Acacius Of Constantinople
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Acacius of Constantinople (
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: Ἀκάκιος; died 26 November 489) served as the
patriarch of Constantinople The ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople () is the archbishop of Constantinople and (first among equals) among the heads of the several autocephalous churches that comprise the Eastern Orthodox Church. The ecumenical patriarch is regarded as ...
from 472 to 489. He was practically the first
prelate A prelate () is a high-ranking member of the Minister (Christianity), Christian clergy who is an Ordinary (church officer), ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin , the past participle of , which me ...
in the East and was renowned for his ambitious participation in the Chalcedonian controversy. His controversial attempts at healing the theological divisions led to the Acacian schism and his being condemned by the Chalcedonian churches. He is revered as a saint in
Oriental Orthodoxy The Oriental Orthodox Churches are Eastern Christian churches adhering to Miaphysite Christology, with approximately 50 million members worldwide. The Oriental Orthodox Churches adhere to the Nicene Christian tradition. Oriental Orthodoxy is ...
. Acacius advised the
Byzantine emperor The foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD marks the conventional start of the Eastern Roman Empire, which Fall of Constantinople, fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. Only the emperors who were recognized as legitimate rulers and exercised s ...
Zeno Zeno may refer to: People * Zeno (name), including a list of people and characters with the given name * Zeno (surname) Philosophers * Zeno of Elea (), philosopher, follower of Parmenides, known for his paradoxes * Zeno of Citium (333 – 264 B ...
to issue the Henotikon Edict in 482, which condemned Nestorius of Constantinople and
Eutyches Eutyches (; c. 375–454) or Eutyches of Constantinople
, accepted the Twelve Chapters of
Cyril of Alexandria Cyril of Alexandria (; or ⲡⲓ̀ⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲕⲓⲣⲓⲗⲗⲟⲥ;  376–444) was the Patriarch of Alexandria from 412 to 444. He was enthroned when the city was at the height of its influence and power within the Roman Empire ...
and ignored the
Chalcedonian Definition The Chalcedonian Definition (also called the Chalcedonian Creed or the Definition of Chalcedon) is the declaration of the dyophysitism of Hypostatic union, Christ's nature, adopted at the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451. Chalcedon was an Early cen ...
. Though the Henotikon aimed to resolve the conflict surrounding the Chalcedon council's orthodoxy, it ultimately failed. Pope Felix III considered Acacius' slighting of Chalcedon and his predecessor
Pope Leo I Pope Leo I () ( 391 – 10 November 461), also known as Leo the Great (; ), was Bishop of Rome from 29 September 440 until his death on 10 November 461. He is the first of the three Popes listed in the ''Annuario Pontificio'' with the title "the ...
to be an affront to the prestige of his
Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...
. Acacius was condemned and deposed by Pope Felix III, an action which was met with contempt by Acacius and resulted in a schism between the two sees, which continued after Acacius's death. The schism extended throughout the tumultuous reign of the Byzantine emperor Anastasius I Dicorus and was only resolved by emperor
Justin I Justin I (; ; 450 – 1 August 527), also called Justin the Thracian (; ), was Roman emperor from 518 to 527. Born to a peasant family, he rose through the ranks of the army to become commander of the imperial guard and when Emperor Anastasi ...
under
Pope Hormisdas Pope Hormisdas (;"Hormisdas, St." in William Darrach Halsey, ''Collier's Encyclopedia'' Volume 12, Macmillan Educational Company, 1984, p. 244. c. 450 – 6 August 523) was the bishop of Rome from 20 July 514 to his death on 6 August 523. His pa ...
in 519. The
Coptic Orthodox Church The Coptic Orthodox Church (), also known as the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, is an Oriental Orthodox Christian church based in Egypt. The head of the church and the See of Alexandria is the pope of Alexandria on the Holy Apo ...
celebrates The Departure of St. Acacius, Patriarch of Constantinople on the 30th of the Coptic month of Hathor.


Early life and episcopate

Acacius first appearers in authentic history as the '' orphanotrophos'', or an official entrusted with the care of the orphans, in the Church of
Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
, which he administered with conspicuous success.
Suda The ''Suda'' or ''Souda'' (; ; ) is a large 10th-century Byzantine Empire, Byzantine encyclopedia of the History of the Mediterranean region, ancient Mediterranean world, formerly attributed to an author called Soudas () or Souidas (). It is an ...
describes him as magnificent, generous, suave, noble, courtly, and showy. The Roman emperor Leo I took notice of his abilities and, using the skills of an accomplished courtier, Cites Suda, l.c. gained considerable influence over him, leading to his succession as Patriarch on the death of
Gennadius of Constantinople Gennadius of Constantinople (; died 17 November 471) was the patriarch of Constantinople from August 458 until his death. Gennadius is known to have been a learned writer who followed the School of Antioch of literal exegesis, although few writ ...
in 471. The initial five to six years of his episcopate were unremarkable. However, he soon became embroiled in controversies which lasted throughout his patriarchate, culminating in a thirty-five-year (484–519)
schism A schism ( , , or, less commonly, ) is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization, movement, or religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a split in what had previously been a single religious body, suc ...
between the East and West churches. He sought, first, to restore the unity of the Church, which had been divided by the divisions caused by the Eutychian debates; and, secondly, to increase the authority of his see by asserting its independence from Rome and extending its influence over
Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...
and
Antioch Antioch on the Orontes (; , ) "Antioch on Daphne"; or "Antioch the Great"; ; ; ; ; ; ; . was a Hellenistic Greek city founded by Seleucus I Nicator in 300 BC. One of the most important Greek cities of the Hellenistic period, it served as ...
. In terms of his actions, he seems to have behaved more like a statesman than a theologian.


Chalcedonian controversy


Allied opposition against Basilicus and Timothy II of Alexandria

Acacius gained enthusiastic popular support and praise from
Pope Simplicius Pope Simplicius (died 2 or 10 March 483) was the bishop of Rome from 468 to his death on 10 March 483. He combated the Eutychian heresy, ended the practice of consecrating bishops only in December, and sought to offset the effects of Germanic i ...
due to his opposition to the usurped Roman emperor
Basiliscus Basiliscus (; died 476/477) was Eastern Roman emperor from 9 January 475 to August 476. He became in 464, under his brother-in-law, Emperor Leo I (457–474). Basiliscus commanded the army for an invasion of the Vandal Kingdom in 468, which ...
. Alongside the
stylite A stylite ( () "pillar dweller", derived from () "pillar" and ()) or pillar-saint is a type of Christian ascetic who lives on pillars, preaching, fasting and praying. Stylites believe that the mortification of their bodies would help ensure ...
monk, Daniel the Stylite, he led the opposition against the usurped emperor
Basiliscus Basiliscus (; died 476/477) was Eastern Roman emperor from 9 January 475 to August 476. He became in 464, under his brother-in-law, Emperor Leo I (457–474). Basiliscus commanded the army for an invasion of the Vandal Kingdom in 468, which ...
. Timothy II of Alexandria, the non-Chalcedonian patriarch of Alexandria under the protection of emperor Basiliscus since 476, had already induced Basiliscus to issue an encyclical or imperial proclamation (''egkyklios'') condemning the teaching of the
Council of Chalcedon The Council of Chalcedon (; ) was the fourth ecumenical council of the Christian Church. It was convoked by the Roman emperor Marcian. The council convened in the city of Chalcedon, Bithynia (modern-day Kadıköy, Istanbul, Turkey) from 8 Oct ...
. Acacius initially hesitated to add his name to the list of Asiatic bishops who had previously signed the encyclical. However, he reconsidered this position and became actively involved in the debate after receiving a letter from Pope Simplicius. The pope had been alerted to Acacius' uncertain stance by the vigilant monastic party. This sudden change of allegiance improved his reputation among the public and gained him favour with the Chalcedonian faction, especially among the different monastic groups in the East, due to his overt commitment to sound
doctrine Doctrine (from , meaning 'teaching, instruction') is a codification (law), codification of beliefs or a body of teacher, teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the essence of teachings in a given branch of knowledge or in a ...
. He even received a letter of endorsement from Pope Simplicius. The main reason for Acacius' sudden surge in popularity was his skillful ability to lead the movement which Daniel the Stylite was both the leader and inspiration of. The uproar was undoubtedly spontaneous among the monastic promoters and the general public who genuinely abhorred Eutychian views on the Incarnation. However, it remains uncertain whether Acacius, who was now in opposition to the Chalcedonians, or later, in his attempts at compromise, was anything more complex than a politician trying to achieve his own personal ends. He lacked a consistent understanding of theological principles and had a gambler's mindset, playing solely for influence. Ultimately, Basiliscus was defeated. Basiliscus retracted his offensive decree through a counter-proclamation, but his submission did not save him. Subsequently, the emperor
Zeno Zeno may refer to: People * Zeno (name), including a list of people and characters with the given name * Zeno (surname) Philosophers * Zeno of Elea (), philosopher, follower of Parmenides, known for his paradoxes * Zeno of Citium (333 – 264 B ...
, who was in exile until Acacius' opposition, regained the throne he had lost; and Basiliscus, after abject and futile concessions to the ecclesiastical power, was handed over to him (as tradition has it) by Acacius, having taken refuge in his church in 477. At this point, the relations between Zeno, Acacius and Simplicius seem to have been friendly. They agreed on the need to take vigorous measures to confirm the decrees of the Council of Chalcedon, and for a time they acted in unison.


Disputes over Peter III of Alexandria and John Talaia

In 479, Acacius consecrated the
Patriarch of Antioch The Patriarch of Antioch is a traditional title held by the bishop of Antioch (modern-day Antakya, Turkey). As the traditional "overseer" (, , from which the word ''bishop'' is derived) of the first gentile Christian community, the position has ...
, thus exceeding the proper limits of his jurisdiction. Nevertheless, Pope Simplicius accepted the appointment, citing necessity. Trouble erupted when the Non-Chalcedonian party of Alexandria tried to install Peter III of Alexandria as patriarch, instead of
John Talaia John Talaia was patriarch of Alexandria from 481 until 482. He was consecrated in 481, succeeding Timothy III Salophakiolos. Talaia was a convinced adherent of the Council of Chalcedon and refused to sign Emperor Zeno's Henoticon (which gloss ...
, in 482. Simplicus objected to Peter III of Alexandria's appointment due to his affiliation with the Non-Chalcedonian party of Alexandria and declared his support for John Talaia. Both candidates had notable drawbacks. Peter III had been a Non-Chalcedonian, and Talaia was bound by a solemn promise to the Emperor not to seek or (it would seem) accept the Patriarchate. Talaia immediately sought and obtained the support of Simplicius, and offended Acacius. Peter III assured Acacius that, if confirmed in his post, he would be able to heal the divisions caused by the dispute. This occasion gave Acacius his long-awaited opportunity to claim honour and jurisdiction over the whole of the East, freeing the bishops of the capital from responsibility to the sees of Alexandria, Antioch,
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
and the Roman Pontiff. Acacius, having fully won over Zeno, advised the emperor to support Peter III of Alexandria, despite Simplicius' strong opposition. Acacius then sent envoys to discuss the terms of reunion for all the churches of the East.


Henotikon Edict and the Acacian Schism

Shortly after, Acacius prepared a document or set of articles, which was at once a creed and an instrument of reunion, as his way of claiming jurisdiction over the whole of the East. This document, known to
theologians Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...
as the Henotikon, was initially aimed at the opposing factions in Egypt, and was a call for reunion the grounds of restraint and compromise. The Henotikon edict of 482 affirmed the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (i.e. the
Nicene Creed The Nicene Creed, also called the Creed of Constantinople, is the defining statement of belief of Nicene Christianity and in those Christian denominations that adhere to it. The original Nicene Creed was first adopted at the First Council of N ...
as completed at
Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
) as the common, definitive and unified symbol or expression of faith. All other symbola or mathemata were rejected;
Eutyches Eutyches (; c. 375–454) or Eutyches of Constantinople
and
Nestorius Nestorius of Constantinople (; ; ) was an early Christian prelate who served as Archbishop of Constantinople from 10 April 428 to 11 July 431. A Christian theologian from the Catechetical School of Antioch, several of his teachings in the fi ...
were unequivocally condemned in an
anathema The word anathema has two main meanings. One is to describe that something or someone is being hated or avoided. The other refers to a formal excommunication by a Christian denomination, church. These meanings come from the New Testament, where a ...
, while the Twelve Chapters of
Cyril of Alexandria Cyril of Alexandria (; or ⲡⲓ̀ⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲕⲓⲣⲓⲗⲗⲟⲥ;  376–444) was the Patriarch of Alexandria from 412 to 444. He was enthroned when the city was at the height of its influence and power within the Roman Empire ...
were accepted. The teachings of Chalcedon were not repudiated, but rather simply ignored;
Jesus Christ Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...
was described as the "only-begotten Son of God ... one and not two", and there was no explicit reference to the two natures. Peter III of Alexandria accepted the Henotikon and was confirmed in his position. John Talaia refused to accept it and withdrew to Rome, where his support was taken up with great vigour by letters from
Pope Simplicius Pope Simplicius (died 2 or 10 March 483) was the bishop of Rome from 468 to his death on 10 March 483. He combated the Eutychian heresy, ended the practice of consecrating bishops only in December, and sought to offset the effects of Germanic i ...
urging Acacius to control the spread of
heresy Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, particularly the accepted beliefs or religious law of a religious organization. A heretic is a proponent of heresy. Heresy in Heresy in Christian ...
elsewhere and in
Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...
. The letters were in vain, and Simplicius died soon afterwards. His successor, Pope Felix III, zealously championed Talaia's cause and sent two bishops, Vitalis and Misenus, to Constantinople with letters to Zeno and Acacius, demanding that the latter return to Rome to answer the charges brought against him by Talaia (Felix, Epp. 1, 2). The mission completely failed. Vitalis and Misenus were persuaded to publicly communicate (i.e. receive
Holy Communion The Eucharist ( ; from , ), also called Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament or the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite, considered a sacrament in most churches and an ordinance in others. Christians believe that the rite was instituted by J ...
) with Acacius and the representatives of Peter III. In shame, they returned to Italy in 484. Upon their arrival in
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
, a synod convened and vehemently denounced their actions. They were subsequently deposed and excommunicated. Furthermore, a new anathema was issued against Peter III, and Acacius was irrevocably excommunicated for his association with Pierre III, for exceeding the limits of his jurisdiction, and for refusing to answer the charges of Talaia at Rome; but no direct heretical opinion was proved or urged against him. Acacius was condemned by Pope Felix for committing a sin against the Holy Spirit and apostolic authority (''Habe ergo cum his ... portionem S. Spiritus judicio et apostolica auctoritate damnatus''). He was subsequently subjected to perpetual excommunication (''nunquamque anathematis vinculis exuendus''). Felix sent the sentence to Acacius, and at the same time wrote to Zeno and to the Church of Constantinople, ordering everyone to separate from the deposed Patriarch on pain of
excommunication Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to deprive, suspend, or limit membership in a religious community or to restrict certain rights within it, in particular those of being in Koinonia, communion with other members o ...
. Meanwhile, an additional
envoy Envoy or Envoys may refer to: Diplomacy * Diplomacy, in general * Envoy (title) * Special envoy, a type of Diplomatic rank#Special envoy, diplomatic rank Brands *Airspeed Envoy, a 1930s British light transport aircraft *Envoy (automobile), an au ...
, Tutus, was appointed to personally deliver the
decree A decree is a law, legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state, judge, monarch, royal figure, or other relevant Authority, authorities, according to certain procedures. These procedures are usually defined by the constitution, Legislativ ...
of double excommunication to Acacius. Acacius declined to accept the documents presented by Tutus and demonstrated his defiance of the authority of the Roman See and the Synod that had condemned him by erasing Pope Felix's name from the diptychs. Despite the threats from Felix, there were hardly any practical consequences, as the majority of Eastern Christians continued to remain in communion with Acacius. Talaia agreed to become Bishop of Nola, effectively conceding defeat; meanwhile, Zeno and Acacius actively pursued the widespread adoption of the Henotikon throughout the East. Some (probably biased) sources say that Acacius, together with Zeno, began a brutal policy of violence and persecution, directed mainly against his old opponents, the monks, in order to achieve the general acceptance of the Henotikon. The condemnation of Acacius made in the name of the Pope, was repeated in the name of the Council of Chalcedon, and the schism was complete in 485. Acacius disregarded the sentence to the day of his death in 489, which was followed by those of Mongus in 490 and Zeno in 491. His successor, Fravitta of Constantinople, entered into negotiations with Felix during a very brief patriarchate, but to no avail. The policy of Acacius failed when he could no longer implement it. In a short span of years, all his efforts were undone. The Henotikon was unsuccessful in reestablishing unity in the East, and in 519,
Byzantine emperor The foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD marks the conventional start of the Eastern Roman Empire, which Fall of Constantinople, fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. Only the emperors who were recognized as legitimate rulers and exercised s ...
Justin I Justin I (; ; 450 – 1 August 527), also called Justin the Thracian (; ), was Roman emperor from 518 to 527. Born to a peasant family, he rose through the ranks of the army to become commander of the imperial guard and when Emperor Anastasi ...
deferred to
Pope Hormisdas Pope Hormisdas (;"Hormisdas, St." in William Darrach Halsey, ''Collier's Encyclopedia'' Volume 12, Macmillan Educational Company, 1984, p. 244. c. 450 – 6 August 523) was the bishop of Rome from 20 July 514 to his death on 6 August 523. His pa ...
, and the condemnation of Acacius was recognised by the Church of Constantinople. notes Louis-Sébastien Le Nain de Tillemont has given a detailed history of the whole controversy, up to the death of Patriarch Fravitta, in his Mémoires, vol. xvi, but with a natural bias towards the Roman side. The original documents, exclusive of the histories of Evagrius, Theophanes, and Liberatus, are for the most part collected in the 58th volume of
Jacques-Paul Migne Jacques Paul Migne (; 25 October 1800 – 24 October 1875) was a French priest who published inexpensive and widely distributed editions of theological works, encyclopedias, and the texts of the Church Fathers, with the goal of providing a ...
's '' Patrologia Graeca''. See also Karl Josef von Hefele, Konz. Gesch. Bd. ii.


Notes and references


Attribution

* * *


Bibliography

* * Dietmar W. Winkler: ''Acacius of Constantinople'', David G. Hunter, Paul J. J. van Geest, Bert Jan Lietaert Peerbolte (eds.): ''Brill Encyclopedia of Early Christianity Online'
Acacius of Constantinople
{{DEFAULTSORT:Acacius 5th-century patriarchs of Constantinople 489 deaths Ancient Christians involved in controversies Year of birth unknown Orphanotrophoi