Akakios of Constantinople

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Akakios von Constantinopel († 489 ; also: Acacius von Konstantinopel ) was a church politician and from 471 patriarch of Constantinople .

The central problem in the tenure of Akakios was the theological argument between Orthodox and Monophysites , which revolved around the Christological question of the relationship between the divine and human nature of Christ. The Monophysites saw in the resolutions of the Council of Chalcedon of 451, according to which the divine and human nature of Christ existed "unmixed and undivided", a Nestorian mistake.

Since Monophysitism was widespread in Egypt and the Orient, there was a threat of a religious split in the Eastern Roman Empire, which the emperor in Constantinople sought to counteract. Akakios supported him by writing a formula of faith, the Henoticon , which was published in 482. In it, the consensus found in the pre-Calchedonian councils was recorded, Nestorios and Eutyches condemned and the so-called 12 chapters of Cyril of Alexandria recognized, but precisely the disputed questions were deliberately excluded. However, this tactic only led to further dissatisfaction: The Monophysites insisted that the beliefs that were central to them should be explicitly mentioned, while in Rome the formula was seen as too much concession and the turning away from positions already achieved. Relations between the Roman Pope and the Patriarch in Constantinople were already strained by the fact that a special position was agreed for the Patriarch of Constantinople in Chalcedon and Akakios 482 in the occupation of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, which was between Petros III. Mongos and Joannes I. Talaia Talaia was controversial, took sides for the former, whereby Akakios exceeded his authority in the eyes of Pope Felix II . The dispute escalated and Pope Felix II finally reacted to the Henoticon by imposing the anathema on Akakios, who had sinned against the Holy Spirit and the apostolic authority. This created the first great schism (the so-called Akakian schism ) between the Eastern and Western Churches. The anathema included the ban on associating with the banned patriarch, which was ignored in the East. On the question of the Alexandrian patriarchate, Petros Mongos prevailed, while Joannes Talaia, the favorite of Rome, was content with the diocese of Nola. In the Eastern Roman Empire, Akakios and Emperor Zeno did everything in their power to enforce the Henoticon against the resistance of the Monophysites. With the death of Akakios in the year 489 and the death of the emperor (489) and Joannes Talaias (491) shortly afterwards, the most committed advocates of the henotic left the stage and a settlement of the schism was considered. But it was not until 519 that Justin I ended it by abolishing the Henoticon.

Akakios is honored as a martyr in the Orthodox Church , his feast day is July 21 .

literature

predecessor Office successor
Gennadios I. Patriarch of Constantinople
471–489
Fravitas