Tomarsa (307-371) was Patriarch of the East from 363 to 371, succeeding Barba'shmin and preceding Qayyoma.
Biography[]
Tomarsa was born in 307 AD to a Chaldean family, and he became involved with the underground Church of the East at the time of Shapur II's persecution of Christians. In 363 AD, following the death of Julian the Apostate in battle, Shapur II was convinced that Julian's death was punishment by God for Julian's paganism and for his apostasy against Christianity, and he decided to reverse his persecution of Christians, make peace with Julian's chief commander Jovian, and order the churches to be restored. The bishops then chose Tomarsa as the new Patriarch of the East, and he devoted all his efforts to the restoration of the churches. He repaired the rents in discipline caused by the persecution, compelled the faithful to enter into legitimate marriages, and only allowed for old men to become monks (as the church was running out of young members). He died in Seleucia in 371.