Acacius of Constantinople

Acacius of Constantinople (Greek: Ἀκάκιος; died 26 November 489) served as the patriarch of Constantinople from 472 to 489. He was practically the first prelate in the East and was renowned for his ambitious participation in the Chalcedonian controversy. His controversial attempts at healing the theological divisions led to the Acacian schism and his being condemned by the Chalcedonian churches. He is revered as a saint in Oriental Orthodoxy.

Acacius advised the Byzantine emperor Zeno to issue the Henotikon Edict in 482, which condemned Nestorius of Constantinople and Eutyches, accepted the Twelve Chapters of Cyril of Alexandria and ignored the Chalcedonian Definition. Though the Henotikon aimed to resolve the conflict surrounding the Chalcedon council's orthodoxy, it ultimately failed. Pope Felix III considered Acacius' slighting of Chalcedon and his predecessor Pope Leo I to be an affront to the prestige of his Holy See. Acacius was condemned and deposed by Pope Felix III, an action which was met with contempt by Acacius and resulted in a schism between the two sees, which continued after Acacius's death. The schism extended throughout the tumultuous reign of the Byzantine emperor Anastasius I Dicorus and was only resolved by emperor Justin I under Pope Hormisdas in 519.

The Coptic Orthodox Church celebrates The Departure of St. Acacius, Patriarch of Constantinople on the 30th of the Coptic month of Hathor.

Acacius first appearers in authentic history as the orphanotrophos, or an official entrusted with the care of the orphans, in the Church of Constantinople, which he administered with conspicuous success. Suda describes him as magnificent, generous, suave, noble, courtly, and showy.

The Roman emperor Leo I took notice of his abilities and, using the skills of an accomplished courtier, gained considerable influence over him, leading to his succession as Patriarch on the death of Gennadius of Constantinople in 471. The initial five to six years of his episcopate were unremarkable. However, he soon became embroiled in controversies which lasted throughout his patriarchate, culminating in a thirty-five-year (484–519) schism between the East and West churches.

He sought, first, to restore the unity of the Church, which had been divided by the divisions caused by the Eutychian debates; and, secondly, to increase the authority of his see by asserting its independence from Rome and extending its influence over Alexandria and Antioch. In terms of his actions, he seems to have behaved more like a statesman than a theologian.

Acacius gained enthusiastic popular support and praise from Pope Simplicius due to his opposition to the usurped Roman emperor Basiliscus. Alongside the stylite monk, Daniel the Stylite, he led the opposition against the usurped emperor Basiliscus. Timothy II of Alexandria, the non-Chalcedonian patriarch of Alexandria under the protection of emperor Basiliscus since 476, had already induced Basiliscus to issue an encyclical or imperial proclamation (egkyklios) condemning the teaching of the Council of Chalcedon. Acacius initially hesitated to add his name to the list of Asiatic bishops who had previously signed the encyclical. However, he reconsidered this position and became actively involved in the debate after receiving a letter from Pope Simplicius. The pope had been alerted to Acacius' uncertain stance by the vigilant monastic party. This sudden change of allegiance improved his reputation among the public and gained him favour with the Chalcedonian faction, especially among the different monastic groups in the East, due to his overt commitment to sound doctrine. He even received a letter of endorsement from Pope Simplicius.

The main reason for Acacius' sudden surge in popularity was his skillful ability to lead the movement which Daniel the Stylite was both the leader and inspiration of. The uproar was undoubtedly spontaneous among the monastic promoters and the general public who genuinely abhorred Eutychian views on the Incarnation. However, it remains uncertain whether Acacius, who was now in opposition to the Chalcedonians, or later, in his attempts at compromise, was anything more complex than a politician trying to achieve his own personal ends. He lacked a consistent understanding of theological principles and had a gambler's mindset, playing solely for influence. Ultimately, Basiliscus was defeated.