The political-religious role of Nestorian Christians in the time of Khosrow Parviz; A Case Study of the Role of Sabrisho’

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

PhD in the History of Ancient Iran, University of Tehran

Abstract

Given the importance of Christians in the Sassanid era, examining their situation at that time will help to better understand the history of Christianity and the Sassanid rule. The time of Khosro Parviz should be considered as one of the important periods in the history of Sassanid and Christian Iran. One of the most important Christian figures in the time of Khosrow Parviz was Sabrisho’, who became the patriarch of the Nestorian Church and played an important political-religious role. The findings of this study show that Sabrisho’ by the direct order of Khosro Parviz and without the consent of the leaders of the Nestorian Church in 596 AD. He became a patriarch, and Khosrow Parviz used him to win the favorable opinion of Nestorian Christians towards him, to gain more control over them, and to have political relations with the emperor Maurice. Sabrisho’ also tried to resolve the internal disputes of the church with the support of Khosro Parviz and accompanied Khosro Parviz and the Sassanid armies as the representative of the Nestorian Christians at the beginning of the Khosro Parviz and Byzantine wars.
 

Keywords

References

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Religions and Mysticism
Volume 53, Issue 2
March 2021
Pages 400-381

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