The Aphthartodocetae were members of a 6th century Non-Chalcedonian

Non-Chalcedonian

Non-Chalcedonianism is the view of those churches that accepted the First Council of Ephesus of 431, but, for varying reasons, did not accept allegiance to the Council of Chalcedon following it in 451. The most substantial Non-Chalcedonian tradition is known as Oriental Orthodoxy...

 sect. Their leader Julian, Bishop of Halicarnassus taught that Christ

Christ

Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...

's body was always incorruptible. This was in disagreement with another Non-Chalcedonian leader, Severus of Antioch

Severus of Antioch

Severus, Patriarch of Antioch , born approximately 465 in Sozopolis in Pisidia, was by birth and education a pagan, who was baptized in the "precinct of the divine martyr Leontius" at Tripoli, Lebanon.- Life :...

 who insisted that Christ's body was incorruptible only following the resurrection. In 564, the Emperor Justinian the Great adopted the tenets of the Aphthartodocetae and attempted to elevate their beliefs to the rank of Orthodox dogma. Patriarch Eutychius of Constantinople

Patriarch Eutychius of Constantinople

Eutychius , considered a saint in the Catholic and Orthodox Christian traditions, was the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 552 to 565, and from 577 to 582. His feast is kept by the Byzantine Church on 6 April, and he is mentioned in the Catholic Church's "Corpus Iuris"...

, who had presided over the Fifth General Council

Second Council of Constantinople

The Second Council of Constantinople is recognized as the Fifth Ecumenical Council by the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholics, Old Catholics, and a number of other Western Christian groups. It was held from May 5 to June 2, 553, having been called by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian...

, resisted Justinian's efforts by arguing the incompatibility of the Aphthartodocetic beliefs with scripture. Eutychius was exiled from his see by Justinian and replaced by John Scholasticus

John Scholasticus

John Scholasticus was the 32nd patriarch of Constantinople from April 12, 565 until his death in 577. He is also regarded as a saint of the Eastern Orthodox Church....

; the Patriarch of Antioch

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...

 Anastasius was also threatened with this fate. Justinian prepared an edict to enforce the tenets among the communions throughout the empire but its issue was prevented when Justinian died on November 565, during the thirty-ninth year of his reign.