The Relationship between Refugee Pressure and Local Control under the Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria

Abstract

The beginning of the 7th century was of major conflict and changes to the people residing within the borders of the East Roman Empire, with the revolt of Phocas, the seizing power of Heraclius, and later, the invasion of the Persians all happening together within a narrow time duration. All of these conflicts had major effects on regional population and power dynamics structure. This paper discusses the assumption that the Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, under the leadership of John the almsgiver, dealt with refugees fleeing Levant. It transformed refugees into hermits and built local influence in the process. The paper uses autobiographical primary sources and references to the geological conditions then. In the fifth century, the Council of Chalcedon re-asserted the teachings of the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus against the heresies of Eutyches and Nestorius, leading to a grand division within Egypt. The consequences—the commemoration of two non-Chalcedonian churches along with the absence of imperial influence due to the Byzantine-Persian War—prompted Patriarch John of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria to take measures to create new hermit populations from the refugees in Jerusalem to once again infiltrate church control.