Archbishop Arkadios II was the head of the Church of Cyprus during the 630s. He was a supporter of the Monothelitism

Monothelitism

Monothelitism is a particular teaching about how the divine and human relate in the person of Jesus, known as a Christological doctrine, that formally emerged in Armenia and Syria in 629. Specifically, monothelitism teaches that Jesus Christ had two natures but only one will...

 formula also propounded by Patriarch Sergius I of Constantinople

Patriarch Sergius I of Constantinople

Sergius I was the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 610 to 638.In 626 during the absence of Emperor Heraclius on campaign against Sassanid Persia, the Avars laid siege to Constantinople. Along with the magister militum Bonus, he had been named regent and was in charge of the city's defense...

, Pope Honorius I

Pope Honorius I

Pope Honorius I was pope from 625 to 638.Honorius, according to the Liber Pontificalis, came from Campania and was the son of the consul Petronius. He became pope on October 27, 625, two days after the death of his predecessor, Boniface V...

, and Emperor Heraclius

Heraclius

Heraclius was Byzantine Emperor from 610 to 641.He was responsible for introducing Greek as the empire's official language. His rise to power began in 608, when he and his father, Heraclius the Elder, the exarch of Africa, successfully led a revolt against the unpopular usurper Phocas.Heraclius'...

.

Arkadios wrote an epistle supporting Monothelitism and disparaging its opponents, of which the chief then was Sophronius of Jerusalem. When Sophronius became Patriarch in 634, Sophronius sent a letter to Arkadios requesting him to call a synod

Synod

A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...

. Arkadios invited Cyrus of Alexandria

Cyrus of Alexandria

Cyrus of Alexandria was a Melchite patriarch of the Egyptian see of Alexandria in the seventh century, one of the authors of Monothelism and last Byzantine prefect of Egypt; died about 641.-Biography:...

, as well as Sergius and Honorius. Kyros arrived himself, and so did representatives of Constantinople and Rome. Then Arkadios invited Sophronius. Sophronius and his protégé Maximus the Confessor

Maximus the Confessor

Maximus the Confessor was a Christian monk, theologian, and scholar. In his early life, he was a civil servant, and an aide to the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius...

 each sent representatives of his own.

When the Jerusalmite delegation arrived, Arkadios received the guests with honor. The next morning, all 46 of the dignitaries haggled over the details. The anti-Monothelites agreed upon a common letter, but Arkadios declared its suggestions to be anathema. Sophronius asked him, "What then do you want - that this should reach the emperor?" Arkadius retorted, "It is because of your lack of belief, and because of the false doctrine you and your companions hold, in that you resist the truth [of Monothelitism]". Cyrus then cut short the debate and ordered Sophronius's letter to issue to the Emperor Heraclius.

Heraclius promptly sided with Monothelism and issued an Edict to all the metropolitan sees (probably the Ecthesis

Ecthesis

The Ecthesis is a letter published in 638 CE by the Byzantine emperor Heraclius which defined monotheletism as the official imperial form of Christianity.-Background:...

). When this Edict arrived in Cyprus, Arkadios added his signature to the list.

Writings

• Epistle on Monothelitism Lost.