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Sergius I of Constantinople
Sergius I of Constantinople (Greek: Σέργιος, Sergios; died 9 December 638) was the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 610 to 638. He is most famous for promoting Monothelitism Christianity, especially through the Ecthesis.
Sergius I was born of Syrian Jacobite heritage. He first came to power as Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople in 610. He was also a known supporter of Emperor Heraclius, crowning Heraclius as emperor himself in 610. Sergius I also provided support to Heraclius throughout his campaign against the Persians. Sergius I also played a prominent role in the defense of Constantinople against the combined Avar-Persian-Slavic forces during their invasion of Constantinople in 626. Sergius I's connections to both political and religious authorities gave him to his influence in both the religious and political communities to further Monoenergism as the primary formula of Christ within the church. This was met with much opposition, especially from that of the Chalcedonian supporters, Maximus the Confessor and Sophronius of Jerusalem. In response to their resistance to accept the ideas of Monoenergism, Sergius I responded with the Ecthesis, a formula which forbade discussing the idea that the Person of Christ had one or two energies in favour of Monothelitism being the idea that the Person of Christ had two natures that were united by a single will. The Ecthesis was signed by Heraclius in 638, the same year that Sergius I died.
The Ecthesis would only be seen as an accepted doctrine for two years; the death of Pope Honorius I resulted in a significant reduction in Monothelitism support. The Ecthesis was condemned in 640 by Pope John IV. Additionally, both Sergius I and Pope Honorius I were condemned as heretics by the church in 680–681 by the Third Council of Constantinople.
Very little is known about Sergius I before his election to the patriarchate of Constantinople. His parents were Syrian Jacobites and it is not known how or when he arrived in Constantinople. At the time of his election he was a deacon at the Hagia Sophia and feeder of the poor (πτωχοτρόφος) at the Phrixos harbour. While his birth date is unknown contemporaries remarked that he was young for his new position.
Sergius I was elected as patriarch of Constantinople on 18 April 610. At that time emperor Phocas was fighting a rebellion led by the Exarchate of Africa, general Heraclius the Elder, and his son Heraclius. In October 610 Heraclius the Elder took the capital and Phocas was executed. Sergius I crowned the new emperor Heraclius and his wife Fabia Eudokia and blessed their marriage on 5 October 610. Later he also baptised and crowned their children Eudoxia Epiphania (born 7 July 611) and Heraclius Constantine (born 3 May 612).
In 612 Sergius I introduced new limitations on the number of clerics at the Hagia Sophia. Additional appointments would only be made if the candidate made or secured a significant financial donation that would cover all costs for his position (and possibly more). This new policy reduced the strain on state resources and was ratified by Heraclius in May 612. It is unknown whether the initiative for this policy came from Sergius I himself or from emperor.
When the emperor's wife Fabia Eudokia died on 13 August 612, Heraclius decided to marry his niece Martina. Sergius I tried to convince the emperor not to go ahead with a marriage that was against the rules of the Church and would be unpopular. Heraclius acknowledged the problem, but decided to marry her anyway, writing to Sergius I that the latter had done his duty "as patriarch and as a friend". It seems that Sergius I did not resist any further and he blessed the marriage and crowned Martina as new empress. It is possible that given the precarious state of the empire – the Byzantine army under General Heraclius had just suffered a major defeat against the Persians at Antioch in 613 – Sergius I chose to put unity and cooperation with the emperor above the church canon. A year later he baptised the couple's son Heraclius Constantine. As such, Sergius I developed a close relationship with the Emperor, a connection that would serve him later on.
In 614, the Persian army seised Jerusalem, damaging the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the process and capturing the True Cross, originally discovered by the Empress Helena. The fall of Jerusalem and the loss of the True Cross came as a shock and led to a crusading mood among the empire's populace. Attempts at negotiating a peace failed.
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Sergius I of Constantinople
Sergius I of Constantinople (Greek: Σέργιος, Sergios; died 9 December 638) was the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 610 to 638. He is most famous for promoting Monothelitism Christianity, especially through the Ecthesis.
Sergius I was born of Syrian Jacobite heritage. He first came to power as Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople in 610. He was also a known supporter of Emperor Heraclius, crowning Heraclius as emperor himself in 610. Sergius I also provided support to Heraclius throughout his campaign against the Persians. Sergius I also played a prominent role in the defense of Constantinople against the combined Avar-Persian-Slavic forces during their invasion of Constantinople in 626. Sergius I's connections to both political and religious authorities gave him to his influence in both the religious and political communities to further Monoenergism as the primary formula of Christ within the church. This was met with much opposition, especially from that of the Chalcedonian supporters, Maximus the Confessor and Sophronius of Jerusalem. In response to their resistance to accept the ideas of Monoenergism, Sergius I responded with the Ecthesis, a formula which forbade discussing the idea that the Person of Christ had one or two energies in favour of Monothelitism being the idea that the Person of Christ had two natures that were united by a single will. The Ecthesis was signed by Heraclius in 638, the same year that Sergius I died.
The Ecthesis would only be seen as an accepted doctrine for two years; the death of Pope Honorius I resulted in a significant reduction in Monothelitism support. The Ecthesis was condemned in 640 by Pope John IV. Additionally, both Sergius I and Pope Honorius I were condemned as heretics by the church in 680–681 by the Third Council of Constantinople.
Very little is known about Sergius I before his election to the patriarchate of Constantinople. His parents were Syrian Jacobites and it is not known how or when he arrived in Constantinople. At the time of his election he was a deacon at the Hagia Sophia and feeder of the poor (πτωχοτρόφος) at the Phrixos harbour. While his birth date is unknown contemporaries remarked that he was young for his new position.
Sergius I was elected as patriarch of Constantinople on 18 April 610. At that time emperor Phocas was fighting a rebellion led by the Exarchate of Africa, general Heraclius the Elder, and his son Heraclius. In October 610 Heraclius the Elder took the capital and Phocas was executed. Sergius I crowned the new emperor Heraclius and his wife Fabia Eudokia and blessed their marriage on 5 October 610. Later he also baptised and crowned their children Eudoxia Epiphania (born 7 July 611) and Heraclius Constantine (born 3 May 612).
In 612 Sergius I introduced new limitations on the number of clerics at the Hagia Sophia. Additional appointments would only be made if the candidate made or secured a significant financial donation that would cover all costs for his position (and possibly more). This new policy reduced the strain on state resources and was ratified by Heraclius in May 612. It is unknown whether the initiative for this policy came from Sergius I himself or from emperor.
When the emperor's wife Fabia Eudokia died on 13 August 612, Heraclius decided to marry his niece Martina. Sergius I tried to convince the emperor not to go ahead with a marriage that was against the rules of the Church and would be unpopular. Heraclius acknowledged the problem, but decided to marry her anyway, writing to Sergius I that the latter had done his duty "as patriarch and as a friend". It seems that Sergius I did not resist any further and he blessed the marriage and crowned Martina as new empress. It is possible that given the precarious state of the empire – the Byzantine army under General Heraclius had just suffered a major defeat against the Persians at Antioch in 613 – Sergius I chose to put unity and cooperation with the emperor above the church canon. A year later he baptised the couple's son Heraclius Constantine. As such, Sergius I developed a close relationship with the Emperor, a connection that would serve him later on.
In 614, the Persian army seised Jerusalem, damaging the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the process and capturing the True Cross, originally discovered by the Empress Helena. The fall of Jerusalem and the loss of the True Cross came as a shock and led to a crusading mood among the empire's populace. Attempts at negotiating a peace failed.