their confession compiled at the request of the Ambassador of France in Constantinople Charles François Olier, marquis de Nointel by the contemporary Antiochan (Maronite) patriarch, the famous historian Stephen al-Duwayhi on the 16th of June, AD 1673. The present treatise is written in Arabic with the Gharshuni script (Syriac letters) and is kept in the Manuscrips’ Department of the National Library of Russia (Fund of Pierre P. Doubrovski, “Autographs 60”). In the article the edition of the first part of the treatise (including al-Sharh) and its translation into Russian with comments is carried out. The key episodes in the history of the Maronite Church are highlighted, such as the support of the Pope of Rome Hormisdas by disciples of St. Maron in his confrontation with the Monophysites in the early 6th century AD, the persecutions of the Pope Sergius and the patriarch John Maron by the Emperor Justinian II because of their disagreement with the decisions of the Council of Trullo in AD 692, the solemn reception of the patriarch John al-Amshiti by the Pope Innocent III in the course of the 4th Council of Lateran in AD 1215. It is demonstrated what part those unreliable events played in formation of the Maronites’ historical myth, in which the central place was reserved for the unity of the Maronites with the Holy See

Arabic · Astrology · Emperor · Holy See · Mythology · National library · Byzantine Studies and History · Historical and Linguistic Studies · Medieval History and Crusades