(A.D. 631.)
[Greek Menæa, Authorities:--The Chronicon Alexandrinum, Theophanes,
the Annals of Eutychius, Anastasius Bibliothecarius, Paulus
Diaconus, Cedrenus, &c.]
Zacharias was made Patriarch of Jerusalem in the year 609, having been
previously warden of the sacred vessels at Constantinople. During his
reign, in the year 614, the holy city was taken by the Persians, and
as many as 90,000 Christians are said, by Theophanes, to have perished
in the massacre which ensued, the Jews taking the opportunity to
revenge themselves on the worshippers of the Crucified: Chosroes
having swelled his army with twenty-six thousand Jews, who fought with
fury, in the hopes of recovering Jerusalem for themselves. The
sepulchre of Christ, and the stately churches of Helena and
Constantine, were consumed, or at least damaged, by the flames; the
devout offerings of three hundred years were rifled in one
sacrilegious day; the patriarch Zacharias, and the true Cross, were
transported into Persia. The fugitives of Palestine were entertained
at Alexandria, by the charity of John, the Patriarch, who is
distinguished by the epithet of the Alms-giver, (Jan. 23rd), and
Modestus, abbot of S. Theodosius, was appointed vicar of the scattered
and bleeding flock in the Holy Land, during the captivity of their
pastor. In 628 Chosroes was deposed and assassinated by his son
Siroes, who concluded peace with the Emperor Heraclius, restored to
him all that had been taken by his father, the wood of the true Cross,
and the captives, amongst whom was Zacharias, who returned to
Jerusalem, the following year.
The seals of the case in which the venerable relic had been enclosed
before it was carried into Persia, were found unbroken, and it was
easy for the patriarch, who had been its fellow-captive, to verify it.
Zacharias died in the year 631, two years after his restoration.