Nestorian Christianity eulininated in the thir teenth century, when there were twenty-five met ropolitans in the hierarchy, no one of whom had fewer than six bishops under 16: jurkdie I ion. The Catholieus was almost a pope in the extent of his ecclesiastical domain. But from this time onward their prosperity diminishes. After the fall of Bagdad before the 'Mongols (1255), the Catholicus was obliged frequently to change his residence, which was in itself a seri ous administrative disadvantage. In the four teenth century came the Tatars, 1111(11.1- the tierce Timor (q.v.), who made sad havoc of the Nes torians. internal dissensions split the Church in the sixteenth century, but those who claimed to be the true Nestorians adhered to the hered itary line of Mar Shimun, the family from which the Catholicus has been chosen ever since the fifteenth century. Their patriarch always the name of Simeon (Shimun). Some ulti mately joined the Boman Catholic Church, admit ting the supremacy of the Pope, but retaining special privileges, such as clerical marriage. which was a very ancient custom among them. These constitute the so-called Vniat Chahheans. The Nestorian hierarchy at the present time con sists of only one metropolitan and about ten bishops, in addition to their Catholiens. They number perhaps as many as 50.000 souls. but precise statistics are lacking. Some estimates are much larger than this.
The Nestorians take their stand upon the first two ecumenical councils, rejecting the decisions of Ephesus, and of course taking no loft in sub sequent councils of the Catholic Church. They have never been persuaded to accept the orthodox view of the Papacy, or of the doctrine of tran substantiation, or of purgatory. Their hierarch
ical organization culminates in the patriarchate. They have sanctioned clerical marriage ever since the fifth century, although this privilege does not extend to the bishops. Syriac is their official language. Their former generous philanthropy, exemplified in the foundation of asylums, alms houses, etc.. has vanished along with their gen eral prosperity as a Church and people, and at present they are themselves the objects of charity and of missionary effort. Friendly negotiations have been carried on with them by representatives of the Church of England. partly in the hope of bringing about ecclesiastical union. Protestant missionaries have been sent to. them from Amer ica, especially by the American Board (Congre gational), with a view to arousing them to new effort on their own behalf. But thus far these efforts have met with little success. In POS the Persian branch of the Nestorian Church. estimated at about 30.000 persons, formally joined the Orthodox Church ofussia, thereby gaining the political protection of the Czar.
The Christians of Saint Thomas. dwelling on the coast of 1\lalabar. India, are historivally connected with the Nestorians.
Consult : Assemani, Bibliotheca Orirntalis, (flume, 1725-28) ; Badger. The Nestorians and Their Ritual (2 vols., London. 1S52 Befell., History of the Couneils, vol. iii. (Edin burgh, 1s53) : Perkins, A Residenre of Eight ) in Persia ( Andover, IS43 ) ; 1 I ore, Ma de/it's History of the Urceh- Church (London, 1902).