Patriarch Polyeuctus of Constantinople
Encyclopedia
Polyeuctus was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople (956-970),
From being a simple monk, Polyeuctus was raised to the Patriarchate in 956, as successor to the imperial prince Theophylact Lekapenos, and remained on the patriarchal throne in Constantinople until his death in 16 January 970. For his great mind, zeal for the Faith and power of oratory, he was called a "second Chrysostom".
Although he was given his position by Constantine VII
he did not show much loyalty to him. He began by questioning the legitimacy of Constantine's parents' marriage, and then went as far as to restore the good name of Patriarch Euthymius
who had so vigorously opposed that union.
The Russian Princess Saint Olga came to Constantinople in the time of Patriarch Polyeuctus during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus, and was baptised there in 957. The Patriarch baptised her, and the Emperor stood godfather. St Polyeuctus prophesied: `Blessed art thou among Russian women, for thou bast desired the light and cast away darkness; the sons of Russia will bless thee to the last generation.'
He raised bishop Petrus of Otranto
(958) to the dignity of metropolitan, with the obligation to establish the Greek Rite throughout the province; the Latin Rite was introduced again after the Norman conquest, but the Greek Rite remained in use in several towns of the archdiocese and of its suffragans, until the sixteenth century.
Although he had supported his rise to the throne, against the machinations of Joseph Bringas
, Polyeuctus excommunicated
Nikephoros II
for having married Theophano on the grounds that he had been the godfather to one or more of his sons. He had previously refused Nikephoras communion
for a whole year for the sin of having contracted a second marriage. Nikephoros' first wife had been dead several years when he married Theophano, but in the religious views prevalent in the Eastern Roman Empire, especially in the 10th Century, remarriage after the death of ones first wife was a sin only begrudgingly tolerated.
Polyeuctus at least had the good grace to oppose sin on all fronts. He excommunicated the assassins of the Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas and refuse to crown the new Emperor John I Tzimiskes
, nephew of the late Emperor (and one of the assassins) until he punished the assassins and exile his lover Empress Theophano who organised her husband's assassin.
His orthodox feast is on February 5 (Old style?)
From being a simple monk, Polyeuctus was raised to the Patriarchate in 956, as successor to the imperial prince Theophylact Lekapenos, and remained on the patriarchal throne in Constantinople until his death in 16 January 970. For his great mind, zeal for the Faith and power of oratory, he was called a "second Chrysostom".
Although he was given his position by Constantine VII
Constantine VII
Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos or Porphyrogenitus, "the Purple-born" was the fourth Emperor of the Macedonian dynasty of the Byzantine Empire, reigning from 913 to 959...
he did not show much loyalty to him. He began by questioning the legitimacy of Constantine's parents' marriage, and then went as far as to restore the good name of Patriarch Euthymius
Patriarch Euthymius I of Constantinople
Euthymius I Synkellos was the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 907 to 912. He came to the office after Emperor Leo VI forced Nicholas I Mystikos to resign over Nicholas' refusal to sanction the Emperor's fourth marriage.The Vita Euthymii, or The Life of Euthymius, along with the...
who had so vigorously opposed that union.
The Russian Princess Saint Olga came to Constantinople in the time of Patriarch Polyeuctus during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus, and was baptised there in 957. The Patriarch baptised her, and the Emperor stood godfather. St Polyeuctus prophesied: `Blessed art thou among Russian women, for thou bast desired the light and cast away darkness; the sons of Russia will bless thee to the last generation.'
He raised bishop Petrus of Otranto
Otranto
Otranto is a town and comune in the province of Lecce , in a fertile region once famous for its breed of horses.It is located on the east coast of the Salento peninsula. The Strait of Otranto, to which the city gives its name, connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea and Italy with Albania...
(958) to the dignity of metropolitan, with the obligation to establish the Greek Rite throughout the province; the Latin Rite was introduced again after the Norman conquest, but the Greek Rite remained in use in several towns of the archdiocese and of its suffragans, until the sixteenth century.
Although he had supported his rise to the throne, against the machinations of Joseph Bringas
Joseph Bringas
Joseph Bringas was an important Byzantine eunuch official in the reigns of Emperor Constantine VII and Emperor Romanos II , serving as chief minister and effective regent during the latter...
, Polyeuctus excommunicated
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
Nikephoros II
Nikephoros II
Nikephoros II Phokas was a Byzantine Emperor whose brilliant military exploits contributed to the resurgence of Byzantine Empire in the tenth century.-Early exploits:...
for having married Theophano on the grounds that he had been the godfather to one or more of his sons. He had previously refused Nikephoras communion
Communion
Communion may refer to:*Communion , the relationship between Christians as individuals or Churches*Full communion, a term used when two distinct Christian Churches say they are sharing the same communion...
for a whole year for the sin of having contracted a second marriage. Nikephoros' first wife had been dead several years when he married Theophano, but in the religious views prevalent in the Eastern Roman Empire, especially in the 10th Century, remarriage after the death of ones first wife was a sin only begrudgingly tolerated.
Polyeuctus at least had the good grace to oppose sin on all fronts. He excommunicated the assassins of the Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas and refuse to crown the new Emperor John I Tzimiskes
John I Tzimiskes
John I Tzimiskes or Tzimisces, was Byzantine Emperor from December 11, 969 to January 10, 976. A brilliant and intuitive general, John's short reign saw the expansion of the empire's borders and the strengthening of Byzantium itself.- Background :...
, nephew of the late Emperor (and one of the assassins) until he punished the assassins and exile his lover Empress Theophano who organised her husband's assassin.
His orthodox feast is on February 5 (Old style?)