John of the Sedre

John III of the Sedre
Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East
Church	Syriac Orthodox Church
See	Antioch
Installed	631
Term ended	648
Predecessor	Athanasius I Gammolo
Successor	Theodore
Personal details
Died	14 December 648
Sainthood
Feast day	14 December
Venerated in	Syriac Orthodox Church

John III of the Sedre (Syriac:Mor Yuhannon d'Sedraw) was the Patriarch of Antioch, and head of the Syriac Orthodox Church from 631 until his death in 648.

John entered the Monastery of Ousebuna, between Antioch and Beroea, where he became a monk and studied Greek, Syriac, and theology. He was also at the Monastery of Gubbo Baroyo for a time. John was later appointed secretary to Athanasius I Gammolo, Patriarch of Antioch. Following the conclusion of the Roman-Sasanian War of 602-628, Athanasius dispatched John to the court of the newly enthroned Sasanian emperor Kavadh II at the imperial capital of Ctesiphon. During his return journey, John travelled to the Monastery of St. Matthew in Mesopotamia and invited five bishops and three monks, including Marutha of Tikrit, to accompany him.

John was elected and consecrated Patriarch of Antioch after the death of Athanasius in July 631. His consecration as patriarch was soon followed by the fall of Roman Syria and the Muslim conquest of the Levant. On 9 May 644, John and several bishops were summoned before Emir Umayr ibn Sad al-Ansari of Hims to engage in open debate regarding Christianity and represent the entire Christian community, including non-Syriac Orthodox communities, such as Greek Orthodox Syrians, who are known to have prayed for their safety. The debate was recorded by a certain Severus in the form of a letter and sent to Syriac Orthodox communities to ease discomfort amongst the adherents of the church.

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