CH RI STIAN Sherds," or "Chief of Shepherds."22 After the Islamic conquest such
titles were dropped. George I (659-80) called himself only "catholicos,
patriarch of the Orient,"23 and Wnanisho' I (686-93) only "catho-
licos, patriarch by the grace of God."24 Even in the eighth century
Wnanisho'II (775-79) and Timothy I (780-823) confined themselves
to the titles of catholicos and patriarch.^25
The authority of church government was upheld by a theory of
double sanction-ecclesiastical and secular. Beginning with the synod
of 410, the church expected to have its decisions enforced by the state.
The acts of this synod were guaranteed by the threat of excommun-
ication and of punishment by the King of Kings for anyone who failed
to accept them.^26 The idea of double sanction is also present in a letter
written by the catholicos Sabhrisho' (596-604) to the monks of Bar
Qaiti in 598, in which he justified his prescription of monastic rules
for them "by the authority of the Church, royal permission, and the
care of the Fathers."2? In return, Christians were expected to express
their loyalty to the Sasanians by praying for the monarch, and by using
the terms which he used for himself. Yazdagerd I, who had allowed
Christians to bury their dead and convened the synod of 410, was
called "victorious" and "illustrious" by that synod.2s
In a letter of 544, the catholicos Mar Aba spoke of "the kindly,
merciful, benevolent Khusraw, King of Kings-may the power of his
empire, the health of his body, the joy of his soul, his good will and
merciful intentions be preserved, and may he be protected by divine
goodness."29 Similarly, according to the preface to the Synod of
Isho'yahbh I in 585:
The Christian servants and subjects of his Majesty [Hurmizd IV]
... pray to God for him night and day, for his power to last forever,
for Him who inhabits the heavens, the Lord of kings, to be with
him in everything forever, and that those who inhabit the earth and
are in the universe may submit to his domination forever, according
to the will of the Lord.^30
22 Ibid., pp. 103, 110, 112, 196, 361, 368, 370, 456.
23 Ibid., pp. 215, 227, 480, 490.
24 Sachau, Rechtsbucher, 11, 12-13.
25 Chabot, Synodicon, pp. 245,515,599, 603-4.
26 Ibid., pp. 22, 30,261,269-70.
27 Ibid., pp. 203, 465.
28 Ibid., pp. 30, 269; Hoffmann, Persischer Martyrer, p. 39.
29 Chabot, Synodicon, pp. 540, 551.
30 Ibid., pp. 131, 391.