MONOTHELITES(μovoθcλητaι,, monothelite) was the name given to those who, in the 7th century, while otherwise orthodox, fell into the heresy of maintaining that Christ had only one will. The monothelite controversy had its origin in the efforts of the emperor Heraclius to win back for the church and the empire the excommunicated and persecuted Monophysites or Eutychians of Egypt and Syria. It seems to have been while in Armenia in 622 that, in an interview with Paul, the head of the Severians (Monophysites) there, he first broached the doctrine of the μία èvépyeca of Christ, i.e., the doctrine that the divine and human natures, while quite distinct in His one person, had but one activity and operation. At a somewhat later date he wrote to Arcadius of Cyprus, commanding that “two energies” should not be spoken of; and in 626, while in Lazistan (Colchis), he had a meeting with the metropolitan, Cyrus of Phasis, during which this command was discussed, and Cyrus was at last bidden seek further instruction on the subject from Sergius, patriarch of Constantinople, a strong upholder of the μία ∈v∈pγeια, and the emperor’s counsellor with regard to it. So well did he profit by the teaching he received in this quarter that, in 630 or 631, Cyrus was appointed to the vacant patriarchate of Alexandria, and in 633 succeeded in reconciling the Severians of his province on the basis of μία θeavδpικη èvépyeca (one divine-human energy). He was, however, opposed by Sophronius, a monk from Palestine, who, after vainly appealing to Cyrus, actually went to Constantinople to remonstrate with Sergius himself. Shortly afterwards Sergius wrote to Pope Honorius, and received a friendly reply. Sophronius, however, who meanwhile had been made patriarch of ...

a denomination in the seventh century. See HYPOSTATIC UNION.