Sainted Nicephoros the Confessor
Commemorated on June 2
Sainted Nicephoros
the Confessor was born in Constantinople in the second half of the VIII
Century. Deep faith and preparation for the deed of confessor were instilled in
him by his parents, Theodore and Eudocia. They gave their son a genuine
Christian upbringing, reinforced by the example of their own life. His father
suffered as a confessor of Orthodoxy under the Iconoclast emperor Constantine
Copronymos (740-775). His mother, having shared in all the tribulation with her
husband, followed him into exile, and after his death she returned to
Constantinople and finished her life in a convent. Saint Nicephoros received a
fine secular education, but most of all he studied the Holy Scriptures and he
read spiritual books.
During the reign of
Leo IV (775-780), Saint Nicephoros received the position of imperial counselor.
Situated at the imperial court, he continued to lead a strict and virtuous
life, he firmly preserved the purity of his Orthodox faith and zealously
defended the veneration of holy icons. After the death of Leo IV, during the
reign of Constantine VI (780-797) and his mother Saint Irene, – at Nicea in
the year 787 was convened the VII OEcumenical Council, which condemned the
Iconoclast heresy. Being deeply knowledgeable in the Holy Scriptures, Saint
Nicephoros in the emperor's name entered into the Council in the defense of
Orthodoxy, by which he rendered great assistance to the holy fathers of the
Council.
After the Council,
Saint Nicephoros remained for several years at court, but the whole life of
vanity all more and more became burdensome to the saint. He retired his
position and settled in solitude near the Bosphorus, spending his life in
scholarly work, and in quietude, fasting and prayer. Saint Nicephoros built a
church, founded a monastery, and led a strict monastic life even before taking
monastic vows.
During the reign of
emperor Nicephorus I (802-811), and after the death of the holy Patriarch
Tarasios (784-806), Saint Nicephoros was chosen to his place: he received
monastic vows and the priestly dignity and was elevated to the patriarchal
throne on 12 April 806, on the day of holy Pascha.
Under the emperor Leo
V the Armenian (813-820), – a passionate adherent of the Iconoclast heresy,
there again began for the Church a period of unrest and persecutions. The
emperor was not immediately able to begin open persecution against Orthodoxy,
since Iconoclasm was condemned at the VII OEcumenical Council. The holy
Patriarch continued to serve in the Great church, bolding urging the people to
preserve the Orthodox faith, and he led the consequent and unremitting struggle
with heresy. The emperor began to recall from exile the bishops and clergy,
excommunicated from the Church by the VII OEcumenical Council. Having convened
with them an heretical council, the emperor demanded that the Patriarch appear
for a dispute about the faith. The Patriarch refused to argue about the faith
with heretics, since the teachings of the Iconoclasts were already condemned in
the anathema of the VII OEcumenical Council. He endeavoured all the more to
bring the emperor and those around him to their senses, he fearlessly explained
to the people the teaching about the veneration of holy icons, he wrote
admonitions to the empress and to the city-governor Eutykhianos, the closest
one to the imperial dignity, attaching at the end the prophetic words about a
quick perishing of heretics from "the punishing hands of the Lord".
Then the heretical council passed an excommunication of holy Patriarch
Nicephoros and his predecessors – the blessedly-reposing Patriarchs Tarasios
and Germanos. Saint Nicephoros was sent at first to a monastery at Chrysopolis,
and later – to the island Prokonnis in the Sea of Marmara. After 13 years of
deprivation and sorrow the holy Patriarch Nicephoros died in exile on
2 June 828.
On 13 March 847 the
undecayed relics of the holy Patriarch Nicephoros, having lain in the ground
for 19 years, were solemnly transferred to Constantinople into the cathedral
church of Saint Sophia.
Saint Nicephoros was
outstanding as a church activist of his times, "a credit to his era and
his chair (cathedra)" and, having much served the Church, he left behind
an extensive spiritual legacy – numerous works of historical, dogmatic and canonical
content.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.
