Nikolaus Zaya

Nikolaus I. Zaya (* Khosrova , Iran ; † February 15, 1863 ibid) was a patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church .

Life

After several years of studying in Rome, Zaya (Isaiah) returned home in 1836 through Johannes Hormizd , since 1830 Catholic "Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans" based in Mosul , as coadjutor with the right to succeed the aged Archbishop Melchizedek Mar Išo'yahb († August 23, 1859 ) consecrated by Salamas in Khosrova (north of Urmia in Iran). In a letter dated September 29, 1838 , the Roman Propaganda Congregation appointed him coadjutor with the right to succeed Patriarch Yohannan VIII Hormizd , who, of course, had already died at this point († August 13, 1838 in Baghdad). The purpose of this appointment, without prior election, was the final abandonment of the hereditary principle of filling the East Syrian patriarchal chair, from which even Hormizd, who had become Catholic, had not completely freed himself. His successor took the name Nicholas I, was ordained in 1839 and confirmed by Rome on April 27, 1840 . In the same year he obtained the Sultan's Firman as a separate head of the Catholic Chaldeans in the Ottoman Empire . He first resided in Khosrova , then in Mosul, which remained the seat of the Chaldean Patriarchate until 1947.

Rivalries and resignation

The Catholicos patriarch Mar Shimun XIX was not the only competitor with Johannes Hormizd and Nikolaus I. von Qudschanis (1820-1860; from 1843 to 1847 residing in the British consulate in Mosul ), but also the Chaldean Catholic Patriarchate in Diyarbakir (Amida) in the form of Augustine Hindi († 1828), who called himself Patriarch Joseph V, and of Joseph Audo (1790–1878), from 1822 Hindi bishop in Mosul (from 1830 nominally from Amadiya), who was finally to become Nikolaus' successor. Nicholas I also encountered difficulties in his own ranks with the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in 1843 and the continuing claims of the Beth d'Abuna family of the former hereditary patriarchs of Alqosh . On the other hand, his tradition-based and self-confident conduct of office found anything but applause among the European Orient missionaries. In 1845 there were allegations of alleged wasting of church property. Nicholas I was summoned to Rome for an investigation, but refused and resigned from the patriarchal office in early 1846. Successor as "Patriarch of Babylon the Chaldeans" was his old rival Joseph VI in 1847 . Audo .

Last years of life and death

Nikolaus Zaya withdrew to Khosrova and tried to enforce his older successor rights to the bishopric of Salamas against the incumbent coadjutor and from 1848 successor to Melchizedek Mar Išo'yahb, Giwargis Augustinus Barshina (* 1814 - 23 June 1890). He also continued to demand respect for his patriarchal dignity. He was opposed by the Chaldean Catholic hierarchy and by the local French Lazarist missionaries (Vincentians), whose interference in Eastern Church affairs he forbade. On the other hand, Nikolaus sought and found support on the non-Catholic side, so that there was talk of a threatening schism . In the last year of his life he reconciled with his mother church. He died on February 15, 1863. The epitaph in Khosrova calls him "Patriarch of the Chaldeans".

literature

• Charles-Alexandre de Challaye (author), Jean-Michel Hornus (ed.): Mémoire sur l'état actuel et l'avenir de la religion catholique et des missions lazaristes et protestantes en Perse (Cahiers d'Études Chrétiennes Orientales; vol. 8/9). Action Chrétienne en Orient, Strasbourg 1970/73, pp. 79f. 85f. 102-109. 148.

Web links

• Entry Nikolas Eshaya (Zaya) in Giga-Catholic Information (English)

predecessor	Office	successor
Yohannan VIII. Hormizd	Patriarch of Babylon of 1838 - 1846	Joseph VI. Audo