MARUTA, bishop of MARTYROPOLIS (MAJFER-QAT), saint. — Born around the middle of the 4th century to the prefect of the province of Sophene, he was a distinguished physician and traveled several times to Persia as a legate of the Byzantine court. Having healed the daughter of Shapur II, he obtained from him an end to the persecution against Christians and many relics of martyrs, which he deposited at Majferqat, henceforth called Martyropolis. In 403, M. was in Constantinople, where he took part in the synod that condemned his friend St. John Chrysostom. In 410 he was again in Seleucia-Ctesiphon, where he participated in the synod; indeed, the election of Mar Ahaj as katholikos in 411 is attributed to M. Probably M. remained in Persia for several more years as the official protector of that Church. He must have died before 420. His feast is celebrated on December 4.
The few writings of M. are of value only for the history of canon law and liturgy. Among these is the Treatise on Heresies (ed. I. Rahmani, in Studia Syriaca, IV, Mount Li-
Simagno turofia/ hochiu gouoriti.
Zatochiu moliti/ Bozetuoiu (uifotif)
Nethimi chratiti/ u tom punu milof.
Tison chi da chripof/ ifachomu dilu gne.
Ignechipu lipof/ ipofetnica ciftigoe.
Tipofi fad mene/ tachoiurapsrui
Iazich da pomene/ ca mifal priprui.
Vdahuiduh praoi/ umni glubaftuoi
Dalboh etrui/ uechie pamet moa.
Bludechiozoia/ zidruzbofanh poet/
Boge d'oua choia/ chimifuitbife fpet.
Dzinsadafeflet/ ifihini Boze moi
Ti daies ifatcho pet/ uermimi ri pochoi
A nefchuptrichratroi/ diuiccha ochola/
Pridufctios ubroi/ fchitarom Apola.
Vzufigniodziola/ glas moi chachu gori/
Gdiuog/ prifola/ d'ufuifefchi zori.
Daderutem duori/ budeti uifchan
Doholizgouori/ od ludite pifan.
(from M. M. Judita, Zagreb 1956, pl. 6)