Photios I Of Constantinople
The revival of culture in the ninth century is embodied by a man who holds in the history of literature in Byzantium, as in that of the Church a special place: Photios Photios or (in Greek / in Latin St. Photios or patriarch of Constantinople ( 858 - 867 and 877 - 886 ) was a scholar and statesman Byzantine , born circa 810 , d. after 893. The Orthodox Church has since the late tenth century among the saints and Church Fathers : The Synaxarion Constantinople mentions her birthday on the date of February 6. The Latins have long described as the chief of the schism of the ninth century. The work of the historian Francis Dvornik Biographical Elements Born into a noble family, he would be the nephew of the patriarch iconophile Tarasius ( 784 - 806 ), whose family has been known since the late seventh century, and his mother, Irene, of the family Mrocharzanioi, is the sister of the patriarch iconoclast John VII the Grammarian and thus also of patrician Arsabr Arsavir or married to a sister of the Empress Theodora. His father, Sergius, an officer removed the reign of Theophilus for iconodoules, was the author of a history covering the period 741 - 828 , part of which was used as the beginning of the "Continuation of Theophanes (Theophanes Continuatus; Serge would scriptor incertus de Leone Armenio ). Photius acquired very early a great culture and formed with him a circle of disciples like himself interested by the rediscovery of ancient texts lying on manuscripts apparently no longer read much. He held, probably from 850 or so, the very important function prtoaskrtis, that is to say, head of the Imperial Chancellery. He participated in an embassy to the Muslims in 838 , 845 or 855. But Photius is most famous in the history of letters for composing what we call the Library or Myriobiblos (copies of a series of 280 references - usually called "codices", plural "codices" - corresponding to readings by him and his circle and joined to his brother before his departure in Tarasius embassy, if one believes the short letter which serves as a preface to the book, read the works being those of Euclid , of Plato , of Aristotle , of Lucien , of Aelius Aristides for pagan authors and a Nomocanon , theological treatises and a whole series, very important, apologies ( Athenagoras , Clement , Eusebius , Tatian ) from the Christian side). Although still simple layman, he was elected to succeed the Patriarch Ignatius when he was deposed in 858. He enjoyed the support of the Emperor Michael III and the Caesar Bardas. The abdication of Ignatius opened a power struggle within the church, the party of Ignatius successfully gain the support of Pope Nicolas I. : in 863 the latter deposited Photius, who retaliated by ordering the break with Rome and urged in an encyclical King Ludwig II to depose the pope. But it is condemned Photius and exiled in 867 , while Ignatius found the throne of the patriarchate of Constantinople by the support of the emperor Basil I. who needs the help of the Italians against the Muslim armies. However, in 876 , Photios was recalled to Constantinople to deal with the education of children of the emperor. And when Ignatius died in 878 , it is elected Patriarch Photios. The following year, in November 879 , a council was convened in the Byzantine capital, attended by the Pope John VIII , which formally recognizes as patriarch Photius, but did not give the question of ecclesiastical jurisdiction on Bulgaria. The period of hostility that opens after the assassination of John VIII in Rome is sometimes regarded as the beginning of the schism of 1054. In the conflict between his son Basil Leo VI , Photius takes advantage of the father and is therefore again deposed and exiled to the death of one in 886. His death goes unnoticed and the exact date is not known. Great scholar, connoisseur of ancient literature, Photius is causing a revival of classical studies in the Byzantine capital. He explains and comments on ancient authors, as Aristotle , and brings the fruit of this research in his major work the Library , also called Myriobiblon, dedicated to his brother Tarasios: This is a collection of 280 codices (chapters) devoted to classical authors and Christian past, which he cited excerpts or summaries given. It is through this work that we know work Ctesias , Memnon of Heraclea , the mythographer Conon , the lost works of Arrian and Diodorus of Sicily. He is also the author of Lexikon, a compilation of words and phrases he noticed remarkable during his readings. Like Myriobiblon, this work is before patriarchy. As patriarch, his writing is theological: his best-known work is the Mystagogy the Holy Spirit, in which he develops the argument against the orthodox doctrine of the filioque. It is also the author of a treatise against the Paulicians ; of Nomocanon and a collection of 300 responses exegetical addressed to the Archbishop of Cyzicus , Amphilochus the Amphilochia. Literary work
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Works by Photios
Study Library
Preceded by:
Ignatius Primates of the Orthodox Church of Constantinople Followed by:
Ignatius (1 Patriarchate)
Stephen I (2nd patriarchy)
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