had excommunicated. He gave orders that his tongue be
cut, but fortunately for him the order was not executed
because of the intercession of Empress Theodora, Justin’s
wife, who was a good and charitable woman, and whose
influence on the Emperor – when he listened to her – was
always beneficial. After his excommunication Bishop
Severus was permitted to leave Antioch and reside in any
place of his choice. He decided to live in Egypt where he
quietly withdrew to a monastery to spend the rest of his
days.
When Emperor Justin I died and was succeeded by
Justinian I, Abba Timotheos was allowed to return to his
country though not to his See upon which an intruder had
been imposed. So he sought refuge in the desert
monasteries. For some time both he and Severus led lives
of fugitives because the imperial troops hounded them and
would not leave them in peace. Finally, however, they
settled in a monastery beyond the knowledge of these
troops, and became constant companions. There they
found time to communicate with their people, secretly but
regularly sent them letters comforting and encouraging
them and asking them to remain faithful to the end.
Oppressed and hounded, Abba Timotheos
endeavoured with all his God-given powers to fulfil his
pastoral duties. For seventeen years he shepherded his
people with lovingkindness. Then he was translated unto
the ‘Mansions of Light’.^10
- After the death of Abba Timotheos, the Coptic
clergy and people speedily and quietly came together and
elected his successor, an ascetic called Theodosius who
became the thirty-third Pope of the Church of Alexandria.
This id not change matters much regarding Emperor
Justinian’s attitude. The Emperor also tried to impose his