the neighbouring
countries rose. At their head stood Theodore Askidas, archbishop of
Caesarea in Cappadocia, and Domitian, metropolitan of Ancyra, who had
obtained, by favour of Justinian, these important sees. Ephrem, patriarch
of Antioch about 540, condemned Origenism in a synod. Pelagius, being papal
nuncio at Constantinople, had, together with Ephrem, patriarch of Antioch,
condemned the patriarch Paul of Alexandria at Gaza. Deputies from Peter,
patriarch of Jerusalem, and the orthodox monks journeyed with Pelagius to
Constantinople, to present to the emperor an accusation against the
Origenists. Pelagius had much influence with Justinian, and he and Mennas
procured for the petitioners access to the emperor. They asked him to issue
a solemn condemnation of Origen's errors. The emperor listened willingly,
and issued in the form of a treatise to Mennas a still extant censure of
Origen and his writings. He called upon the patriarchs to hold synods upon
them. Mennas, in 543, held one in the capital, which issued fifteen
anathemas against Origen.[143] Theodore Askidas and Domitian, by submitting
to the imperial edict and the condemnation of Origen, kept their places and
secured afresh their influence, which the monks of Palestine, who were not
Origenistic, felt severely. They even managed, in the interest of their
party, to turn the attention of the dogmatising emperor to another
question, and moved him to issue, in 544, the edict upon the Three
Chapters. He thought he was bringing back the Monophysites to orthodoxy. He
was really casting a new ferment into the existing agitation.

At first the patriarch Mennas was very displeased with this edict censuring
in the so-called Three Chapters Theodoret, Ibas, and Theodore of Mopsuestia
as Nestorians. He considered the credit of the Council of Chalcedon to be
therein impeached, and declared that he would only subscribe to it after
the Pope had subscribed. Afterwards, being more strongly pressed, he
subscribed unwillingly, but with the reservation, confirmed to him even
upon oath, that if the Bishop of Rome refused his assent his signature
should be returned to him, and his subscription be regarded as withdrawn.
The other eastern patriarchs also at first resisted, but finished by
complying with the imperial threats, as particularly Ephrem of Antioch.
Most of the bishops, accustomed to slavish subjection to their patriarchs,
followed their example, and Mennas had to urge the bishop