MARONITES, mar'o-nits, a sect of East ern Christians, whose origin was a consequence of the Monothelite controversy. In the 7th cen tury the opinion that Christ, though he united in himself the divine and human natures, had but one arose among the Eastern nations. But when their last patron, the Emperor Philippi cus Bardanes, was deposed and exiled in 713, the Monothelites were condemned and banished by his successor, Anastasius. The remnant of this party survived in the Maronites (so named from their founder, Maron)— a society of monks in Syria, about Mount Lebanon, which is mentioned as early as the 6th century. Another monk, John Maro, or Marum, also preached Monothelitism there in the 7th century. Re garded as rebels by the Melchites (q.v.), or Christians who adhered to the opinions of the emperor, they became, in the country of Leba non, which is now called Kesrawan, a warlike mountain people, who defended their political as well as their religious independence boldly agaihst the Mohammedans, and who even now, under the Turkish government, resist the pay ment of a tribute, like the Druses. The political constitution of the Maronites is that of a mili tary commonwealth. Governed by their ancient customary rights, defended from external at tacks, they support themselves among the mountains by husbandry and the produce of their vineyards and mulberry-trees. The reve nues of all their orders of ecclesiastics are very small, but a common spirit unites them, and in simplicity of manners, temperance and hospi tality they resemble the ancient Arabians. Re venge for murder is permitted among them, and as a sign of nobility they wear the green turban. Their Church constitution resembles very much that of the old Greek Church. Since the 12th
century they have several times submitted to the Pope and joined the Roman Catholic Church, without giving up their oNim peculiari ties. At last Clement XII induced them to ac cept the decrees of the of Trent at a synod held in 1736 at their convent of Mar hanna. After this synod their priests still re tained the right to marry, after the manner of the Greek Church; and they continued to ad minister the sacrament under both forms. The use of the Arabic language was preserved in the church service. Mass was read only in the an cient Syriac. Their head is called the patriarch of Antioch, although his residence is in the monastery of Kanobin, upon Mount Lebanon; and he gives an account every 10 years to the Pope of the condition of the Maronite Church. Under him are the bishops and other clergy men, who form seven degrees of rank. In Kes rawan are over 200 Maronite convents and nun neries, containing in all from 20,000 to 25,000 members who profess the rule of Saint An thony and devote themselves to agriculture and gardening. Since 1584 there has been a Maron ite college established at Rome for the educa tion and training of their clergy. At present the Maronites are supposed to number about 300,000, and these are distributed into 150 par ishes throughout Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Cyprus. In consequence of the sanguinary con flicts between the Maronites and Druses, June 1860, both communities are now subject to one governor appointed by the Porte, with the title of governor of the Lebanon. Consult Bliss, F. J., 'Religions of Modern Syria and Pales tine) (1912). See DRUSES.