Marutha of Tagrit (d. 649) [Syr. Orth.]

Metropolitan of Tagrit.

Metropolitan of Tagrit . His biography was written by his successor, Denḥa (ed. with FT by F. Nau, in PO 3.1 [1905], 52–96). Born near Balad , after studying at schools in the Persian Empire, he spent ten years at the famous monastery of Mar Zakkay, near Kallinikos, in the Roman Empire. On returning to the Persian Empire he taught at the Dayro d-Mor Matay , before being appointed the first metropolitan of Tagrit with the title ‘Maphrian’ (ca. 629). Michael Rabo ’s Chronicle (XI.9) preserves a Letter by Marutha to the Patr. Yuḥanon of the Sedre , giving a highly colored account of the persecution of the Syr. Orth. by Barṣawma of Nisibis . The Homily on New Sunday, allotted to Marutha of Tagrit by Barsoum (Scattered pearls, 323) is attributed to Marutha of Maypherqaṭ by its editor (Kmosko, in OC 3 [1903], 384–415); another homily, on the Blessing of the Waters at Epiphany, however, definitely belongs to the later Marutha. Marutha also wrote a commentary on the Gospels, from which only quotations survive. An Anaphora (included in the Maron. Missal of 1592) and at least one Sedro are transmitted under his name.