Severus of Antioch

Severus of Antioch (Greek: Σεβῆρος; Syriac: ܣܘܝܪܝܘܣ ܕܐܢܛܝܘܟܝܐ), also known as Severus of Gaza, or the Crown of Syrians (Syriac: ܬܓܐ ܕܣܘܪ̈ܝܝܐ, romanized: Tagha d'Suryoye; Arabic: تاج السريان, romanized: Taj al-Suriyan), was the Patriarch of Antioch and head of the Syriac Orthodox Church from 512 until his death in 538. He is venerated as a saint in the Oriental Orthodox Church, and his feast day is 8 February.

Born in Sozopolis, Severus studied grammar, rhetoric and philosophy in the city of Alexandria, Egypt. He then travelled to Phoenicia to study law and dedicated his time to study the works of the Church Fathers. After his baptism at the Church of Saint Leontius, Severus became a monk and entered the monastry of Peter the Iberian near Maiuma, which was a center of non-Chalcedonianism.

In 512, when Patriarch Flavian II of Antioch was deposed by Anastasius, Severus was elected as the Patriarch of Antioch after a synod was conducted in Laodicea, Syria. During the consecration ceremony, he affirmed the Councils of Nicaea, Constantinople, Ephesues and condemned the Council of Chalcedon as well as the Tome of Leo. Failing to accept the Council of Chalcedon, Justin I ordered Severus to be arrested and his tongue cut. Severus fled to Alexandria after discovering the emperor's orders through his wife, Theodora. He was continued to be seen as the legitimate Patriarch of Antioch by the non-Chalcedonians. Severus continued to reside in the city of Sakha until his death on 5 February 538. His body was later shifted to Zogag monastery.