Saint Eutychius of Constantinople

Eutychius of Constantinople (Greek: Εὐτύχιος, Eutychios; c. 512 – 5 April 582), considered a saint in the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Christian traditions, was the patriarch of Constantinople from 552 to 565 and from 577 to 582. His feast is kept by the Orthodox Church on 6 April, and he is mentioned in the Catholic Church's "Corpus Juris". His terms of office, occurring during the reign of Emperor Justinian I, were marked by controversies with both imperial and papal authority. Eutychius' career is well documented: a full biography, composed by his chaplain Eustathius of Constantinople, was preserved intact. Eutychius was born at Theium in Phrygia. His father, Alexander, was a general under the famous Byzantine commander Belisarius. Eutychius became a monk at Amasea at the age of 30. As an archimandrite at Constantinople, Eutychius was well respected by Menas of Constantinople, the Patriarch of Constantinople. Eventually, on the day Menas died, Eutychius was nominated by Emperor Justinian I as Patriarch. Pope Vigilius was in Constantinople when Eutychius became patriarch. Eutychius sent him the usual announcement of his own appointment and a completely orthodox profession of the then-united Church. At the same time, the Pope urged him to summon and preside over the Church Council summoned to deal with the Three-Chapter Controversy. Vigilius first gave, and then withdrew, his consent to the Council. In spite of the Pope's refusal, the council met on 5 May 553 at Constantinople, and Eutychius shared the first place in the assembly with Patriarch Apollinarius of Alexandria and Domnus of Antioch (called "Domnus III", see List of Greek Orthodox Patriarchs of Antioch). At the second session, the pope excused himself again on the grounds of ill health.