Methodios I of Constantinople

Methodios I of Constantinople

St. Methodios I or Methodius I (Greek: Μεθόδιος Α΄), (788/800 – June 14, 847) was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from March 4, 843 to June 14, 847. He was born in Syracuse and died in Constantinople. His feast day is celebrated on June 14.

Life

Born to wealthy parents, Methodios was sent as a young man to Constantinople to continue his education and hopefully attain an appointment at court. But instead he entered a monastery in Bithynia, eventually becoming abbot.

Under the Emperor Leo V the Armenian (813-820) the Iconoclast persecution broke out for the second time. In 815 Methodios went to Rome, perhaps as an envoy of the deposed Patriarch Niκephorοs. Upon his return in 821 he was arrested and exiled as an iconodule by the Iconoclast regime of Emperor Michael II. Ironically, Methodios was released in 829 and assumed a position of importance at the court of the even more fervently iconoclast Emperor Theophilos.

Late 14th-early 15th century icon illustrating the "Triumph of Orthodoxy" in 843. Methodius is depicted in the upper register, to the right of the icon, with Theodora and her son Michael to the left. (National Icon Collection 18, British Museum)

Soon after the death of the emperor, in 843, the influential minister Theoktistos convinced the Empress Mother Theodora, as regent for her two-year-old son Michael III, to permit the restoration of icons by arranging that her dead husband would not be condemned. He then deposed the iconoclast Patriarch John VII Grammatikos and secured the appointment of Methodios as his successor, bringing about the end of the iconoclast controversy. A week after his appointment, accompanied by Theodora, Michael, and Theoktistos, Methodios made a triumphal procession from the church of Blachernae to Hagia Sophia on March 11, 843, restoring the icons to the church. This heralded the restoration of Orthodoxy, and became a holiday in the Eastern Orthodox Church, celebrated every year on the First Sunday of Great Lent, and known as the "Triumph of Orthodoxy".

Throughout his short patriarchate, Methodios tried to pursue a moderate line of accommodation with members of the clergy who were formerly Iconoclasts. This policy was opposed by extremists, primarily the monks of the Stoudios monastery, who demanded that the former Iconoclasts be punished severely as heretics. To rein in the extremists, Methodios was forced to excommunicate and arrest some of the more persevering monks.

Methodios was well-educated, and engaged in both copying and writing of manuscripts. His own works included polemica, hagiographical and liturgical works, homilies and poetry.

Preceded by
John VII
Patriarch of Constantinople
843–847
Succeeded by
Ignatios

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Méthodios III de Constantinople — Méthodios III Moronis ou Maronis de Constantinople (en grec : Μεθόδιος Γ ο Μορώνης/Μαρώνης) fut patriarche de Constantinople de 1668 à 1671. Métropolite d Héraclée depuis 1646, Méthodios devient patriarche de Constantinople le… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Methodios Anthrakites — (Greek: Μεθόδιος Ανθρακίτης, 1660–1736) was a Greek scholar, priest and director of the Gioumeios and Epiphaneios Schools in Ioannina. He made a significant contribution in the growth of Greek Enlightenment (Diafotismos) during the Ottoman… …   Wikipedia

  • Methodios I —    Patriarch of Constantinople (qq.v.) from 843 847. He worked with Theodora and Theoktistos (qq.v.) to restore the veneration of icons (q.v.) in 843. His moderation toward former Iconoclasts (q.v.) infuriated the monks of the Stoudios Monastery… …   Historical dictionary of Byzantium

  • Metropolitan Methodios (Tournas) of Boston — Methodios Metropolitan of Boston Metropolitan Methodios at Boston s 2009 Greek Independence Day Parade. Archdiocese America …   Wikipedia

  • Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople — This article is about the institution of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. For the office of the patriarch, see Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople Founder Apostle Andrew …   Wikipedia

  • Nikephoros I of Constantinople — For other people of the same name, see Nicephorus I (disambiguation). Nikephoros I of Constantinople trampling on John VII of Constantinople. Miniature from Chludov Psalter St. Nikephoros I or Nicephorus I (Greek: Νικηφόρος Α΄, Nikēphoros I ), (c …   Wikipedia

  • Liste des patriarches œcuméniques de Constantinople — La liste des patriarches œcuméniques de Constantinople reprend les patriarches d obédience orthodoxe et dits « œcuméniques » de Constantinople, primats de l Église orthodoxe de Constantinople. Sommaire 1 Évêques de Byzance (jusqu en… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Clément de Constantinople — (en grec : Κλήμης) est élu patriarche de Constantinople le 9 septembre 1667 mais non reconnu. Articles connexes Patriarcat œcuménique de Constantinople Précédé par : Parthénios IV Patriarche orthodoxe de Constantinople 1667… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Parthénios IV de Constantinople — (en grec : Παρθένιος Δ΄ ) fut cinq fois élu patriarche de Constantinople : le 1er mai 1657, jusque fin juin 1662 ; le 21 octobre 1665, jusqu au 9 septembre 1667 ; au début mars 1671, jusqu au …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Patriarch Ignatius of Constantinople — St. Ignatius or Ignatios ( el. Ιγνάτιος), (c. 797 ndash;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… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”