Hierarch 9th century

Saint Ignatius Patriarch of Constantinople

c. 797/798 – 23 October 877

Also known as Ignatius · Niketas

A son of Emperor Michael I forced into monastic life who later became Patriarch of Constantinople, suffering deposition, exile, and imprisonment during church conflict.

Feast Day

October 23

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Commemorated as

Our Father among the Saints Ignatius, Patriarch of Constantinople, Confessor

Life

Ignatius was Patriarch of Constantinople in the ninth century, a son of imperial blood whose life was shaped by the violent reversals of Byzantine politics. Born around 797–798 in Constantinople and named Niketas, he was a son of Emperor Michael I Rangabe and Empress Prokopia, and a grandson of Emperor Nikephoros I.

When Leo V the Armenian deposed Michael I in 813, the youth — then about fifteen — was castrated to bar him from any future claim to the throne and was confined to a monastery. He embraced monastic life under the name Ignatius, became abbot, and founded three monasteries on the Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara.

Appointed patriarch by Empress Theodora in 847, Ignatius served two terms separated by deposition and exile. His conflict with the powerful courtier Bardas, whom he excommunicated, cost him imperial favor and led to his removal in 857–858 and the elevation of Photius in his place. Restored in 867 after a change of emperors, he held the patriarchate until his death on 23 October 877. He is venerated as a saint in both the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions.

Timeline 8 moments Read Hide

c. 797–798 Birth as Niketas Born in Constantinople, a son of Emperor Michael I Rangabe and Empress Prokopia and grandson of Emperor Nikephoros I; as a child he held the nominal command of the Hikanatoi guard corps.
813 Deposition of his father and forced tonsure After Leo V the Armenian deposed Michael I, the roughly fifteen-year-old Niketas was castrated to bar him from the throne and confined to a monastery, where he took the name Ignatius.
4 July 847 Appointed Patriarch of Constantinople Following the death of Emperor Theophilus, Empress Theodora appointed Ignatius patriarch; he supported the Stoudite monks and deposed Gregory Asbestas of Syracuse.
857 Deposition and exile After excommunicating Bardas and refusing to tonsure Empress Theodora, Ignatius lost imperial support and was removed and exiled.
24 December 858 Consecration of Photius Photius was consecrated patriarch in Ignatius's place, a succession disputed by Pope Nicholas I.
23 November 867 Restoration After the murder of Michael III and accession of Basil I, Photius was removed and Ignatius was reinstated to the patriarchal throne.
c. 870 Bulgaria restored to Constantinople Resisting papal claims, Ignatius brought the church of Bulgaria back within Constantinople's ecclesiastical jurisdiction.
23 October 877 Repose Ignatius died at about age 78–79; Photius was again named as patriarch to succeed him.

Contributions & Legacy

3 contributions Read Hide

Imperial Birth and Forced Monasticism

Ignatius was born around 797–798 with the secular name Niketas, the son of Michael I Rangabe (emperor 811–813) and Empress Prokopia, and grandson of Emperor Nikephoros I. As a child of the reigning house he received a nominal appointment as commander of the Hikanatoi, an imperial guard corps.

In 813 Leo V the Armenian deposed Michael I. The new emperor had the fifteen-year-old Niketas castrated — rendering him ineligible for the imperial succession — and imprisoned him in a monastery. According to his vita, monastic life strengthened him in faith and piety. He took the name Ignatius, rose to become abbot of his monastery, and established three monasteries on the Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara. He was ordained by Basil, Bishop of Paros.

First Patriarchate and the Conflict with Bardas

After the death of the iconoclast emperor Theophilus, the Empress Theodora appointed Ignatius Patriarch of Constantinople on 4 July 847. He aligned himself with the strict Stoudite monks and, in the affairs of his see, deposed Gregory Asbestas, archbishop of Syracuse.

Ignatius came into open conflict with Bardas, the uncle of Emperor Michael III who effectively governed the realm. When Bardas refused to repent of his immoral conduct, Ignatius publicly excommunicated him. According to his vita, Bardas then sought to compel Ignatius to tonsure the Empress Theodora into monastic life; Ignatius refused. His vita relates that Bardas had Ignatius tortured over fifteen days to force his resignation. He was removed and sent into exile in 857. On Christmas Day, 24 December 858, Photius was consecrated patriarch in his place — a contested succession that Pope Nicholas I disputed.

Restoration and Death

The political tide turned with the murder of Michael III and the accession of Basil I. Photius fell from favor and was removed from office in 867, and Ignatius was restored to the patriarchal throne on 23 November 867. In his second tenure he resisted papal claims over the Church of Constantinople and, by about 870, brought the church of Bulgaria back within Constantinople's ecclesiastical sphere.

Ignatius died on 23 October 877, at about the age of seventy-eight or seventy-nine. Photius, his former rival, was again named patriarch as his successor. Ignatius is commemorated on 23 October in both the Orthodox and Catholic calendars.

Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Lives of the Saints