St. Flavian- Confronted the Emperor and annulled the Robber Council of Ephesus
St. Flavian
Bishop of Constantinople, date of birth unknown; died at Hypaepa in
Lydia, August, 449. Nothing is known of him before his elevation to the
episcopate save that he was a presbyter and
skeuophylax or
sacristan, of the Church of Constantinople, and noted for the holiness
of his life. His succession to St. Proclus as bishop was in opposition
to the wishes of the eunuch Chrysaphius minister of Emperor Theodosius,
who sought to bring him into imperial disfavour. He persuaded the
emperor to require of the new bishop certain
eulogiae on the
occasion of his appointment, but scornfully rejected the proffered
blessed bread on the plea that the emperor desired gifts of gold.
Flavian’s intrepid refusal, on the ground of the impropriety of thus
disposing of church the treasures, aroused considerable enmity against
him.
Pulcheria, the emperor’s sister, being Flavian’s staunch advocate
Chrysaphius secured the support of the Empress Eudocia. Although their
first efforts to involve St. Flavian in disgrace miscarried, an
opportunity soon presented itself. At a council of bishops convened at
Constantinople by Flavian, 8 Nov., 448, to settle a dispute which had
arisen among his clergy, the the archimandrite Eutyches, who was a
relation of Chrysaphius was accused of heresy by Eusebius of Dorylaeum.
Flavian exercised clemency and urged moderation, but in the end the
refusal of Eutyches to make an orthodox declaration on the two natures
of Christ forced Flavian to pronounce the sentence of degradation and
excommunication. He forwarded a full report of the council to Pope Leo
I, who in turn gave his approval to Flavian’s decision (21 May, 449) and
the following month (13 June) sent him his famous “Dogmatic Letter”.
Eutyches’ complaint that justice had been violated in the council and
that the Acts had been tampered with resulted in an imperial order for
the revision of Acts, executed (8 and 27 April, 449). No materior could
be established, and Flavian was justified.
St. Flavian of Constantinople
The long-standing rivalry between Alexandria and Constantinoble now
became a strong factor in the dissensions. It had been none the less
keen since the See of Constantinoble had been officially declared next
in dignity to Rome, and Dioscurus, Bishop of Alexandria, was quite ready
to join forces with Eutyches against Flavian. Even before the revision
of the Acts of Flavian’s council, Chrysaphius had persuaded the emperor
of the necessity for an oecumenical council to adjust matters, and the
decree went forth that one should convene at Ephesus under the
presidency of Dioscurus, who also controlled the attendance of bishops,
Flavian and six bishops who had assisted at the previous synod were
allowed no voice, being, as it were, on trial. (For a full account of
the proceedings see EPHESUS, ROBBER COUNCIL OF). Eutyches was absolved
of heresy, and despite the protest of the papal legate Hilary (later
pope), who by his
Contradicitur annulled the decisions of the
council, Flavian was condemned and deposed. In the violent scenes which
ensued he was so ill-used that three days later he died in his place of
exile. Anatolius, a partisan of Dioscurus, was appointed to succeed him.
Pope Leo I
St. Flavian was repeatedly vindicated by Pope Leo, whose epistle of
commendation failed to reach him before his death. The pope also wrote
in his favour to Theodosius, Pulcheria, and the clergy of
Constantinople, besides convening a council at Rome, wherein he
designated the Council of
Ephesus Ephecinum non judicium sed latrocinium.
At the council of Chalcedon (451) the Acts of the Robber Council were
annulled and Flavian eulogized as a martyr for the Faith. Pope Hilary
had Flavian’s death represented pictorially in a Roman church erected by
him. On Pulcheria’s accession to power, after the death of Theodosius,
she brought the remains of her friend to Constantinople where they were
received in triumph and interred with those of his predecessors in the
see. In the Greek Menology and the Roman Martyrology his feast is
entered 18 February, the anniversary of the translation of his body.
Relics of St. Flavian are honoured in Italy.
