Saint Arsacius of Tarsus

Arsacius of Tarsus (Greek: Ἀρσάκιος; before 324 – 11 November 405) was the intruding archbishop of Constantinople from 404 to 405, after the violent expulsion of John Chrysostom. He was the brother of Nectarius of Constantinople, Chrysostom's predecessor, and had served as archpresbyter under Chrysostom. In earlier life his brother had selected him for the bishopric of Tarsus and had attributed his refusal to an ambitious design of becoming his successor at Constantinople. On this, Palladius of Galatia asserts, he swore voluntarily that he would never accept the see of Constantinople. When he was approximately 80 years old, the success of the intrigue of Aelia Eudoxia, empress of Roman emperor Arcadius, and Theophilus I of Alexandria, Patriarch of Alexandria, against Chrysostom opened an unexpected path to the archiepiscopal throne. Eudoxia and her triumphant co-conspirators wanted an archbishop they could control, whose authority could cover up their plot. Arsacius met these requirements. Moreover, his hostility to Chrysostom had been sufficiently testified at the synod of the Oak, when he appeared as a witness against him and vehemently pressed his condemnation. He was consecrated archbishop on 27 June 404. Chrysostom, on hearing of it, denounced him "as a spiritual adulterer, and a wolf in sheep's clothing". The diocese soon made it plain that they regarded the new archbishop as an intruder. With the exception of a few officials, the dependants of the court party, and the expectants of royal favour, the people of Constantinople refused to attend any religious assembly at which he might be expected to be present. Deserting the sacred edifices, they gathered in the outskirts of the city and in the open air. Arsacius appealed to the Roman emperor Arcadius, by whose orders, or rather those of Eudoxia, soldiers were sent to disperse the suburban assemblies.