Baršawmā of Nisibis

BARŠAWMĀ of NISIBI. - Nestorian bishop, d. between 492 and 495. He was a disciple of Hibās at the school of Edessa. Expelled along with the other Persian fellow disciples who, like him, had embraced Nestorian doctrine, he became bishop of Nisibi and succeeded in winning the confidence of King Peroz (457–84). He then convened the Synod of Bēt Lāfar (484), which championed Nestorianism, decreed the marriage of priests, and above all declared the authority of the katholikós over the bishops to have lapsed. The katholikós Bābaj gathered the bishops faithful to him and excommunicated B. Having intercepted a letter from Bābaj, B. himself accused him before Peroz, who put him to death. He was succeeded by Acacio, with whom B. became reconciled. Indeed, at the Synod of Bēt 'Adraj (485), B. submitted to him, but did not remain faithful to him to the end. Availing himself of Peroz’s confidence, he cruelly persecuted the Monophysites. According to Bar Ebreo, he had 7,700 of them and many priests killed, but according to modern scholars this number is exaggerated. 'Abdišō' (Ebediesu), in G. S. Assemani (Bibl. Orient., III, Roma 1725, p. 66), attributes to him hymns, sermons, homilies, and letters. Five of the latter are in Synodicon orient., ed. J. B. Chabot (Parigi 1902), pp. 531–39, and in the Actes Xe Cong. Orientalistes, part 2°, pp. 83–101.