Patriarch Alexius I of Constantinople
Encyclopedia
Alexius Studites Patriarch of Constantinople, was a member of the Monastery of Stoudios (founded 462
), succeeded Eustathius
as Patriarch
in 1025, the last of the Patriarchs appointed by the emperor Basil II
.
Alexius set out to reform the church institution of the charistike. The institution of the charistike dorea (donation), which recent research dates to the period just after the restoration of Orthodoxy (843). Effectively, it involved the donation of monasteries to private individuals unrelated to the establishments founders, for a limited period of time. Ostensibly undertaken so that the monastery buildings could be repaired or conserved and the estate out to good use, while at the same time protecting and preserving its spiritual functions, in actuality it was widely abused by the landed gentry and so became a source of abused patronage by high church officials and a tool against the powerful monastic establishment.. Alexius tried to temper the worst abused of the notorious charistike by appointing through Synodal legislation the patriarch's chancellor, the chartophylax, as the official to serve as the final point of approval for all grants under the system. Alexius also restricted the granting of charistike to non-dioceesan monasteries. The fact that Alexius sought reform over abolishment of the charistike dorea likely shows the inability of the Church to claim back many of these properties from the powerful land-owning elite who held them..
He promoted the zealous actions of John of Melitene whose interest it was to limit the influence of the Syro Jacobite Church
in the south east of the Byzantine Empire especially in the newly conquered themes of Mesopotamia
and Telouch. For this reason the Syro Jacobite Patriarch John VIII bar Abdoun was arrested and brought to trial in Constantinople and then forced into a monastery on Mt. Ganos. In 1034 he crowned Michael IV the Paphlagonian the favorite of Byzantine empress Zoë
, who, to make way for him, procured the death of her husband, the Emperor Romanos III Argyros. He thwarted the attempts of John the Orphanotrophos(the emperor's brother) to gain the patriarchal see in 1036, and died in 1043.
which was then used as the rule for the Kiev Monastery of the Caves.
Decrees of his are still extant.. He is noted for the elevated style employed in the numerous decrees of his which have survived.
1027 (Grumel 832)
1027 (Grumel 833)
1027-1030 (Grumel 834)
1028 (Grumel 835)
1030 (Grumel 839)
1038 (Grumel 840)
1034 (Grumel 841)
1037 (Grumel 842)
1038 (Grumel 844)
1038 (Grumel 845)
1039 (Grumel 846)
1030-1040 (Grumel 848)
undated (Grumel 847,849, 850)
462
Year 462 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Severus and Leo...
), succeeded Eustathius
Patriarch Eustathius of Constantinople
Eustathius was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1019 to 1025.Eustathius was the protopresbyter of the imperial palace when he was raised to the Patriarchal throne by the Emperor Basil II...
as Patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
in 1025, the last of the Patriarchs appointed by the emperor Basil II
Basil II
Basil II , known in his time as Basil the Porphyrogenitus and Basil the Young to distinguish him from his ancestor Basil I the Macedonian, was a Byzantine emperor from the Macedonian dynasty who reigned from 10 January 976 to 15 December 1025.The first part of his long reign was dominated...
.
Alexius set out to reform the church institution of the charistike. The institution of the charistike dorea (donation), which recent research dates to the period just after the restoration of Orthodoxy (843). Effectively, it involved the donation of monasteries to private individuals unrelated to the establishments founders, for a limited period of time. Ostensibly undertaken so that the monastery buildings could be repaired or conserved and the estate out to good use, while at the same time protecting and preserving its spiritual functions, in actuality it was widely abused by the landed gentry and so became a source of abused patronage by high church officials and a tool against the powerful monastic establishment.. Alexius tried to temper the worst abused of the notorious charistike by appointing through Synodal legislation the patriarch's chancellor, the chartophylax, as the official to serve as the final point of approval for all grants under the system. Alexius also restricted the granting of charistike to non-dioceesan monasteries. The fact that Alexius sought reform over abolishment of the charistike dorea likely shows the inability of the Church to claim back many of these properties from the powerful land-owning elite who held them..
He promoted the zealous actions of John of Melitene whose interest it was to limit the influence of the Syro Jacobite Church
Jacobite Syrian Christian Church
The Jacobite Syrian Christian Church is part of the Syriac Orthodox Church, located in Kerala, India. It recognizes the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, currently Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, as its supreme head. It functions as a largely autonomous archdiocese within the church, under the authority...
in the south east of the Byzantine Empire especially in the newly conquered themes of Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia (theme)
Mesopotamia was the name of a Byzantine theme located in what is today eastern Turkey. It should not be confused with the region of Mesopotamia or with the older Roman and early Byzantine province of Mesopotamia...
and Telouch. For this reason the Syro Jacobite Patriarch John VIII bar Abdoun was arrested and brought to trial in Constantinople and then forced into a monastery on Mt. Ganos. In 1034 he crowned Michael IV the Paphlagonian the favorite of Byzantine empress Zoë
Zoe (empress)
Zoe reigned as Byzantine Empress alongside her sister Theodora from April 19 to June 11, 1042...
, who, to make way for him, procured the death of her husband, the Emperor Romanos III Argyros. He thwarted the attempts of John the Orphanotrophos(the emperor's brother) to gain the patriarchal see in 1036, and died in 1043.
Typikon
Alexios Studites also established a monastery for which he wrote the rule typikonTypikon
The Typikon, or Typicon; plural Typika is a liturgical book which contains instructions about the order of the various Eastern Orthodox Christian church services and ceremonies, in the form of a perpetual calendar...
which was then used as the rule for the Kiev Monastery of the Caves.
Decrees of his are still extant.. He is noted for the elevated style employed in the numerous decrees of his which have survived.
Synod decrees
The synod decrees are unusual for their number and the fact they are dated precisely.1027 (Grumel 832)
1027 (Grumel 833)
1027-1030 (Grumel 834)
1028 (Grumel 835)
1030 (Grumel 839)
1038 (Grumel 840)
1034 (Grumel 841)
1037 (Grumel 842)
1038 (Grumel 844)
1038 (Grumel 845)
1039 (Grumel 846)
1030-1040 (Grumel 848)
undated (Grumel 847,849, 850)