Patriarch Ignatios of Constantinople
Encyclopedia
St. Ignatius or Ignatios , (c. 797–877) Patriarch of Constantinople
from July 4, 847 to October 23, 858 and from November 23, 867 to his death on October 23, 877. In the Roman Martyrology
of the Roman Catholic Church, he is regarded as a saint
, with a feast day of October 23.
Ignatios, originally named Niketas, was a son of the Byzantine Emperor Michael I Rangabe
and Prokopia
. His maternal grandfather was Nikephoros I
.
Although he was still a child, Niketas had been appointed nominal commander of the new corps of imperial guards, the Hikanatoi
. He was forcibly castrated (and thus made ineligible for becoming emperor, since the emperor could not be a eunuch
) and tonsured after his father's deposition in 813. He founded three monasteries on the Princes' Islands
, a favorite place for exiling tonsure
d members of the imperial house.
The Empress Mother Theodora
appointed Ignatios, a staunch opponent of Iconoclasm
, to succeed Methodios I as patriarch of Constantinople in 847. Ignatios soon became embroiled in the conflict between the Stoudites and the moderates in the Church, the issue being whether or not to dispose of clergymen who had cooperated with iconoclast policies in the past. Ignatios took the side of the conservative Stoudites and deposed the archbishop of Syracuse, Gregory Asbestas, the leader of the moderate party. Asbestas appealed for redress to Pope Leo IV
and thus inaugurated a period of friction in relations between the Roman and Constantinopolitan churches.
A fervent critic of the Caesar
Bardas
, Ignatios lost support after Emperor Michael III
and Bardas removed Theodora from influence in 857. Ignatios was forced to resign and was replaced by the layman Photios. When Photios reversed some of his predecessor's policies, Ignatios's supporters appealed to Pope Nicholas I
, who at first tried to stay out of the controversy (since, as a eunuch, Ignatios's election went against canon law), but then condemned Photios. The immediate issues in the conflict were the question of papal precedence over the patriarch, and jurisdiction over newly-converted Bulgaria
.
In 867 Basil I the Macedonian usurped the throne and, seeking an alliance with Nicholas I and Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor
, banished Photios and restored Ignatios on the patriarchal throne. Reinstated, Ignatios refused to yield to the papacy and drew Bulgaria back into the orbit of the Byzantine Church in 870. Since Ignatios and Photios pursued the same policy, the latter was recalled and reinstated as tutor to the emperor's children. When Ignatios died in October 877, Photios was reinstated as patriarch and contributed to Ignatios' sanctification.
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....
from July 4, 847 to October 23, 858 and from November 23, 867 to his death on October 23, 877. In the Roman Martyrology
Roman Martyrology
The Roman Martyrology is the official martyrology of the Roman Rite of the Roman Catholic Church. It provides an extensive but not exhaustive list of the saints recognized by the Church.-History:...
of the Roman Catholic Church, he is regarded as a saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
, with a feast day of October 23.
Ignatios, originally named Niketas, was a son of the Byzantine Emperor Michael I Rangabe
Michael I Rangabe
Michael I Rangabes was Byzantine Emperor from 811 to 813.Michael was the son of the patrician Theophylaktos Rangabes, the admiral of the Aegean fleet...
and Prokopia
Prokopia
Prokopia was the Empress consort of Michael I Rangabe of the Byzantine Empire.-Family:She was a daughter of Nikephoros I. The name of her mother is not known. Her only known sibling is Staurakios.-Marriage:...
. His maternal grandfather was Nikephoros I
Nikephoros I
Nikephoros I or Nicephorus I, Logothetes or Genikos was Byzantine emperor from 802 to 811, when he was killed in the Battle of Pliska....
.
Although he was still a child, Niketas had been appointed nominal commander of the new corps of imperial guards, the Hikanatoi
Hikanatoi
The Hikanatoi , sometimes Latinized as Hicanati, were one of the Byzantine tagmata, the elite guard units based near the imperial capital of Constantinople...
. He was forcibly castrated (and thus made ineligible for becoming emperor, since the emperor could not be a eunuch
Eunuch
A eunuch is a person born male most commonly castrated, typically early enough in his life for this change to have major hormonal consequences...
) and tonsured after his father's deposition in 813. He founded three monasteries on the Princes' Islands
Princes' Islands
The Princes' Islands , are a chain of nine islands off the coast of Istanbul, Turkey, in the Sea of Marmara. The islands also constitute the Adalar district of Istanbul Province...
, a favorite place for exiling tonsure
Tonsure
Tonsure is the traditional practice of Christian churches of cutting or shaving the hair from the scalp of clerics, monastics, and, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, all baptized members...
d members of the imperial house.
The Empress Mother Theodora
Theodora (9th century)
Theodora was a Byzantine Empress as the spouse of the Byzantine emperor Theophilos, and regent of her son, Michael III, from Theophilos' death in 842 to 855...
appointed Ignatios, a staunch opponent of Iconoclasm
Iconoclasm
Iconoclasm is the deliberate destruction of religious icons and other symbols or monuments, usually with religious or political motives. It is a frequent component of major political or religious changes...
, to succeed Methodios I as patriarch of Constantinople in 847. Ignatios soon became embroiled in the conflict between the Stoudites and the moderates in the Church, the issue being whether or not to dispose of clergymen who had cooperated with iconoclast policies in the past. Ignatios took the side of the conservative Stoudites and deposed the archbishop of Syracuse, Gregory Asbestas, the leader of the moderate party. Asbestas appealed for redress to Pope Leo IV
Pope Leo IV
Pope Saint Leo IV was pope from 10 April 847 to 17 July 855.A Roman by birth, he was unanimously chosen to succeed Sergius II. When he was elected, on 10 April 847, he was cardinal of Santi Quattro Coronati, and had been subdeacon of Gregory IV and archpriest under his predecessor...
and thus inaugurated a period of friction in relations between the Roman and Constantinopolitan churches.
A fervent critic of the Caesar
Caesar (title)
Caesar is a title of imperial character. It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator...
Bardas
Bardas
Bardas was a Byzantine noble and high-ranking minister. As the brother of Empress Theodora, he rose to high office under Theophilos . Although sidelined after Theophilos' death by Theodora and Theoktistos, in 856 he engineered Theoktistos' fall and became the regent for his nephew, Michael III...
, Ignatios lost support after Emperor Michael III
Michael III
Michael III , , Byzantine Emperor from 842 to 867. Michael III was the third and traditionally last member of the Amorian-Phrygian Dynasty...
and Bardas removed Theodora from influence in 857. Ignatios was forced to resign and was replaced by the layman Photios. When Photios reversed some of his predecessor's policies, Ignatios's supporters appealed to Pope Nicholas I
Pope Nicholas I
Pope Nicholas I, , or Saint Nicholas the Great, reigned from April 24, 858 until his death. He is remembered as a consolidator of papal authority and power, exerting decisive influence upon the historical development of the papacy and its position among the Christian nations of Western Europe.He...
, who at first tried to stay out of the controversy (since, as a eunuch, Ignatios's election went against canon law), but then condemned Photios. The immediate issues in the conflict were the question of papal precedence over the patriarch, and jurisdiction over newly-converted Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
.
In 867 Basil I the Macedonian usurped the throne and, seeking an alliance with Nicholas I and Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor
Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor
Louis II the Younger was the King of Italy and Roman Emperor from 844, co-ruling with his father Lothair I until 855, after which he ruled alone. Louis's usual title was imperator augustus , but he used imperator Romanorum after his conquest of Bari in 871, which led to poor relations with Byzantium...
, banished Photios and restored Ignatios on the patriarchal throne. Reinstated, Ignatios refused to yield to the papacy and drew Bulgaria back into the orbit of the Byzantine Church in 870. Since Ignatios and Photios pursued the same policy, the latter was recalled and reinstated as tutor to the emperor's children. When Ignatios died in October 877, Photios was reinstated as patriarch and contributed to Ignatios' sanctification.