Ignatius of Constantinople (; 798 – 23 October 877) was the
Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
The ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople () is the List of ecumenical patriarchs of Constantinople, archbishop of Constantinople and (first among equals) among the heads of the several autocephalous churches that comprise the Eastern Orthodox ...
from 847 to 858 and from 867 to 877. Ignatius lived during a complex time for the
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...
. The
Iconoclast Controversy was ongoing,
Boris I of Bulgaria
Boris I (also ''Bogoris''), venerated as Saint Boris I (Mihail) the Baptizer (, ; died 2 May 907), was the ruler (knyaz) of the First Bulgarian Empire from 852 to 889. Despite a number of military setbacks, the reign of Boris I was marked wit ...
converted to Christianity in 864, and the
Roman pontiffs repeatedly challenged the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the
Eastern Church
Eastern Christianity comprises Christian traditions and church families that originally developed during classical and late antiquity in the Eastern Mediterranean region or locations further east, south or north. The term does not describe a ...
in Bulgaria. As patriarch, Ignatius denounced iconoclasm, secured jurisdiction over Bulgaria for the Eastern Church, and played an important role in conflicts over papal supremacy.
Context

At the time Ignatius lived, relations remained tense between the Eastern and Western Churches. Constantinople was embroiled in several controversies. The Pope, as head of the Western Church, maintained that he had supreme and universal authority over both Churches, but the Eastern Church opposed his claim. Indeed,
Photius I, who replaced Ignatius as patriarch when was deposed in 859, condemned the pope and the Western Church in 867 for adding the ''
Filioque
( ; ), a Latin term meaning "and from the Son", was added to the original Nicene Creed, and has been the subject of great controversy between Eastern and Western Christianity. The term refers to the Son, Jesus Christ, with the Father, as th ...
'' ("and the Son") to 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 ...
. The Eastern and Western churches also competed to convert the
Slavs
The Slavs or Slavic people are groups of people who speak Slavic languages. Slavs are geographically distributed throughout the northern parts of Eurasia; they predominantly inhabit Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe, and ...
, and both Churches sought to dominate the
Christianisation of Bulgaria. At that time, the Eastern Church faced internal struggles, too. Most notably, the Church had not yet resolved the Iconoclast Controversy. Although the seventh ecumenical council, also known as the
Second Council of Nicaea
The Second Council of Nicaea is recognized as the last of the first seven ecumenical councils by the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church. In addition, it is also recognized as such by Old Catholic Church, Old Catholics and others. ...
, had decided in favor of icon veneration in 787, Iconoclasm continued.
Birth and early life
Ignatius was born in 798 and died on 23 October 877. He was originally named Niketas, and was a son of the Emperor
Michael I Michael I may refer to:
* Pope Michael I of Alexandria, Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark in 743–767
* Michael I Rangabe, Byzantine Emperor (died in 844)
* Michael I Cerularius, Patriarch Michael I of Constantinop ...
and Empress
Prokopia. As a child, Niketas was appointed nominal commander of the new corps of imperial guards, the
Hikanatoi. When he was fourteen, Emperor
Leo V the Armenian
Leo V the Armenian (, ''Léōn ho Arménios''; 775 – 25 December 820) was the Byzantine emperor from 813 to 820. He is chiefly remembered for ending the decade-long war with the First Bulgarian Empire, Bulgars, as well as initiating the second ...
had Niketas
forcibly castrated, which made him ineligible to become emperor, and effectively imprisoned in a monastery after his father's deposition in 813. As a monk, he took the name Ignatius and eventually became abbot. He also founded three monasteries on the
Princes' Islands
The Princes' Islands (; the word "princes" is plural, because the name means "Islands of the Princes", , ''Pringiponisia''), officially just Adalar (); alternatively the Princes' Archipelago; is an archipelago off the coast of Istanbul, Turkey, ...
, a favorite place for exiling
tonsured members of the imperial house.
Patriarchate
Theodora appointed Ignatius as Patriarch on 4 July 847 in part because he supported venerating icons. As patriarch, Ignatius became an important ally for Theodora in the midst of the Iconoclast Controversy. Choosing an iconodule as patriarch secured Theodora's power since she was more at risk of being overthrown by iconodules than by iconoclasts. Ignatius served as
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 4 July 847 to 23 October 858 and from 23 November 867 to his death on 23 October 877.
Deposition and ascent of Photius
The imperial court's resentment of Ignatius began when he excommunicated a high ranking imperial court member,
Bardas
Bardas (; died 21 April 866) was a Byzantine noble and high-ranking minister. As the brother of Empress Theodora, he rose to high office under Theophilos (. Although sidelined after Theophilos's death by Theodora and Theoktistos, in 855 he en ...
, for incest. Bardas exiled Empress Theodora, attempting to gain more power, but Ignatius refused to approve of this. Emperor
Michael III
Michael III (; 9/10 January 840 – 24 September 867), also known as Michael the Drunkard, was Byzantine emperor from 842 to 867. Michael III was the third and traditionally last member of the Amorian dynasty, Amorian (or Phrygian) dynasty. He ...
, influenced by Bardas, removed Ignatius as patriarch and exiled him in 857. A synod was convened which deposed Ignatius on the basis of a canon which prohibited a bishop being appointed by a secular power.
Photius
Photius I of Constantinople (, ''Phōtios''; 815 – 6 February 893), also spelled ''Photius''Fr. Justin Taylor, essay "Canon Law in the Age of the Fathers" (published in Jordan Hite, T.O.R., and Daniel J. Ward, O.S.B., "Readings, Cases, Mate ...
, an associate of Bardas, was made patriarch on Christmas Day of 858.
A schism resulted from Photius I's election because many bishops saw Ignatius' exit as illegitimate. Ignatius had only a few supporters once Photius I became patriarch. Most agreed that Ignatius had legitimately resigned, but some of his supporters appealed to Rome for him. A synod of 170 bishops deposed and anathematised Ignatius, but the schism escalated when
Pope Nicholas I
Pope Nicholas I (; c. 800 – 13 November 867), called Nicholas the Great, was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 24 April 858 until his death on 13 November 867. He is the last of the three popes listed in the Annuario Pontif ...
stepped in. The Roman see thought itself to have universal jurisdiction over all bishops, but Constantinople did not believe that Rome had this right.
Intervention of Pope Nicholas I and Pope Adrian II
Pope Nicholas I questioned Photius I's legitimate status as patriarch. Papal legates retried Ignatius in a synod in 861, which said that Photius I was the legitimate patriarch, but Nicholas I rejected that synod and held his own synod which condemned Photius I and declared Ignatius the legitimate patriarch. He excommunicated Photius I and declared all his ordinations invalid. Emperor Michael III rejected Nicholas I's synod and accepted the one that had approved Ignatius' deposition.
Photius I excommunicated Pope Nicholas I and all Latin Christians in a council in Constantinople in 867 for believing that the
Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit, otherwise known as the Holy Ghost, is a concept within the Abrahamic religions. In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is understood as the divine quality or force of God manifesting in the world, particularly in acts of prophecy, creati ...
proceeds from both the Father and the Son, as well as adding that belief (the
Filioque
( ; ), a Latin term meaning "and from the Son", was added to the original Nicene Creed, and has been the subject of great controversy between Eastern and Western Christianity. The term refers to the Son, Jesus Christ, with the Father, as th ...
) to 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 ...
in the West. Nicholas I died before hearing about the council, but his successor
Pope Adrian II
Pope Adrian II (; also Hadrian II; 79214 December 872) was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 867 to his death on 14 December 872. He continued the policy of his predecessor, Nicholas I. Despite seeking good relations with ...
condemned it. The controversy over the Filioque played a key role in the eventual schism that would split the two Churches for over a thousand years.
Emperor
Michael III
Michael III (; 9/10 January 840 – 24 September 867), also known as Michael the Drunkard, was Byzantine emperor from 842 to 867. Michael III was the third and traditionally last member of the Amorian dynasty, Amorian (or Phrygian) dynasty. He ...
was murdered and
Basil I
Basil I, nicknamed "the Macedonian" (; 811 – 29 August 886), was List of Byzantine emperors, Byzantine emperor from 867 to 886. Born to a peasant family in Macedonia (theme), Macedonia, he rose to prominence in the imperial court after gainin ...
, his co-emperor, replaced him in 867. Basil I exiled Photius I and restored Ignatius as patriarch. Basil I effectively undid the last nine years of church history, restoring the Ignatian bishops and nullifying everything Photius I did, securing his political position as emperor. Pope Adrian II held a council in 869 which condemned Photius I, rejecting and burning the council of 867. The pope's council said that Photius I's ordinations were invalid and if the bishops wanted to be part of the council, they had to sign a document condemning Photius I and affirming the supremacy of Rome. A council was convened at Constantinople in 869 for the eastern bishops to review Pope Adrian II's decision. The council met, condemned Photius I, and reinstated Ignatius, but many eastern bishops did not show up and the papal supremacy canons were rejected.
Securing Bulgaria for the East
The
Christianisation of the Slavs created conflict between the Eastern and Western Churches as both vied for control of the new Bulgarian church. Ecclesiastical jurisdiction over Bulgaria meant political influence in the
Khanate
A khanate ( ) or khaganate refers to historic polity, polities ruled by a Khan (title), khan, khagan, khatun, or khanum. Khanates were typically nomadic Mongol and Turkic peoples, Turkic or Tatars, Tatar societies located on the Eurasian Steppe, ...
as well. Emperor Michael III attacked Bulgaria and caught
Boris I
Boris I (also ''Bogoris''), venerated as Saint Boris I (Mihail) the Baptizer (, ; died 2 May 907), was the ruler (knyaz) of the First Bulgarian Empire from 852 to 889. Despite a number of military setbacks, the reign of Boris I was marked wit ...
, the
Bulgar Knyaz, off guard. Boris I was forced to submit to the emperor and was baptised in 864, taking the Christian name of Micheal. At the Eighth Ecumenical Council council held in 869 in Constantinople, the Bulgarians deferred to Constantinople rather than Rome, thereby confirming that the Bulgarian church submitted to Constantinople, not Rome. A papal letter to Ignatius threatened that he would not be reinstated if he interfered with Roman plans in Bulgaria, but he did not read the letter and chose an archbishop for Bulgaria. Rome still accepted the provisions of the council because it upheld the condemnation of Photius I.
After death
After Ignatius died in 877, Photius I became the Patriarch of Constantinople once again, since Ignatius named him as his successor.
In the
Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
and
Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodoxy, otherwise known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity or Byzantine Christianity, is one of the three main Branches of Christianity, branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholic Church, Catholicism and Protestantism ...
churches, he is venerated as a
saint
In Christianity, Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of sanctification in Christianity, holiness, imitation of God, likeness, or closeness to God in Christianity, God. However, the use of the ...
, with a
feast day
The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context does n ...
of 23 October.
Notes and references
See also
*
Council of Constantinople (861)
*
Council of Constantinople (867)
*
Council of Constantinople (869-870)
*
Schism of 863
Bibliography
* Carr, John C.; ''Fighting Emperors of Byzantium'' - 133–141, Pen and Sword Military an imprint of
Pen and Sword Books
Pen and Sword Books, also stylised as Pen & Sword, is a British publisher which specialises in printing and distributing books in both hardback and softback on military history, militaria and other niche subjects, primarily focused on the Unit ...
, 2015.
* Chadwick, Henry; ''East and West - The Making of a Rift in the Church - From Apostolic Times until the Council of Florence'', Oxford,
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...
, 2003.
*
Anthony Kaldellis
Anthony Kaldellis ( ; born 29 November 1971) is a Greek-American historian and Byzantinist who is a professor of classics at the University of Chicago. He is a specialist in Greek historiography, Plato, and Byzantine studies.
As the author of mon ...
, ''The New Roman Empire - A History of Byzantium'', New York,
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...
, 2024.
*
*
Peeters Publishers, Bondgenotenlaan, 2020.
External links
* ''The
Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium
The ''Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium'' (ODB) is a three-volume historical dictionary published by the English Oxford University Press. With more than 5,000 entries, it contains comprehensive information in English on topics relating to the Byzan ...
'',
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...
, 1991
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ignatius I, Patriarch Of Constantinople
798 births
877 deaths
9th-century patriarchs of Constantinople
9th-century Byzantine monks
9th-century Christian saints
Byzantine eunuchs
Byzantine prisoners and detainees
Eastern Orthodox monks
Forcibly monasticised
Nikephorian dynasty
Prisoners and detainees of the Byzantine Empire
Saints from Anatolia
Sons of Byzantine emperors