Germanos Farhat on Euthymius Sayfi

 One of the most remarkable Arab Christian men of letters of the 18th century was the Maronite bishop of Aleppo Germanos (before his consecration, Gabriel) Farhat (d. 1732). Author of an extremely popular collection of poetry, he also wrote a number of works on grammar, rhetoric and theology and closely collaborated with the Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch Athanasius Dabbas in his translation and publishing activities to improve their level of literary Arabic. One of his most unusual books, however, is the Register of Heresies (Dīwān al-Bidaʿ), a list of every heretic he knew of, organized by century. Strongly influenced by Counterreformation heresiography,  the cast of characters is remarkably wide: not only Arius, Macedonius and Sebellius, Nestorius and Dioscorus, but also Luther, Melanchthon, Henery VIII and Elizabeth I. Even Raymond Llull (today considered a 'blessed' by Rome) makes an appearance. Unsurprisingly, there are quite a few Orthodox and Byzantine figures. St Mark of Ephesus, Hesychasm, and St Gregory Palamas all receive detailed treatments, but so does Barlaam of Calabria.  The most historically valuable information, however, is found in the entries for three of Germanus' contemporaries: the metropolitan of Sidon and father of the Melkite Catholic Church Euthymius Sayfi, Patriarch Athanasius Dabbas, and the Patriarch of Jerusalem Chrysanthos Notaras.

Below is a translation of the entry for Euthymius Sayfi, made from ms Beirut, Bibliothèque Orientale 32, ff. 197r-200v.

The origins of this Euthymius are in Baalbek. He was raised in Damascus in the Roman faith with the Jesuits. His name was Michael, then he was ordained bishop for the city of Sidon and took the name Euthymius. He was of upright faith and zealous to spread the Roman faith among the sect [milla] of the schismatic Rum, especially among his flock, and he returned many to knowledge of the Roman faith. He had an eloquent tongue, was much-read, and had studied histories, however he was impudent and had a boldness that outran his tongue, because it was his nature to be very proud and to seek advancement and praise, to be hypocritical in front of people, and to be famous. Such a one as this will not escape blame and reproach. For this reason, he was embroiled in many conflicts, both within his own denomination and outside it, and he came to be hated by everyone, especially since he wanted to win over the schismatic Rum of his denomination and bring them to the Roman faith by means that are not permitted, with which the holy Roman Church would not be pleased. That is, he started to change the customs, rituals and rites of the Rum in a manner that he was not legally allowed to do.

First of all, he permitted the Rum to eat fish during fasts when the eating of fish is not permitted. Second, he allowed the monks of the Rum to eat meat, something that is forbidden to Eastern monks as a mortal sin. Third, he toyed with the abstinences—that is, he shortened the abstinence of the Apostles, the abstinence of Our Lady, and the abstinence of Nativity. Fourth, he removed cheesefare week which is before the Great Fast and permitted meat to be eaten during it. Fifth, he removed zeon from the liturgy—that is, the hot water that the priest mixes with the Blood before communing. Sixth, he removed the invocation of the Holy Spirit [i.e., the Epiclesis] from the liturgy. Seventh, he shortened the Entrance and removed some prayers from the liturgy, disturbing the rite and rituals of the Rum from top to bottom.

He said that all these things are the idol of the Rum which prevents them from accepting the Roman faith. Here I must smash this idol and this is pure error on his part. First, because these things are ancient, received from the holy fathers. Second, the Roman Church does not permit the ancient rites and customs to be changed, but rather rejects novelty.

On account of this, a great schism and indescribable disturbance was created among the Rum of Sidon, Damascus and the villages and countries dependent on them. The majority were inclined toward the extensive change, especially the peasants, and they called Euthymius their prophet. The Rum were divided in many places into parties, some with him and some against him, some following the customs of the Latins and some following others’ customs, especially the Rum of Damascus, who went their different ways.  

Truly, had this bishop called people to the Roman faith without changing rites and customs, he would have done a lot of good, been of more benefit, and returned to the holy Church many of his Rum community, for whom customs and rituals are at the level of religion.

When word the changes and substitutions that Euthymius had made in the rites and customs of the Rum reached the Holy Congregation [i.e., the Propaganda Fide] through the missionaries, it was not at all pleased. Indeed, it wrote him two or three times or more to restore what he had changed, but Euthymius refused and he did not obey the Apostolic See in what it commanded him. Instead, he said, “We obey the Apostolic See in matters of faith alone. As for matters of customs and rituals, we are not obliged to obey the Romans.” He erred in this to the point of heresy. He missed what the Apostles James said, “He who keeps the whole law but stumbles in one thing is guilty of the whole” [cf. James 2:10], for God wants obedience from us, not sacrifice [cf. 1 Samuel 15:22]. The error of the schismatics is none other than this: their lack of obedience to the Apostolic See. For this reason, Euthymius hated the missionaries very much, especially the Jesuits, because they rebuked him over this and disputed with him. As we see it, Euthymius brought the Rum out of schism by one route and returned them to it by another.

Nevertheless, when his death approached while he was in Damascus, he asked the missionaries to confess him, but none of them accepted his confession. Then he called a second time for the Jesuits, whom he hated on account of the truth. The zealous father Claudius Girine [? كلوديوس جيرين] went to him saying—as this missionary told me personally—“I have not accepted your confession because you oppose the command of the Apostolic See. If you obey, I will confess you.” That is, “Give me confirmation that if you live now, you will return the rites and customs of the Rum to how they had been at first, as the Apostolic See commanded you.” At that point, he declared his obedience to the command of the Roman Church and that honorable missionary father confessed him.

Then the holy reverend father, the Jesuit priest François-Louis Pousset [? فرنسيس لودويكوس بوسسي] also came and took his affirmation of the holy Roman faith a second time and communed him the body of our Lord Jesus Christ as a viaticum. He died as a true believer in 1723.