Giwargis II, Ignatius (1648–1708) [Syr. Orth.]

Patr. (1687-1708) whose authority was contested by five anti-patriarchs during various times of his life.

Patr. (1687–1708) whose patriarchate was contested by five anti-patriarchs during various parts of his life. Born in Mosul to ʿAbd al-Karīm, his family produced three patr. (him, his nephew Isḥoq [1709–24], and Giwargis IV [1768–81], an uncle’s grandson), two maph. (Matay II [1713–27], a nephew, and Loʿozor IV [1730–59], a nephew’s son), one bp. (a nephew’s son), and five priests (an uncle, a cousin, a brother, and two nephews).

Giwargis joined Dayro d-Mor Matay , was ordained priest in 1669, and consecrated bp. for Jazīrat Qardu in 1677. When Maph. Yaldo voluntarily abdicated the maphrianate to serve in Malankara, Giwargis was installed maph. in his place in 1684. On 22 Apr. 1687, he was elevated to the patriarchate.

Following disputes with the newly established Syr. Cath. community in Aleppo , Giwargis spent one year in the Aleppo courts and regained control over churches which were under the control of the Cath. party. He rebuilt Dayr al-Zaʿfarān in 1699, and renewed many churches in Mardin (1704), Edessa , Amid (1690s), Jazīrat Qardu, and Mosul. He built two new churches in Ḥisn Manṣūr (ca. 1701) and Zakho. Giwargis visited Edessa in ca. 1702 or 1703 where he was sent to prison due to conflicts with the Cath. party there. He died in 1708 and was buried in Dayr al-Zaʿfarān.

Many divisions took place during his lifetime. In 1701, there existed six patriarchs (Giwargis in Mardin, Ḥabib in Ṭur ʿAbdin , Peṭros who later converted to Catholicism, Denḥa, Behnam, and Shemʿun of Maʿdan), and three maphrians (Isḥoq Loʿozor, Isḥoq b. Gbir who later converted to Catholicism, and Loʿozor of Ṭur ʿAbdin).