Sergius I of Constantinople
Sergius I of Constantinople | |
---|---|
Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople | |
Installed | 610 |
Term ended | 638 |
Personal details | |
Died | 9 December 638 Constantinople |
Denomination | Chalcedonian Christianity |
Sergius I (
Sergius was born of Syrian Jacobite heritage.
The Ecthesis would only be seen as an accepted doctrine for two years; the death of Pope Honorius I resulted in a significant reduction in Monothelitism support. The Ecthesis was condemned in 640 by Pope John IV.[5] Additionally, both Sergius and Pope Honorius were condemned as heretics by the church in 680-681 by the Third Council of Constantinople.[6]
Early career
Very little is known about Sergius before his election to the patriarchate of Constantinople. His parents were Syrian Jacobites and it is not known how or when he arrived in Constantinople. Nor is it known where, when, or why he converted to the Eastern Orthodox Church. At the time of his election he was a deacon at the Hagia Sophia and feeder of the poor (πτωχοτρόφος) at the Phrixos harbour. While his birth date is unknown contemporaries remarked that he was young for his new position.[7]
Sergius was elected as patriarch of Constantinople on 18 April 610.
In 612 Sergius introduced new limitations on the number of clerics at the Hagia Sophia. Additional appointments would only be made if the candidate made or secured a significant financial donation that would cover all costs for his position (and possibly more). This new policy reduced the strain on state resources and was ratified by the Heraclius in May 612. It is unknown whether the initiative for this policy came from Sergius himself or from emperor.[11]
When the emperor's wife Eudokia died on August 13, 612, Heraclius decided to marry his niece Martina.[12] Sergius tried to convince the emperor not to go ahead with a marriage that was against the rules of the Church and would be unpopular. Heraclius acknowledged the problem, but decided to marry her anyway, writing to Sergius that the latter had done his duty "as patriarch and as a friend". It seems that Sergius did not resist any further and he blessed the marriage and crowned Martina as new empress. It is possible that given the precarious state of the empire—the byzantine army under Heraclius had just suffered a major defeat against the Persians at Antioch—Sergius chose to put unity and cooperation with the emperor above the church canon. A year later he baptized the couple's son Constantine. As such, Sergius developed a close relationship with the Emperor, a connection that would serve him later on.[13]
In 614, the Persian army
In 618 emperor Heraclius decided to move the capital of the empire from Constantinople to Carthage. At the time Constantinople was threatened both by the Avars and the Persians. At the same time Constantinople was hit by a famine, caused by the loss of Egypt which was the primary source of Constantinople's grain imports, followed by an outbreak of the plague. Believing that under these conditions Constantinople was no adequate base for a counteroffensive, Heraclius began to secretly move the empire's gold and financial reserves to Carthage. When the secret plan to move the capital was discovered, protests erupted in Constantinople and Sergius succeeded at convincing Heraclius to give up his plans and to swear an oath in the Hagia Sophia never to abandon Constantinople. It is likely that Sergius promised Heraclius financial aid from the church in return for his oath. Henceforth Sergius was credited with saving the capital, gaining him significant popularity amongst the populace of Constantinople.[15]
In 619 the 612 reforms of the clergy of the Hagia Sophia ran into "difficulties". This threatened the reduction of the strain on state finances that were the goal of the reform. Heraclius gave Sergius free rein in solving the problem.[16]
A counterattack was initiated against the Persians in 622 by Heraclius. Sergius provided the necessary wealth for the campaign to succeed through the funds of the church.[17] Sergius succeeded at this by reporting funds in the form of Church revenues and vessels. It is even said that the bronze ox from the Forum Tauri was melted down to help provide materials for coinage.[18] On the second day of Easter (April 5) 622, after a festive mass, Heraclius set out to attack the Persians. In his absence government rested with his son and co-emperor Heraclius Constantine. Since the latter was still a minor, Heraclius left him under the supervision and regency of Sergius and the Patrikios Bonus. While it is likely that the main executive power rested with Bonus, Sergius probably played a leading role in discussions.[19]
Siege of Constantinople
In June 626 Persian troops appeared before
Monothelitism
Background
With the victory over the Persians, rifts in the religious society began to emerge again between
The hope was that their religious formula would be able to connect the different religious beliefs and provide a sense of unity within the empire.Sergius promulgated the belief that
It was also at this point around 633 that Sergius sought to stress the importance of Monothelitism to Pope Honorius. Sergius' letter to Honorius informed the Pope of the significance of the union achieved in Alexandria and for an agreement in how Christ's will should be viewed.[27] Honorius ultimately agreed with the Sergius' belief, impressed at Sergius' ability to gain theological agreement in the eastern Churches, and confessed to Christ having only one will but two natures as well in his reply to Sergius. Honorius retracts from this position to a degree in a following letter to Sergius, believed to be a result of the Synodical Letter from Sophronius to Honorius.[28]
The Ecthesis
Sergius sought to create a formula that would be able to fully please both the
The Ecthesis of 638 CE was issued by Emperor Heraclius with the agreement of Sergius. This document defined Monothelitism as the official imperial form of Christianity, and it would remain very controversial in the next years after its implementation.
Effects of the Ecthesis
The initial effects of the
Death and denunciation
Sergius died in December of 638, only months after Heraclius had instated the Ecthesis.
Despite the strong initial spread to Monothelitism belief, 640 brought an abrupt end to this. A series of events happened in short order following 638. First, the new pope,
By 680, all Monothelite support had faded and Orthodox belief was in full order again. The resulting Roman Easter synod of 680 concluded that Christ had two wills and that all who had opposed this belief were to be condemned as heretics. Monothelitism was finally declared a heresy at the Third Council of Constantinople (the Sixth Ecumenical Council), AD 680–681, and both Patriarch Sergius and Pope Honorius were declared to be heretics. Honorius remains the only condemned pope to this day.[37] As quoted from the council:
"…Honorius some time Pope of Old Rome, as well as the letter of the latter to the same Sergius, we find that these documents are quite foreign to the apostolic dogmas, to the declarations of the holy Councils, and to all the accepted Fathers, and that they follow the false teachings of the heretics…"[38]
The Council lasted a total of eighteen sessions in declaring the heresy of Sergius, the first being in November 680 and the last being in September 681.[39]
References
- ^ Vauchez, 2012
- ^ Louthe 2005, p.7-8
- ^ Alexander 1977, 218-222
- ^ Ekonomou 2007, 90-93
- ^ Hussey, 1986
- ^ Ullman 1972, 60, 63
- ^ Dieten 1972, 1
- ^ Ekonomou 2007, 92-95
- ^ Dieten 1972, 1
- ^ Dieten 1972, 1-2
- ^ Dieten 1972, 3-5
- ^ Ekonomou 2007, 92-95
- ^ Dieten 1972, 5-6
- ^ Dieten 1972, 6-8
- ^ Dieten 1972, 8-10
- ^ Dieten 1972, 10
- ^ Runciman 1977, 54-57
- ^ Alexander 1977,218-219
- ^ Dieten 1972, 11-12
- ^ Dieten 1972, 13-14
- ^ Ekonomou 2007, 93-95
- ^ Ekonomou 2007, 84
- ^ Louthe 2005, p.7-8
- ^ Louthe 2005, 8-10
- ^ Louthe 2005, 8-10
- ^ Brock 1973
- ^ Louthe 2005, 8-10
- ^ Allen, Bronwen Neil 2002, 3
- ^ Rose 1857, 12
- ^ Hussey, 1986
- ^ Ekonomou 2007, 97-98
- ^ Runciman, 56-58
- ^ Rose 1857, 9-12
- ^ Ekonomou 2007, 97-99
- ^ Louthe 2005, 13-16
- ^ Hussey, 1986
- ^ Hussey, 1986
- ^ L. and C., Concilia, Tom 680
- ^ Hussey, 1986
Sources
- Alexander, Suzanne Spain. "Heraclius, Byzantine Imperial Ideology, and the David Plates." Speculum. 52.2 (1977): 218–222. Print.
- ISBN 9780198299912.
- Brock, Sebastian P., "An Early Syriac Life of Maximus the Confessor", Analecta Bollandiana 91 (1973): 299–346. Web.
- Dieten, Jan Louis van (1972). Geschichte der Patriarchen von Sergios I. bis Johannes VI. (610-715) [History of the Patriarchs from Sergios I. to John VI. (610-715)] (in German). Amsterdam: Verlag Adolf M. Hakkert. ISBN 90-256-0604-0.
- Ekonomou, Andrew J. (2007). Byzantine Rome and the Greek Popes: Eastern Influences on Rome and the Papacy from Gregory the Great to Zacharias, A.D. 590-752. Lexington Books. ISBN 9780739119778.
- Hovorun, Cyril (2008). Will, Action and Freedom: Christological Controversies in the Seventh Century. Leiden-Boston: BRILL. ISBN 978-9004166660.
- Hussey, J.M. The Orthodox Church in the Byzantine Empire. 1. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 1986. eBook.
- L. and C., Concilia, Tom. "The Sentence Against the Monothelites. Session XIII.." NPNF2-14. The Seven Ecumenical Councils 680. col. 943.Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Web. 16 Oct 2013. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf214.
- Louth, Andrew. Maximus the Confessor. 1. London: Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005. 7-16. eBook.
- ISBN 978-0-88-141056-3.
- Rose, Hugh James. A New General Biographical Dictionary, Volume 12. 12. London: Bell & Co Cambridge, 1857. 8. Web.
- Runciman, Steven. The Byzantine Theocracy: The Weil Lectures, Cincinnati. Cambridge, Britain: Cambridge University Press, 1977. 54–61. Print.
- Ullmann, Walter. A Short History of the Papacy in the Middle Ages. 2. New Fetter Lane, London: Methuem & Co. LTD, 1972. Print.
- Vauchez, André. Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages. 2012. Cambridge, Britain: James Clarke & Co, 2002. Print. http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780227679319.001.0001/acref 9780227679319-e-2620?rskey=egvat3&result=1.