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Martyrius, Bishop of Jerusalem

Wace's Dictionary of Early Christian Biography

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Martyrius (3) , bp. of Jerusalem, 478–486, a Cappadocian by birth, who had embraced a solitary life in the Nitrian desert. The violent proceedings of Timothy Aelurus drove him and other orthodox monks from Egypt, and he took refuge, a.d. 457, together with his fellow-solitary Elias, also subsequently bp. of Jerusalem, in the house of St. Euthymius, who received them with great favour (Cyrill. Scythop. Vit. S. Euthym. cc. 94, 95). After a time Martyrius retired to a cave 2 miles W. of the laura, which became the site of a considerable monastery ( ib. ). Martyrius and Elias were present at the death and burial of St. Euthymius, A.D. 473, after which Anastasius bp. of Jerusalem ordained them presbyters, attaching them to the church of the Resurrection (ib. cc. 105, 110, 112). Anastasius dying a.d. 478, Martyrius succeeded him as bp. of Jerusalem ( ib. 113). His church was then rent asunder by the Eutychian Aposchistae, of whom Gerontius was the head. He succeeded in bringing back these schismatic monks to the unity of the church ( ib. 123, 124.). Cyrillus Scythopolitanus tells us that he died in the 8th year of his patriarchate, A.D. 486 ( Vit. S. Sab. c. 19; Eutych. t. ii. p. 103). Le Quien, Or. Christ. iii. 171; Tillem. Mém. eccl. xvi. 332 seq.

[E.V.]