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Photios was born in Constantinople in the early 9th century. His uncle was Patriarch Tarasios who oversaw the 7th Ecumenical Council which condemned the iconoclasts. His pious family zealously supported the icons, never wavering to any of the persecutions that befell them, including isolation and starvation. From a young boy, Photios stood firm against heresies, even while witnessing the martyrdom of his parents who died in exile. He was drawn to the monastic life from his childhood and was a sponge for knowledge. This zeal, combined with his gift of intellect, made him exceedingly wise and well known. When Photios was around twenty, he witnessed the ending of the heretical iconoclasm by the pious Empress Theodora who assumed the throne after the death of her impious husband, Theophilos, an iconoclast himself. She was the one who summoned the 7th Ecumenical Council in the year 843 -- a victory in the Church that is beyond measure. It was at this Council that the veneration of icons was restored. Orthodox everywhere, to this day, celebrate this victory on the first Sunday of the Great Fast, known as the Sunday of Orthodoxy. The only dissenter of the Council was Patriarch John VII. He was deposed and, by the direction of Theodora, replaced by a monk named Methodios whom her own husband, during his iconoclastic reign, had ordered into exile. Together with the Empress, he showed forgiveness to the former iconoclasts and peace was re-gained within the Church, except for a small group of zealots who neglected their Christian obligation to forgive and sought only punishment upon the repentant ones. Patriarch Methodios served for only four years, reposing in the year 847. Theodora appointed a monk, Ignatios. Ignatios had been a very pious and giving monk who, at the same time, was a great soldier and defender of the faith against heresy...clinging to the canons of the Church completely. Due to this, he was labeled as an "extremist" monk and frowned upon by the liberal Bardas who was Theodora's brother. Ignatios refused to recognize the Archbishop of Syracuse, Gregory who had fled the Arab invasions that fell upon his diocese in Sicily. While Gregory was a fugitive, he lead a liberal group and was accused of misconduct concerning an ordination. Ignatios refused to concelebrate with Gregory because he had ordained a bishop of Constantinople without permission. While Methodios had showed only forgiveness and brought unity, Ignatios lead the Church towards schism. Gregory made the issue known to Pope Leo who saw Syracuse as part of his jurisdiction. When he inquired of Ignatios the reasons for his actions against his bishop, there was no reply. Nor could Leo's successor, Benedict III, manage to receive an acceptable explanation for the actions of Ignatios against Gregory. In his young adult years, Photios was a Professor of Philosophy at a well respected school that had been established by Bardas, Empress Theodora's brother. A brilliant and influential instructor, he was elevated by the young Emperor Michael III through the imperial ranks, against his wishes. In 856, Emperor Michael turned over the government to Bardas. Bardas came to be known as an immoral man who lived loosely and misguided the young Michael. As a result, Michael's dependency upon his wise mother, in time, turned to resentment and he felt smothered by her. This was fueled by Bardas and together they had Theodora's minister and friend, Theoctistos, murdered. Two of Theodora's daughters were sent to one convent and Theodora and her daughter, Pulcheria, were sent to another. The behavior of Bardas became known to Patriarch Ignatios who was disgusted by it all and even refused Holy Communion to Bardas on the feast day of Epiphany. Bardas wanted to have Theodora and her daughters tonsured as nuns but Ignatios refused because they had been forced into their monasticism. Thus began the deterioration between the Church and state. Through the machinations of Bardas and Michael, Ignatios was arrested and exiled and later resigned. After over a year of vacancy, Bardas advised that Photios be appointed to the chair of the Patriarch as they shared the same moderate viewpoints. However, Photios did not wish to take upon himself this task, though after some time he reluctantly accepted, at the age of 38. Continued on page 2 |
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