Patriarch Arsenius I of Constantinople
Encyclopedia
Arsenios Autoreianos (ca. 1200 – 1273), Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, lived about the middle of the 13th century.
Born in Constantinople
ca. 1200, he received his education in Nicaea at a monastery of which he later became the abbot, though not in orders. Subsequently he gave himself up to a life of solitary asceticism in a Bithynia
n monastery, and is said, probably wrongly, to have remained some time in a monastery on Mount Athos
.
From this seclusion he was in 1255 called by Theodore II Lascaris to the position of patriarch at Nicaea, and four years later, on that emperor's death, became joint guardian of his son John. His fellow-guardian George Muzalon was immediately murdered by Michael Palaeologus, who assumed the position of tutor.
Arsenius then took refuge in the monastery of Paschasius, retaining his office of patriarch but refusing to discharge its duties. Nicephorus of Ephesus was appointed in his stead. Michael, having recovered Constantinople
, induced Arsenius to undertake the office of patriarch, but soon incurred his severe censure by ordering the young prince John to be blinded. Arsenius went so far as to excommunicate
the emperor, who, having vainly sought for pardon, took refuge in false accusations against Arsenius and caused him to be banished to Proconnesus, where some years afterwards (according to Fabricius
in 1264; others say in 1273) he died.
Throughout these years he declined to remove the sentence of excommunication which he had passed on Michael, and after his death, when the new patriarch Josephus gave absolution to the emperor, the quarrel was carried between the "Arsenites" and the "Josephists." The "Arsenian schism" lasted till 1315, when reconciliation was effected by the patriarch Nephon I. Arsenius is said to have prepared from the decisions of the councils and the works of the Fathers a summary of divine laws under the title Synopsis Canonum. Some hold that Synopsis was the work of another Arsenius, a monk of Athos; the ascription depends on whether the patriarch Arsenius did or did not sojourn at Mount Athos.
Born in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
ca. 1200, he received his education in Nicaea at a monastery of which he later became the abbot, though not in orders. Subsequently he gave himself up to a life of solitary asceticism in a Bithynia
Bithynia
Bithynia was an ancient region, kingdom and Roman province in the northwest of Asia Minor, adjoining the Propontis, the Thracian Bosporus and the Euxine .-Description:...
n monastery, and is said, probably wrongly, to have remained some time in a monastery on Mount Athos
Mount Athos
Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
.
From this seclusion he was in 1255 called by Theodore II Lascaris to the position of patriarch at Nicaea, and four years later, on that emperor's death, became joint guardian of his son John. His fellow-guardian George Muzalon was immediately murdered by Michael Palaeologus, who assumed the position of tutor.
Arsenius then took refuge in the monastery of Paschasius, retaining his office of patriarch but refusing to discharge its duties. Nicephorus of Ephesus was appointed in his stead. Michael, having recovered Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, induced Arsenius to undertake the office of patriarch, but soon incurred his severe censure by ordering the young prince John to be blinded. Arsenius went so far as to excommunicate
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
the emperor, who, having vainly sought for pardon, took refuge in false accusations against Arsenius and caused him to be banished to Proconnesus, where some years afterwards (according to Fabricius
Johann Albert Fabricius
Johann Albert Fabricius was a German classical scholar and bibliographer.-Biography:Fabricius was born at Leipzig, son of Werner Fabricius, director of music in the church of St. Paul at Leipzig, who was the author of several works, the most important being Deliciae Harmonicae...
in 1264; others say in 1273) he died.
Throughout these years he declined to remove the sentence of excommunication which he had passed on Michael, and after his death, when the new patriarch Josephus gave absolution to the emperor, the quarrel was carried between the "Arsenites" and the "Josephists." The "Arsenian schism" lasted till 1315, when reconciliation was effected by the patriarch Nephon I. Arsenius is said to have prepared from the decisions of the councils and the works of the Fathers a summary of divine laws under the title Synopsis Canonum. Some hold that Synopsis was the work of another Arsenius, a monk of Athos; the ascription depends on whether the patriarch Arsenius did or did not sojourn at Mount Athos.