John IV Sarugoyo

John IV Sarugoyo
Maphrian of the Syriac Orthodox Church
Church	Syriac Orthodox Church
Archdiocese	Maphrianate of the East
Diocese	Mosul and Nineveh
In office	1164-1188
Predecessor	Ignatius II Lazarus
Successor	Dionysius bar Msah
Orders
Consecration	1165 by Athanasius VII bar Qutreh
Rank	Maphrian
Personal details
Born	Serugh
Died	1188

John IV Sarugoyo was the Maphrian of the East of the Syriac Orthodox Church, from 1164 until his death in 1188.

Biography

From 1180 to 1204, the church suffered from division as Theodore Bar Wahbon, Karim Bar Masih, and their supporters attempted to usurp the patriarchal office from the patriarch Michael I Rabo. Having been forced to flee Mardin, Theodore and Karim travelled to the Monastery of Mar Mattai near Mosul to attempt to convince John to support his claim to the patriarchal office, but he refused.

Theodore and Karim travelled throughout Upper Mesopotamia as they attempted to gather supporters and later met with dignitaries of Michael I Rabo in Dara. Upon learning that the usurpers were in Dara, John and several bishops travelled there, captured, and brought them before the patriarch in the Monastery of Mar Barsoum near Melitene. They later escaped the monastery and continued to disrupt the church beyond John's death in 1188 and Karim later had himself ordained John's successor to the maphrianate and assumed the name Dionysius.

Sources

• The Christians Under Turkish Rule, Dr. Matti Moosa