350 Maronite Martyrs
The 350 Maronite Martyrs were a group of Maronite monks who were killed by Monophysite Christians, in 571, for maintaining belief in the Chalcedonian doctrine. They are venerated as the first martyrs of the Maronite Church and are commerated on 31 July.
History
In the year 451 A.D. the Council of Chalcedon was convoked by Byzantine emperor Marcian. The council resulted in the Chalcedonian Definition regarding the nature of Christ which professed Dyophysitism. While the Maronites accepted the council, other groups would reject the council such as the Miaphysites, who would go on to become the Oriental Orthodox Churches, and the Monophysites.The monastery of Beth-Maron near Apamea would go on to become the main center of Maronite and Chalcedonian doctrine, much to the dismay of the Monophysites living nearby. In 571, Maronite monks who were on their way to the Church of Saint Simeon Stylites were ambushed and attacked at Kaprokerameon by a Monophysite army sent by the Non-Chalcedonian Byzantine emperor Anastasius. Even the monks who took refuge at altars were slain and many monasteries were burnt with havoc ensuing throughout the night.
Letters
Following the massacre, the monks of Beth-Maron wrote a letter to Pope Hormisdas which mentioned the martyrs stating:Hormisdas responded on 10 February 518 stating:
The Latin and Greek texts of these letters are preserved in the Collectio Avellana as letters 139 and 140.
Furthermore, a third letter was written by the monks to the bishops which blames Severus for the attack and goes into more details on the attacks.