Anastasius the Sinaite
Encyclopedia
Anastasius I the Sinaite was the Greek Patriarch of Antioch
twice (561–571 and 593–599).
He was a friend of Pope Gregory I
, and aroused the enmity of the Emperor Justinian by opposing certain imperial doctrines about the Body of Christ
(Justinian favoured the Aphthartodocetae
). He was to be deposed from his See and exiled when Justinian died; but Justin II
carried out his uncle's purpose five years later in 570, and another bishop, Gregory of Antioch
, was put in his place. But when Gregory died in 593, Anastasius was restored to his See. This was chiefly due to Pope Gregory the Great, who interceded with the Emperor Maurice
and his son Theodosius
, asking that Anastasius be sent to Rome, if not reinstated at Antioch. He was killed by a Jewish mob in 599. His feast day is 21 April.
From some letters sent to him by Gregory, it is thought that he was not sufficiently vigorous in denouncing the claims of the Patriarch of Constantinople to be a universal bishop. Anastasius died in 598, and another bishop of the same name is said to have succeeded him in 599, to whom the translation Gregory's Regula Pastoralis is attributed, and who is recorded as having been put to death in an insurrection of the Jews. Nicephorus
(Hist. Eccl., XVIII, xliv) declares that these two are one and the same person. The same difficulty occurs with regard to certain Sermones de orthodoxâ fide, some ascribing them to the latter Anastasius; others claiming that there was but one bishop of that name.
Patriarch of Antioch
Patriarch of Antioch is a traditional title held by the Bishop of Antioch. As the traditional "overseer" of the first gentile Christian community, the position has been of prime importance in the church from its earliest period...
twice (561–571 and 593–599).
He was a friend of Pope Gregory I
Pope Gregory I
Pope Gregory I , better known in English as Gregory the Great, was pope from 3 September 590 until his death...
, and aroused the enmity of the Emperor Justinian by opposing certain imperial doctrines about the Body of Christ
Body of Christ
In Christian theology, the term Body of Christ has two separate connotations: it may refer to Jesus's statement about the Eucharist at the Last Supper that "This is my body" in , or the explicit usage of the term by the Apostle Paul in to refer to the Christian Church.Although in general usage the...
(Justinian favoured the Aphthartodocetae
Aphthartodocetae
The Aphthartodocetae were members of a 6th century Non-Chalcedonian sect. Their leader Julian, Bishop of Halicarnassus taught that Christ's body was always incorruptible...
). He was to be deposed from his See and exiled when Justinian died; but Justin II
Justin II
Justin II was Byzantine Emperor from 565 to 578. He was the husband of Sophia, nephew of Justinian I and the late Empress Theodora, and was therefore a member of the Justinian Dynasty. His reign is marked by war with Persia and the loss of the greater part of Italy...
carried out his uncle's purpose five years later in 570, and another bishop, Gregory of Antioch
Gregory of Antioch
Gregory of Antioch was the Greek Patriarch of Antioch from 571 to 593.Gregory of Antioch began as a monk in the monastery of the Byzantines in Jerusalem, or so we learn from Evagrius Scholasticus. He was transferred by the emperor Justin II to Sinai. He was abbot there when the monastery was...
, was put in his place. But when Gregory died in 593, Anastasius was restored to his See. This was chiefly due to Pope Gregory the Great, who interceded with the Emperor Maurice
Maurice (emperor)
Maurice was Byzantine Emperor from 582 to 602.A prominent general in his youth, Maurice fought with success against the Sassanid Persians...
and his son Theodosius
Theodosius (son of Maurice)
Theodosius was the eldest son of Byzantine Emperor Maurice and was co-emperor from 590 until his deposition and execution during a military revolt in November 602. Along with his father-in-law Germanus, he was briefly proposed as successor to Maurice by the troops, but the army eventually...
, asking that Anastasius be sent to Rome, if not reinstated at Antioch. He was killed by a Jewish mob in 599. His feast day is 21 April.
From some letters sent to him by Gregory, it is thought that he was not sufficiently vigorous in denouncing the claims of the Patriarch of Constantinople to be a universal bishop. Anastasius died in 598, and another bishop of the same name is said to have succeeded him in 599, to whom the translation Gregory's Regula Pastoralis is attributed, and who is recorded as having been put to death in an insurrection of the Jews. Nicephorus
Nicephorus
-Rulers:* Nikephoros I Komnenos Doukas, Despot of Epirus 1267-1297* Nikephoros I Logothetes, Byzantine emperor 802-811* Nikephoros II Orsini, ruler of Epirus 1335-1338 and 1356-1359* Nikephoros II Phokas, Byzantine emperor 963-969...
(Hist. Eccl., XVIII, xliv) declares that these two are one and the same person. The same difficulty occurs with regard to certain Sermones de orthodoxâ fide, some ascribing them to the latter Anastasius; others claiming that there was but one bishop of that name.