Narsai of Seleucia-Ctesiphon
Narsai was Patriarch of the Church of the East during a period of schism from 524 to 537. Unlike his opponent [Elisha (Nestorian Patriarch)|], who is included in the traditional list of patriarchs of the Church of the East, Narsai, has traditionally been considered an anti-patriarch.
Narsai's patriarchate
The following account of Narsai's reign is given by Bar Hebraeus:
Shila died after a while in office. Then a schism arose among the bishops. Some of them supported [Elisha (Nestorian Patriarch)|], the son-in-law of Shila, and consecrated him catholicus in the church of Ctesiphon; while others supported a man called Narsaï, and consecrated him catholicus in the great church of Seleucia. Each of them began to appoint bishops for the vacant churches, and ultimately [Elisha (Nestorian Patriarch)|] prevailed with the support of the king and shut up Narsaï in a prison. Narsaï died shortly afterwards, and [Elisha (Nestorian Patriarch)|] began to hope that he would be firmly established in the leadership; but the bishops assembled together and degraded him from his rank.