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Our father among the [[saint]]s '''Photius the Great''' (also ''Photios'', in ; Greek ''Φωτιoς''Φώτιoς), [[Patriarch]] of Constantinople, is considered one of the greatest patriarchs of Constantinople. His [[feast day]] is celebrated on [[February 6]].

St. Photius was condemned as patriarch by the [[Robber Council of 869-870]], but the [[Eighth Ecumenical Council]] (879-880) affirmed his restoration to his [[see]]. Although he was accused of causing the [[Filioque#The "Photian" Schism|"Photian" Schism]], he was recognized as a major peace-maker peacemaker of that time. He reconciled with Patriarch [[Ignatius I of Constantinople|Ignatius]], who named him as his successor (for a second time) upon Ignatius' death in 877. {{stub}} {{start box}}{{succession|before=[[Ignatius I of Constantinople|Ignatius I]]|title=Patriarch of Constantinople|years=858 – 861|after=[[Ignatius I of Constantinople|Ignatius I]]}}{{succession|before=[[Ignatius I of Constantinople|Ignatius I]]|title=Patriarch of Constantinople|years=878 – 886|after=Stephen I}}{{end box}}

The Photius' parents of Photios were wealthy and pious Christians. His father was attached to the imperial court with the office of "Guardian of the Emperor and the Palace." They belonged to the party which venerate venerated [[icon]]s and , but the current Emperor emperor was an [[iconcoclasticonoclast]] and thus was against the use of icons in the [[churchChurch]]. They were exiled when Photios Photius was seven, their wealth disposed of their wealth , and were eventually [[martyr]]ed. Photios' brother was the Photius referred to [[Patriarch]]s [[Patriarch Tarasius of Constantinople|TarasiosTarasius]] as "uncle from his father's side,"{{ref|1}} and he was also related to [[Patriarch John VII Grammaticus of Constantinople|John VII GrammatikosGrammaticus]]. He was known as one who was inclined to the quiet, prayerful , and [[monasticism|monastic]] life. Byzantine writers report that Emperor [[Leo VI the Wise|Leo VI]] once angrily called Photios Photius "[[Khazar]]-faced,", but whether this was a generic insult or a reference to his ethnicity is unclear.

As soon as he had completed his own education, Photios Photius began to teach [[grammar]], [[rhetoric]], [[divinitytheology]] , and [[philosophy]]. The way to public life was probably opened for him by (according to one account) the marriage of his brother Sergios Sergius to the Irene, a sister of the Empress [[Theodora (9th centuryempress)|Theodora]], who upon the death of her husband [[Theophilos, Byzantine EmperorTheophilus the Iconoclast|Theophilos]] in 842, had assumed the regency of the empire. Photios Photius became a captain of the guard and subsequently chief imperial secretary (''prōtasēkrētis''). In 855, at thirty-five years of age, Photios Photius was recognized for his political skills and made the ambassador to the Persian caliph in Bagdad Baghdad with the charge to negotiate an end to the Christian persecution in the Moslem Muslim territories.

==First patriarchate==The dissension between the patriarch [[Patriarch Ignatios Ignatius of Constantinople|Ignatios]] and the Caesar Bardas, the uncle of the youthful Emperor [[Michael III the Amorian|Michael III]], concerning Bardas' illicit relationship with his daughter-in-law and other questionalble questionable moral pracitcespractices, brought led to Photius' promotion to Photios. Ignatios Ignatius was arrested and exiled to the island or of Terebinthos in 858 , where he submitted his resignation. PhotiosPhotius, a [[laity|layperson]], was inducted into the [[priest]]hood and made a [[bishop]] within six days, and then installed as patriarch. He resisted this appointment , as he wished for a more contemplative life of contemplation. He was the most distinguished scholar at that time and was seen as being above suspicion, being because he was strongly opposed to the iconoclast party since , which had caused his parents had died in opposition to that cause' death.

Several months after his exile, a few of supporter of Ignatios Ignatius' supporters came together in the Chruch Church of Saint Irene and plotted to restore Igantios Ignatius to the patriarchate. They made an appeal to [[Pope ]] [[Nicholas I of Rome|Nicholas]] trying to discrediting the his rival Photius' appointment of Phtios. This was signed by only six metropolitans and fifteen bishops. There were several [[monk]]s in this camp that set out for Rome , even though Ignatios Ignatius had volutarily voluntarily resigned. They were recieved received by Pope Nicholas I, who was eager to assert his power over the Eastern church. [[Pope Nicholas I]] had previously been successful in bringing the Western church under his absolute control , and he now sought to bring the Eastern chruch under same power over the same controlEast.

Photios Photius convened a council in the [[Church of the Holy Apostles (Constantinople)|Church of the Holy Apostles ]] in 859. The intent was to stop the controversy about his appointment. This council found that Ignatios Ignatius had not been elected by a [[synod]] and therefore his election to the patriarchate was illegal. He had been appointed by Empress Theodora. Unfortunately the Caesar Barda was vengeful against the opposition and imposed an exile on Ignatios Ignatius to the island of [[Metropolis of Mytiline |Mytiline]] and persecuted some of his folowersfollowers. Photios Photius strongly objected to this action.

Pope Nicholas felt that the appointment needed the consent of Rome and objected to the fact that Photiuos Photius was a layperson even though there was precedence for this in both the Western and Eastern churchchurches. He also demanded that the Byzantines give back to Rome the territory territories of Calbria Calabria and Sicily.

In 861, with approval of PhotiosPhotius, Emperor Michael convened a general council in the Church of the Holy Apostles , known as the First-Second Synod. The Pope pope was invited , and he was glad to send his delgatesdelegates. He sent them with the instruction to investigagte investigate the election of Photios Photius in relation to the [[canons ]] and and to demand that Illyricum and south southern Italy be given to Rome. This synod ratified the actions of the seventh [[Seventh Ecumenical Council ]] condemning Iconoclasmiconoclasm. Also Photios , Photius was affirmed as the lawful and canonical patriarch. The western delgation delegation accepted the legality of Photios Photius' appointment. Ignatios Ignatius appeared before the synod and was deposed.

When the delgates delegates returned to Rome and that Nicholas found that his demands for territorial rights were not considered , he became angry and excommunicated his delegates. He convened a council in Rome in 863 after in which he deposed and excommunicated Photios Photius on the basis that his appointment was uncanonical. He chose to recognize Ignatios Ignatius as the legitimate patriarch.

The conflict between Rome and Constantinople reached a climax. Phtios Photius not only was defending the autonomy of the Eastern church , but also vital interests of the empire. He had With the full support of Emperor Michael III and , he sent a letter to the Pope pope demanding that he withdraw his decision against PhotiosPhotius. In 867, an ecumenical a council was held with over one-a thousand attendiingclergymen attending. This council excommunicated Nicholas, condemned the pope's claims of primacy, his interference in Bulgaria, and the innovative addition of the [[filioque ]] clause to the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed|creed]]. The letters of both Nicholas and Photios Photius were read at this council. The situation was additionally complicated by the question of [[Papacy|papal]] authority over the entire Church and by disputed jurisdiction over newly-converted [[Bulgaria]]. It pronounced that the Latin interference in the affairs of the Byzantine Church was unlawful. The German Emperor Louis II was asked to intervene and depose Pope Nicholas, but he died that same year.

There were two Emperors emperors in the East at the time Michaal , Michael II and Basil I. Michael plotted to kill Basil , but Basil found out about the plot and murdered Michael. Photios Photius refused to accept the murder of Basil Michael and refused him Basil [[communion ]] on a great feat [[feast day]]. This angered Basil , so he held him in prison had Photius imprisoned in a [[monastery. He then reinstated Ignatios in 867]].

This state of affairs changed with the murder of PhotiosPhotius' patron [[Bardas]] in 866 and of the emperor Emperor Michael in 867, by his colleague [[Basil I the Macedonian|Basil the Macedonian]], who now usurped the throne. Photios Photius was deposed as [[patriarch]], not so much because he was a protegé of Bardas and Michael, but because Basil I was seeking an alliance with the Pope pope and the western emperor. Photios Photius was removed from his office and banished about around the end of September 867, and Ignatios Ignatius was reinstated on [[November 23]]. During his second patriarchate, Ignatios Ignatius followed a policy not very different from that of PhotiosPhotius. This perhaps helped improve relations between the two, and in c. circa 876 Photios Photius was suddenly recalled to Constantinople and entrusted with the education of the emperor's children and became , becoming an advisor to IgnatiosIgnatius. On the death of Ignatios Ignatius in October 877, PhotiosPhotius, after the requisite show of reluctance, and being having been recommended by Ignatios Ignatius prior to his death, was restored to the patriarchal throne.

Photios ==Second patriarchate==Photius now obtained the formal recognition of the Christian world in a council convened at Constantinople in November 879. The legates of Pope [[Pope John VIII of Rome|John VIII]] attended, prepared to acknowledge Photios Photius as legitimate patriarch, a concession for which the pope was much censured by Latin opinion. The patriarch stood firm on the main points contested between the Eastern eastern and Western western Churches, the demanded apology to the Popepope, the ecclesiastical jurisdiction over [[Bulgaria]], and the introduction of the ''[[filioque clause]] '' clause into the [[Nicene creed-Constantinopolitan Creed|creed]]. Eventually Photios Photius refused to apologize or accept the ''filioque'', and the papal legates made do with his return of Bulgaria to Rome. This concession, however, was purely nominal, as Bulgaria's return to the [[Byzantine riteRite]] in 870 had already secured for made it an [[autocephalous ]] church. Without the consent of [[Boris I of Bulgaria]], the papacy was unable to enforce its claims.

During the altercations between Basil I and his heir [[Leo VI the Wise|Leo VI]], Photios Photius took the side of the emperor. Consequently, when Basil died in 886 and Leo became senior emperor, Photios Photius was dismissed and banished, although he had been Leo's tutor. Photios Photius was sent into exile to the [[monastery]] of Bordi in [[Armenia]]. From this time Photios Photius disappears from history. No letters of this period of his life are extant. The precise date of his death is not known, but it is said to have occurred on [[February 6]], 893.

Photios Photius was long the standard-bearer of the Church in its disagreements with the Pope pope of Rome. All agree on the virtue of his personal life and his remarkable talents, even genius, and the wide range of his intellectual aptitudes. Pope Nicholas himself referred to his "great virtues and universal knowledge."

[[Troparion]] ([[Tone ]] 4) [http://oca.org/FStropars.asp?SID=13&ID=100442]

{{start box}}{{succession|before=[[Ignatius of Constantinople|Ignatius I]]|title=[[List of Patriarchs of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]]|years=858 – 861|after=[[Ignatius of Constantinople|Ignatius I]]}}{{succession|before=[[Ignatius of Constantinople|Ignatius I]]|title= Patriarch of Constantinople|years=878 – 886|after=[[Stephen I of Constantinople|Stephen I]]}}{{end box}} ==Reference==*{{note|1}} [http://www.photius.com/photios/photios15.html The Life of Patriarch Photios] by D. S. White ==Source==*[[w:Patriarch_Photios_I_of_Constantinople&oldid=105866658|''Patriarch Photios I of Constantinople'' at Wikipedia]], retrieved on February 5, 2007*[http://homepage.mac.com/pgilbert22/articles/Dvornik%20on%20Photius.htm F. Dvornik: Photius, Patriarch of Constantinople] ==External Linkslinks==

*[http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/index.htm#Photius_of_Constantinople The ''Bibliotheca'' or ''Myriobiblion''] by Photios of Constantinople*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=100442 St. Photius the Patriarch of Constantinople] ([[OCA]])*[http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/saints.asp?contentid=/527 Photios, Patriarch of Constantinople] ([[GOARCH]])*[http://homepage.mac.com/pgilbert22/articles/Dvornik%20on%20Photius.htm Photius, Patriarch of Constantinople] New Catholic Encyclopedia article by Fr. [[Francis Dvornik]]