Barsauma (died 456)

Barsauma[1] (died 456)[2] was a Syriac-speaking monk and holy man, a leading opponent of the Council of Chalcedon of 451.

Looting was forbidden by Barsauma's order, and the synagogue burned to the ground.

[4] In 438, Barsauma and forty of his followers attacked Jews praying at the ruins of the Temple in Jerusalem, killing many.

[5] He was tried, but claimed innocence, saying the stones were cast from heaven, and eventually acquitted.

The Acts of the Council of Chalcedon record that, when the bishops heard this, they exclaimed "Barsumas is a murderer, cast him out, out with him to the arena, let him be anathema".