Eutychius of Constantinople | |
|---|---|
| Patriarch of Constantinople | |
 Icon of Eutychius, 16th century | |
| Installed | August 552 3 October 577 |
| Term ended | 22/31 January 565 5 April 582 |
| Predecessor | Menas of Constantinople John Scholasticus |
| Successor | John Scholasticus John IV of Constantinople |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 512 |
| Died | 5 April 582 |
| Denomination | Chalcedonian Christianity |
| Sainthood | |
| Feast day | 6 April |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church,Eastern Orthodox Church |
| Title as Saint | Holy Hierarch |
| Shrines | San Giorgio Monastery |
Eutychius of Constantinople (Greek:Εὐτύχιος,Eutychios;c. 512 – 5 April 582), considered asaint in theCatholic Church andEastern Orthodox Christian traditions, was thepatriarch of Constantinople from 552 to 565 and from 577 to 582. His feast is kept by the Orthodox Church on 6 April, and he is mentioned in the Catholic Church's "Corpus Juris".[1] His terms of office, occurring during the reign of EmperorJustinian I, were marked by controversies with both imperial and papal authority.[2]
Eutychius' career is well documented: a full biography, composed by his chaplainEustathius of Constantinople, was preserved intact.[3] Eutychius was born at Theium inPhrygia.[4] His father, Alexander, was a general under the famous Byzantine commanderBelisarius. Eutychius became a monk atAmasea at the age of 30. As anarchimandrite at Constantinople, Eutychius was well respected byMenas of Constantinople, thePatriarch of Constantinople. Eventually, on the day Menas died, Eutychius was nominated by Emperor Justinian I as Patriarch.[3]
Pope Vigilius was in Constantinople when Eutychius became patriarch.[5] Eutychius sent him the usual announcement of his own appointment and a completely orthodox profession of the then-united Church. At the same time, the Pope urged him to summon and preside over the Church Council summoned to deal with theThree-Chapter Controversy.[3] Vigilius first gave, and then withdrew, his consent to the Council.[5] In spite of the Pope's refusal, the council met on 5 May 553 at Constantinople, and Eutychius shared the first place in the assembly withPatriarch Apollinarius of Alexandria andDomnus of Antioch (called "Domnus III", seeList of Greek Orthodox Patriarchs of Antioch). At the second session, the pope excused himself again on the grounds of ill health. The subscription of Eutychius to the Acts of this synod, which was later recognized as theSecond Council of Constantinople and which concluded on 2 June 553, is a summary of the decrees against the Three Chapters.[3]
Eutychius had, so far, stood by the Emperor throughout. He composed the decree of the Council against The Three Chapters. In 562, he consecrated the new church ofHagia Sophia.[5] However, Eutychius came into violent collision with Justinian I in 564, when the Emperor adopted the tenets of theAphthartodocetae, a sect ofNon-Chalcedonians who believed thatChrist's body on earth was incorruptible ('aphthorá) and subject to no pain.[3]
Eutychius, in a long address, argued the incompatibility of the Aphthartodocetic beliefs withScripture. Emperor Justinian I insisted that he subscribe to it anyway. When Eutychius refused to compromise, Justinian I ordered his arrest. On 22 January 565, Eutychius was celebrating the feast day ofSaint Timothy inthe church adjoining theHormisdas Palace when soldiers broke into the patriarchal residence, entered the church, and carried him away.[6]
Eutychius was first removed to a monastery called Choracudis, and the next day to the monastery ofSt. Osias nearChalcedon.[5] Eight days later Justinian called an assembly of princes and prelates, to which he summoned Eutychius. The charges against him were trivial: that he used ointments, ate "delicate meats", and prayed for long periods.[7] After being summoned three times, Eutychius replied that he would only come if he were to be judged canonically, in his own dignity, and in command of his clergy. Condemned by default, he was sent to an island in thePropontis namedPrincipus ("Princes' Islands"), and later to his old monastery atAmasea, where he spent 12 years and 5 months.[3]
Upon the death ofJohn Scholasticus, whom Justinian I had put in the patriarchal chair, the people of Constantinople demanded the return of Eutychius. EmperorJustin II had succeeded Justinian I in 565 and had associated with himself the youngTiberius II Constantine, who was madeCaesar in 574. In October 577 the two emperors sent a delegation to Amasea to bring Eutychius back to Constantinople.[3] Contemporary reports claim that as he entered the city, a large group of people met him, shouting aloud, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord," and "Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace".[3] In imitation of the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem (recorded inMatthew 21:1–11 andJohn 12:12–18), he entered the city on an ass's colt, over garments spread on the ground, the crowd carrying palms, dancing, and singing. The whole city was illuminated, public banquets were held, and new buildings were inaugurated.[3]
The next day he met with the two emperors and was given "conspicuous honor" at theChurch of the Virgin inBlachernae. He then proceeded to Hagia Sophia, mounted the pulpit, and blessed the many people. It took him six hours to distribute the communion because all of the people wished to receive it from his own hands.[3]
Toward the end of his life, Eutychius maintained an opinion that after the resurrection the body will be "more subtle than air" and no longer a tangible thing.[3] This was considered heretical because it was taken as a denial of the doctrine of physical, corporeal resurrection. The futurePope Gregory I, then residing at Constantinople asApocrisiarius, opposed this opinion, citingLuke 24:39. Emperor Tiberius II Constantine talked to the disputants separately and tried to reconcile them, but the breach was persistent.[3]
Eutychius died quietly on the Sunday afterEaster, at the age of 70. Some of his friends later told Pope Gregory I that a few minutes before his death he touched the skin of his hand and said, "I confess that in this flesh we shall rise again"[8] (a rough quote ofJob 19:26).
Among his pupils wasEustratius of Constantinople who wrote a tract againstsoul sleep.[9]
His literary remains are:[3]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Fortescue, Adrian (1909). "Eutychius I, Patriarch of Constantinople". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 5. New York: Robert Appleton Company. This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Sinclair, W. M. (1911). "Eutychius". InWace, Henry; Piercy, William C. (eds.).Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century (3rd ed.). London: John Murray.| Titles of Chalcedonian Christianity | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Patriarch of Constantinople 552 – 565 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Patriarch of Constantinople 577 – 582 | Succeeded by |
