Gennadius of Constantinople | |
|---|---|
| Patriarch of Constantinople | |
.jpg) Deposition of the Robe of the Virgin Mary (XVth century) | |
| Installed | August 458 |
| Term ended | 17 November 471 |
| Predecessor | Anatolius of Constantinople |
| Successor | Acacius of Constantinople |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Antioch,Syria Prima |
| Died | 17 November 471 |
| Denomination | Chalcedonian Christianity |
| Sainthood | |
| Feast day | 17 November |
| Venerated in | Eastern Orthodox Church |
Gennadius of Constantinople (Greek:Γεννάδιος; died 17 November 471[1]) was thepatriarch of Constantinople from August 458 until his death. Gennadius is known to have been a learned writer who followed theSchool of Antioch of literal exegesis, although few writings have been left about him. He is commemorated in theEastern Orthodox Church on 17 November but is not listed in theRoman Martyrology.[2]
His first public writing was quoted byFacundus (Defensio, II, iv) againstCyril of Alexandria in two works, probably in 431 or 432, including a passage to show that his work was more violent even than theletter of Ibas. The12 Anathemas of Saint Cyril and Two Books to Parthenius were criticised. In the latter he exclaims, "How many times have I heard blasphemies fromCyril of Alexandria? Woe to the scourge of Alexandria!".[3] In 433 Gennadius probably reconciled with Cyril.[4] If Cyril's letter of 434 (Ep. lvi) is to the same Gennadius, they were friends in that year. Gennadius was apresbyter atConstantinople when he succeededAnatolius of Constantinople in 458 as theBishop of Constantinople.[3] From the beginning of hisepiscopate Gennadius proved his zeal for the Christian faith and the maintenance of discipline. His discretion was before long tested.[4]
Timothy II of Alexandria, themonophysite who made himself thePatriarch of Alexandria and was later chased from thePatriarchate by order of theRoman emperor, had obtained leave to come to Constantinople, intending to re-establish himself on his throne.[4] On 17 June 460,Pope Leo I warned Gennadius (Ep. clxx) against Timothy II,[3] and urged him to prevent the voyage of Timothy II and to secure the immediateconsecration of an Orthodox Patriarch forAlexandria.[4] Timothy II was banished to the Chersonese, andTimothy Salophakiolos was chosen bishop of Alexandria in his stead.[4] About the same time, Gennadius' liberality and desire for order was observed in his appointment of Marcian, aNovatianist who had come over to theCatholic Church, theoeconomus of the goods of the church of Constantinople.[3][4]
Two Egyptian solitaries toldJohn Moschus a story which is also recorded byTheodorus Lector. The church of SaintPope Eleutherius at Constantinople was served by a reader named Carisius, who led a disorderly life. Gennadius first reprimanded him and then had him flogged. When both measures proved ineffectual, the patriarch prayed to Eleutherius to either correct the unworthy reader or to take him from the world. Next day Carisius was found dead, to the terror of the whole town. Theodorus also relates how a painter, presuming to depict the Saviour under the form ofJupiter, had his hand withered, but was healed by the prayers of Gennadius.[4]
About the same timeDaniel the Stylite began to live on a column near Constantinople, apparently without the permission of the Patriarch or the owner of the property where the pillar stood, who strongly objected to this strange invasion of his land. The EmperorLeo I protected theascetic, and some time later sent Gennadius to ordain himpriest, which he is said to have done standing at the foot of the column because Daniel objected to being ordained and refused to let the bishop mount the ladder. At the end of therite, however, the patriarch ascended to giveHoly Communion to the stylite and to receive it from him. Whether he then imposed his hands on him is not said. Possibly he considered it sufficient to extend them from below towards Daniel. According to Theodorus Lector, Gennadius would allow no one to become a cleric unless he had learned the Psalter by heart.[3]
Measures had been taken againstsimony, the buying and selling of holy orders, by theCouncil of Chalcedon. It seems not later than 459, Gennadius celebrated a great council of 81 bishops, many of whom were from the East and even from Egypt, including those who had been dispossessed of their sees by Timothy II of Alexandria. The letter of this council againstsimony is still preserved (Giovanni Domenico Mansi, VII, 912). An encyclical was issued, addinganathema to the former sentence.[4]
He stands out as an able and successful administrator whom historians have roundly praised.[4]
John Moschus described Gennadius as very mild and of great purity.Gennadius of Massilia said Gennadius waslingua nitidus et ingenio acer (refined tongue and sharp intellect), and so rich in knowledge of the ancients that he composed a commentary on the wholeBook of Daniel.[3] The continuation ofJerome's Chronicle byMarcellinus Comes tells us (according to some manuscripts) that Gennadius commented on all epistles ofPaul of Tarsus.[3]
Gennadius wrote a commentary on Daniel and many other parts ofOld Testament and on all thePauline epistles, and a great number ofhomilies. Of these only a few fragments remain. The principal fragments of his biblical works includeGenesis,Exodus,Psalms,Romans,1 and2 Corinthians,Galatians, andHebrews, and are interesting specimens of 5th centuryexegesis.[5] Some fragments are collected inJacques Paul Migne,Patrologia Graeca, LXXXV, chiefly from the twocatena ofJohn Antony Cramer on Romans; a few passages are found in the catena ofOecumenius, others in the catena ofNikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos, and a few in the Vienna MS. gr. 166 (46).[5]
Gennadius exhibited a learned style and followed the Antiochene school of literal exegesis.[3]Romans, a series of explanatory remarks on isolated texts, is his most significant work.[5]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chapman, John (1909). "St. Gennadius I". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 6. New York: Robert Appleton Company. This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Sinclair, W.M. (1911). "Gennadius (10), bp. of Constantinople". 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 | ||
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| Preceded by | Patriarch of Constantinople 458 – 471 | Succeeded by |
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