Patriarch Tryphon of Constantinople
Encyclopedia
Tryphon was a monk
in Constantinople
, he was raised to the Patriarchate in 928 by Romanos I
on condition that he would resign in favour of the Emperor's son Theophylaktos when the boy would in age to be consecrated as Patriarch
.
Theophylactus turned 16 in 931 and Roman asked Patriarch Tryphon to step down as promised so Theophylaktos could assume the Patriarchate. Tryphon refused to hand over the throne to a boy and remained in office. Romanos was infuriated and wanted to arrest him and execute him but Tryphon was very much loved by the people for his virtues.
Then the Emperor's advisors came up with a better plan to remove him from office without causing a rebellion. During a meeting with other bishops, Bishop Basil accused Tryphon of being illiterate, and the Patriarch protested that he was not. Bishop Basil had an Imperial agent ask him to prove that by signing his name on a blank paper, Tryphon signed the blank paper and then Bishop Basil sent the paper to the Palace where the Imperial Clerks wrote the document of his resignation on the blank paper with Tryphon's signature.
When he found out that he was deceived it was too late, Theophylactus had been already proclaimed Patriarch and Tryphon was forced to retire to monastery where he died after 3 months.
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, he was raised to the Patriarchate in 928 by Romanos I
Romanos I
Romanos I Lekapenos was Byzantine Emperor from 920 until his deposition on December 16, 944.-Origin:...
on condition that he would resign in favour of the Emperor's son Theophylaktos when the boy would in age to be consecrated 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...
.
Theophylactus turned 16 in 931 and Roman asked Patriarch Tryphon to step down as promised so Theophylaktos could assume the Patriarchate. Tryphon refused to hand over the throne to a boy and remained in office. Romanos was infuriated and wanted to arrest him and execute him but Tryphon was very much loved by the people for his virtues.
Then the Emperor's advisors came up with a better plan to remove him from office without causing a rebellion. During a meeting with other bishops, Bishop Basil accused Tryphon of being illiterate, and the Patriarch protested that he was not. Bishop Basil had an Imperial agent ask him to prove that by signing his name on a blank paper, Tryphon signed the blank paper and then Bishop Basil sent the paper to the Palace where the Imperial Clerks wrote the document of his resignation on the blank paper with Tryphon's signature.
When he found out that he was deceived it was too late, Theophylactus had been already proclaimed Patriarch and Tryphon was forced to retire to monastery where he died after 3 months.