Synopsis
PAULICIANS, a dualistic sect of the
Orient, whose name was derived from their respect for the apostle Paul, rather
than from their third leader, the Armenian Paul, as Photius and Petrus Siculus affirm.
History. - The founder of the sect
was a certain Constantine, who hailed from Mananalis, a dualistic community
near Samosata. He studied the Gospels and Epistles, combined dualistic and
Christian doctrines, and, upon the basis of the former, vigorously opposed the
formalism of the church. Regarding himself as called to restore the pure
Christianity of Paul, he adopted the name Silvanus, one of Paul’s
disciples, and about the year 660 founded his first congregation at Kibossa in
Armenia. Twenty-seven years afterwards he was stoned to death by order of the
emperor. Simeon, the court official who executed the order, was himself
converted, and, adopting the name Titus, became Constantine’s successor,
but was burned to death in 690 (the punishment pronounced upon the
Manichaeans). The adherents of the sect fled, with the Armenian Paul at their
head, to Episparis. He died in 715, leaving two sons, Gegnaesius (whom he had
appointed his successor) and Theodore. The latter, giving out that he had
received the Holy Ghost, rose up against Gegnaesius, but was unsuccessful.
Gegnaesius was taken to Constantinople, appeared before Leo the Isaurian, was
declared innocent of heresy, returned to Episparis, but, fearing danger, went
with his adherents to Mananalis. His death (in 745) was the occasion of a
division in the sect; Zacharias and Joseph being the leaders of the two
parties. The latter had the larger following and was succeeded by Baanies, 775.
The sect grew in spite of persecution, receiving additions from the opponents
of image-worship. Baanes, an immoral man, was supplanted by Sergius, 801, who
was very active for thirty-four years, and received into the number of the
saints. His activity was the occasion of renewed persecutions on the part of
Leo the Armenian. Obliged to flee, Sergius and his followers settled at Argaum,
in that part of Armenia which was under the control of the Saracens. At the
death of Sergius, the control of the sect was divided between several leaders.
The empress, Theodora, instituted a new persecution, in which a hundred
thousand Paulicians in Grecian Armenia are said to have lost their lives. Under
Karbeas, who fled with the residue of the sect, two cities, Amara and Tephrica,
were built. His successor, Chrysocheres, devastated many cities; in 867
advanced as far as Ephesus, and took many priests prisoners. In 868 the
emperor, Basil, despatched Petrus Siculus to arrange for their exchange. his
sojourn of nine months among the Paulicians gave him an opportunity to collect
many facts, which he preserved in his ..." History of the empty and vain heresy
of the Manichæans, otherwise called Paulicians"). The propositions of
peace were not accepted, the war was renewed, and Chrysocheres killed. The
power of the Paulicians was broken. In 970 the emperor, John Tzimisces,
transferred some of them to Philippopolis in Thrace, and, as a reward for their
promise to keep back the Scythians, granted them religious freedom. This was
the beginning of a revival of the sect; but it was true to the empire. Several
thousand went in the army of Alexius Comnenus against the Norman, Robert
Guiscard; but, deserting the emperor, many of them (1085) were thrown into
prison. Efforts were again put forth for their conversion; and for the converts
the new city of Alexiopolis was built, opposite Philippopolis.
When the Crusaders took Constantinople (1204), they
found some Paulicians, whom the historian Gottfried of Villehardouin calls
Popelicans. According to a Greek writer, Constantine... adherents of the
ancient sect were living in Philippopolis in the early part of this century.
Doctrines.- Little is known of the
tenets of the Paulicians, as we are confined for information to the reports of
opponents and a few fragments of Sergius' letters which they have preserved.
Their system was dualistic. There are two principles, two kingdoms. The Evil
Spirit is the author of, and lord of, the present, visible world; the Good
Spirit, of the future worid. Of their views about the creation of man, little
is known but what is contained in the ambiguous words of Sergius... This
passage seems to teach that Adam's sin of disobedience was a blessing in
disguise, and that a greater sin than his is the sin against the church... The
Paulicians accepted the four Gospels, fourteen Epistles of Paul, the three
Epistles of John, James, Jude, and an Epistle to the Laodiceans, which they
professed to have. The Old Testa-ment they rejected. They rejected the title of
... (mother of God), and refused all worship to Mary. Christ came down from
heaven to emancipate men from the body and from the world, which are evil. The
reverence for the cross, they looked upon as heathenish. The outward
administration of the sacraments of the Lord's Supper and baptism, they
rejected. Christ himself is our baptism. Their places of worship the called
"places of prayer"... Although they were ascetics, they made no distinction in
foods, and practised marriage.
The Paulicians were not a branch of the Manichæans, as
Photius, Petrus Siculus, and many modern authors have held. Both were dualists.
but the former ascribed the creation of the world to the evil God; Manes, to
the good God; and the former held the Scriptures in higher honor. They even
condemned Manes, comparing him to Buddha. Gieseler and Neander, with more
probability, derive the sect from the Gnostic Marcionites, Muratori, Mosheim,
Gibbon, and others regard the Paulicians as the forerunners of the
Cathari; but the differences between them in
organization, ascetic practices, etc., forbid this opinion. [The Seventh
Council of Twin (719) forbade all intercourse with them.]
Herzog, "Paulicians," Philip
Schaff, ed., A Religious Encyclopaedia or Dictionary of Biblical,
Historical, Doctrinal, and Practical Theology, 3rd edn, Vol. 2. Toronto,
New York & London: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1894. pp.1776-1777.
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Nina G.
Garsoian, The Paulician Heresy. A Study in the Origin and Development of
Paulicianism in Armenia and the Eastern Provinces of the Byzantine Empire.
Publications in Near and Middle East Studies. Columbia University, Series A 6.
The Hague: Mouton, 1967. pp.296. |
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