William of Tyre and the Maronites

Abstract

At this time, while the kingdom was elnjoying a temporary state of peace . . . a race of Syrians in the province of Phoenicia . .. underwent a wonderful change of heart. For almost five liundred years these people lhad followed the heretical doctrines of a certain Maro, from wlhom they took the name of Maronites.... Now, however, by divine leading, they were restored to their right minds and abandoned their heresy. They repaired to Aimery, the patriarch of Antioch, . . . renounced the error by which they had been so long enslaved, and returned to the unity of the catholic church.... These people were by no means few in numbers.... They were ... of great service to the Christians in the difficult engagements which they so frequently had with the enemy. Their conversion to the true faith was, therefore, a source of great joy to us. The heresy of Maro and his followers is and was that in our Lord Jesus Christ there exists, and did exist from the beginnilng, one will and one energy only, as may be learned from the sixth council, which, as is well known, was assembled against them and in which they suffered sentence of condemnation.... Now, however, as has been stated, they repented all of these heresies and returned to the catholic churclh.... 1