Leo of Chalcedon
Encyclopedia
Leo of Chalcedon was an 11th-century Eastern Orthodox bishop
at Chalcedon
who opposed the appropriation of church treasures by Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos
between 1081 and 1091.
Alexios I was in a desperate situation upon ascending the throne in 1081. With the Byzantine-Norman Wars
draining what little money remained in the imperial treasury, and Robert Guiscard
marching across the Balkans
, Alexios was forced to assemble a synod
of Greek ecclesiastics who authorised him to employ the wealth gathered as offerings in the churches for public service. This act was violently opposed by many of the clergy, with Leo, Bishop of Chalcedon being among the most prominent.
Leo declared that the government had committed sacrilege
in melting down sacred objects which were entitled to the adoration of Christians. Leo's opposition forced the emperor to back down temporarily in 1082. The resumption of confiscations soon after and the lack of resistance by Patriarch
Nicholas III and the other leading bishops led Leo to break communion
with the patriarchate
in 1084. Alexios took advantage of his claims that seemed to attribute more than orthodox importance to these objects. In 1086 another synod was convened in which the emperor's brother, the Sebastokrator
Isaac Komnenos played a leading role, assembling the Patristic texts for the trial, and Leo's opinions were condemned as heretical. The synod indicted and deposed him before being banished to Sozopolis
where the locals regarded him as a saint.
Though Alexios published a decree justifying the secularization of church treasures, the public outcry was so great that he issued a golden bull
ordering restitution to be made for all the sacred plate already employed for the state, and declaring it to be sacrilege for any one in future to apply church treasures for secular uses.
Eventually Leo was reconciled with the church at the 1094 council of Constantinople
.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
at Chalcedon
Chalcedon
Chalcedon , sometimes transliterated as Chalkedon) was an ancient maritime town of Bithynia, in Asia Minor, almost directly opposite Byzantium, south of Scutari . It is now a district of the city of Istanbul named Kadıköy...
who opposed the appropriation of church treasures by Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos
Alexios I Komnenos
Alexios I Komnenos, Latinized as Alexius I Comnenus , was Byzantine emperor from 1081 to 1118, and although he was not the founder of the Komnenian dynasty, it was during his reign that the Komnenos family came to full power. The title 'Nobilissimus' was given to senior army commanders,...
between 1081 and 1091.
Alexios I was in a desperate situation upon ascending the throne in 1081. With the Byzantine-Norman Wars
Byzantine-Norman Wars
A number of wars between the Normans and the Byzantine Empire were fought from c. 1050 until 1185 when the last Norman invasion of Byzantine territory was defeated...
draining what little money remained in the imperial treasury, and Robert Guiscard
Robert Guiscard
Robert d'Hauteville, known as Guiscard, Duke of Apulia and Calabria, from Latin Viscardus and Old French Viscart, often rendered the Resourceful, the Cunning, the Wily, the Fox, or the Weasel was a Norman adventurer conspicuous in the conquest of southern Italy and Sicily...
marching across the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, Alexios was forced to assemble a synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
of Greek ecclesiastics who authorised him to employ the wealth gathered as offerings in the churches for public service. This act was violently opposed by many of the clergy, with Leo, Bishop of Chalcedon being among the most prominent.
Leo declared that the government had committed sacrilege
Sacrilege
Sacrilege is the violation or injurious treatment of a sacred object. In a less proper sense, any transgression against the virtue of religion would be a sacrilege. It can come in the form of irreverence to sacred persons, places, and things...
in melting down sacred objects which were entitled to the adoration of Christians. Leo's opposition forced the emperor to back down temporarily in 1082. The resumption of confiscations soon after and the lack of resistance by Patriarch
Patriarch of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarch is the Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome – ranking as primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which is seen by followers as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church....
Nicholas III and the other leading bishops led Leo to break communion
Communion (Christian)
The term communion is derived from Latin communio . The corresponding term in Greek is κοινωνία, which is often translated as "fellowship". In Christianity, the basic meaning of the term communion is an especially close relationship of Christians, as individuals or as a Church, with God and with...
with the patriarchate
Patriarchate
A patriarchate is the office or jurisdiction of a patriarch. A patriarch, as the term is used here, is either* one of the highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, earlier, the five that were included in the Pentarchy: Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem, but now nine,...
in 1084. Alexios took advantage of his claims that seemed to attribute more than orthodox importance to these objects. In 1086 another synod was convened in which the emperor's brother, the Sebastokrator
Sebastokrator
Sebastokratōr was a senior court title in the late Byzantine Empire. It was also used by other rulers whose states bordered the Empire or were within its sphere of influence. The word is a compound of "sebastos" Sebastokratōr was a senior court title in the late Byzantine Empire. It was also used...
Isaac Komnenos played a leading role, assembling the Patristic texts for the trial, and Leo's opinions were condemned as heretical. The synod indicted and deposed him before being banished to Sozopolis
Sozopolis
Sozopolis may refer to the following ancient sites:* Sozopolis, Thrace * Sozopolis, Pisidia, in Asia Minor...
where the locals regarded him as a saint.
Though Alexios published a decree justifying the secularization of church treasures, the public outcry was so great that he issued a golden bull
Golden Bull
A Golden Bull or chrysobull was a golden ornament representing a seal , attached to a decree issued by Byzantine Emperors and later by monarchs in Europe during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The term was originally coined for the golden seal itself but came to be applied to the entire decree...
ordering restitution to be made for all the sacred plate already employed for the state, and declaring it to be sacrilege for any one in future to apply church treasures for secular uses.
Eventually Leo was reconciled with the church at the 1094 council of Constantinople
Council of Constantinople (1094)
The Council of Constantinople of 1094 was convened by the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos and held in Constantinople at Blachernae palace in order to resolve the case of Leo of Chalcedon.-Background:...
.