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Commemorated on June 4
Sainted
Mitrophanes, Patriarch of Constantinople, was a contemporary of Saint
Constantine the Great (306-337). His father, Dometius, was by birth a brother
of the Roman emperor Probus (276-282). Having reasoned out the falseness of the
pagan religion, Dometius came to believe in Christ. During a time of terrible
persecution of Christians at Rome, Saint Dometius set off to Byzantium with two
of his sons, Probus and Mitrophanes, and began to be instructed in the law of
the Lord by Bishop Titus, a man holy of life. Seeing the ardent desire of
Dometius to labour for the Lord, Saint Titus ordained him presbyter. And after
the death of Titus there was elevated upon the bishop's throne first Dometius
(272-303), and thereafter his sons, Probus (303-315) and in 316 – Saint
Mitrophanes.
Upon a time having
come to Byzantium, the emperor Constantine was delighted by the beauty and
comfortable setting of the city. And having seen the holiness of life and
sagacity of Saint Mitrophanes, the emperor took him back along to Rome. Soon
Constantine the Great transferred the capital from Rome to Byzantium and he
brought Saint Mitrophanes there. In the year 325 there was convened the First
OEcumenical Council for resolving the Arian heresy. Constantine the Great had
the holy fathers of the Council bestow upon Saint Mitrophanes the title of
Patriarch. In such manner, the saint became the first Patriarch of
Constantinople. Saint Mitrophanes was himself very old, and was not able to be
present at the Council, and he sent in place of himself the khore-bishop (vicar
bishop) Alexander. At the close of the Council the emperor together with the
holy fathers visited with the ailing Patriarch. At the request of the emperor,
the saint disclosed his choice of worthy successor to himself – Bishop
Alexander, foretelling, that after Alexander there would be elevated upon the
patriarchal throne Paul (at that time a reader), and to the Patriarch of
Alexandria Alexander he foretold, that his successor would be the archdeacon
Saint Athanasias.
Saint Mitrophanes
peacefully expired to God in the year 326, at age 117. His relics rest at
Constantinople, in a church, erected in his memory.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.
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