December
495-511 A.D. Macedonius II—Constantinople’s 50th; Confirms Chalcedonian Creed of 451
Macedonius II of Constantinople
From Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia
Macedonius II (died c. 517), patriarch of Constantinople
(495–511). For an account of his election see Patriarch Euphemius of
Constantinople
Biography
Within a year or two (the date
is uncertain) he assembled a council, in which he confirmed in writing the acts
of the Council of Chalcedon. In 507 Elias, patriarch of Jerusalem, who had been unwilling to sanction the deposition
of Euphemius, united himself in communion with Macedonius. The emperor Anastasius employed all means to oblige Macedonius to declare
against the Council of Chalcedon, but flattery and threats were alike
unavailing. An assassin named Eucolus was even hired to take away his life. The
patriarch avoided the blow, and ordered a fixed amount of provisions to be
given monthly to the criminal. The people of Constantinople were equally zealous for the council of Chalcedon, even, more than once, to
the point of sedition. To prevent unfavourable consequences, Anastasius ordered
the prefect of the city to follow in the processions and attend the assemblies
of the church.[1]
In 510 the Anastasius made a
new effort. Macedonius would do nothing without an ecumenical council at which the bishop of Rome should preside.
Anastasius, annoyed at this answer, and irritated because Macedonius would
never release him from the engagement he had made at his coronation to maintain
the faith of the church and the authority of the council of Chalcedon, sought
to drive him from his chair. He sent Eutychian monks and clergy, and sometimes
the magistrates of the city, to load him with public outrage and insult. This
caused such a tumult amongst the citizens that the emperor was obliged to shut
himself up in his palace and to have ships prepared in case flight should be
necessary. He sent to Macedonius, asking him to come and speak with him.
Macedonius went and reproached him with the sufferings his persecutions caused
the church. Anastasius stated his willingness to this, but at the same time
made a third attempt to tamper with the beliefs of the patriarch.[1]
One of his instruments was
Xenaïas, a Eutychian bishop. He demanded of Macedonius a declaration of his
faith in writing; Macedonius addressed a memorandum to the emperor insisting
that he knew no other faith than that of the Fathers of Nicaea and
Constantinople, and that he anathematized Nestorius and Eutyches and those who admitted two Sons or two Christs, or
who divided the two natures. Xenaïas, seeing the failure of his first attempt,
found two individuals who accused Macedonius of an abominable crime, avowing
themselves his accomplices. They then charged him with Nestorianism, and with having falsified a passage in an epistle of Paul, in
support of that sect. At last the emperor commanded him to send by master of
the offices the authentic copy of the Acts of the council of Chalcedon signed
with the autographs of the bishops. Macedonius refused, and hid it under the
altar of the great church. Thereupon Anastasius had him carried off by night
and taken to Chalcedon, to be conducted thence to Eucaïta in Pontus, the place of the exile of his predecessor. In 515 Pope Hormisdas worked for the restitution of Macedonius, whom he considered unjustly
deposed; it had been a stipulation in the treaty of peace between the rebel Vitalian, a relative of Macedonius, and Emperor Anastasius that the patriarch and
all the deposed bishops should be restored to their sees. But Anastasius never
kept his promises, and Macedonius died in exile. His death occurred c. 517, at
Gangra, where he had retired for fear of the Huns, who ravaged all Cappadocia,Galatia, and Pontus.[1]
References
Attribution
This article incorporates text from a
publication now in the public domain: Wace, Henry; Piercy, William C., eds. (1911). "Macedonius II., patriarch of Constantinople".Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the
End of the Sixth Century (third ed.). London: John Murray. cites
|
Preceded by
Euphemius |
Patriarch of Constantinople
495–511 |
Succeeded by
Timothy I |
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