(A.D. 828.)
[This is the festival of the Translation of S. Nicephorus in the
Roman Martyrology and Greek Menæa. June 2nd is the day of his death
also observed in his honour by the Greeks. Authorities:--His life by
Ignatius deacon of Constantinople, and afterwards bishop of Nicæa, a
contemporary, and an account of his banishment by Theophanes, a fellow
sufferer in the persecution.]
The father of this saint, named Theodore, was secretary to the emperor
Constantine Copronymus, but when that tyrant declared himself a
persecutor of the Catholic church, the faithful minister preferring to
serve God rather than man, maintained the honour due to holy images
with so much zeal, that he was stripped of his honours, scourged,
tortured, and banished. The young Nicephorus grew up with his father's
example before his eyes to stimulate him to confession of the truth
at any sacrifice; his education was not neglected, and he made rapid
progress in all the accomplishments of the age. When Constantine and
Irene were placed on the imperial throne, and restored the use of
sacred pictures and images in churches, Nicephorus was introduced to
their notice, and by his sterling merit obtained their favour. He
was by them advanced to his father's dignity, and, by the lustre of
his sanctity, he became at once the ornament of the court, and the
support of the state. He distinguished himself greatly by his zeal
against the Iconoclasts, and acted as secretary to the second council
of Nicæa. After the death of S. Tarasius, (Feb. 25th), patriarch
of Constantinople, in 806, no one was found more worthy to succeed
him than Nicephorus. To give an authentic testimony of his faith,
during the time of his consecration he held in his hand a treatise
he had written in defence of holy images, and after the ceremony
was concluded, he laid it up behind the altar, as a pledge that he
would always maintain the tradition of the Church. As soon as he was
seated in the patriarchal chair, he set about endeavouring to effect a
reformation of manners of the clergy and people, and his precepts from
the pulpit received double force from his example. He applied himself
with unwearied diligence to all the duties of the ministry; and, by
his zeal and invincible meekness and patience, was able to effect
much which a less earnest or harsher character would have found it
impossible to achieve.
Constantine was blinded, Irene banished, Nicephorus I., her successor,
had fallen before the Bulgarians. Michael I. was driven from the
throne, and Leo the Armenian became emperor in 813. He was an
Iconoclast, and endeavoured both by artifices and open violence to
establish that heresy. His first endeavour, however, was, by crafty
suggestions, to gain over the holy patriarch to favour his design of
destroying the sacred pictures and images which had resumed their
places in the churches and streets, after the second council of Nicæa
had sanctioned their use. But S. Nicephorus answered him, "We cannot
change the ancient traditions: we respect holy images as we do the
cross and the book of the gospels." For it must be observed that the
ancient Iconoclasts venerated the book of the gospels, and the figure
of the cross, though with singular inconsistency, they forbade the
rendering of the like honour to holy images. The saint showed, that
far from derogating from the supreme honour of God, we honour Him when
we for His sake respect His angels, saints, prophets, and ministers;
and also when we show reverence towards all such things as belong
to His service, like sacred vessels, churches, and images. But the
tyrant persisted in his error, and the first steps he took against
images were marked by caution. He privately encouraged some soldiers
to maltreat an image of Christ on a great cross at the brazen gate of
the city; and then he ordered the image to be taken off the cross,
pretending he did it to prevent a second profanation. S. Nicephorus saw
the storm gathering, and spent most of his time in prayer, in company
with several holy bishops and abbots. Shortly after, the emperor,
having assembled certain Iconoclastic bishops in his palace, sent for
the patriarch and his fellow-bishops.[46] They obeyed the summons,
but entreated the emperor to leave the government of the Church to
her pastors. Æmilian, bishop of Cyzicus, one of their body, said, "If
this is an ecclesiastical affair, let it be discussed in the Church,
according to custom, not in the palace." Euthymius, bishop of Sardis,
said, "For these eight hundred years past, since the coming of Christ,
there have been pictures of Him, and He has been honoured in them.
Who shall now have the boldness to abolish so ancient a tradition?"
S. Theodore of the Studium spoke after the bishops, and addressed the
emperor, "My lord, do not disturb the order of the Church. God hath
placed in it apostles, prophets, pastors, and teachers.[47] You he hath
entrusted with the care of the State; the Church hath he entrusted to
the care of her Bishops." The emperor, in a rage, drove them from his
presence. Some time after, the Iconoclast bishops held an assembly in
the imperial palace, and cited the patriarch to appear before them. To
their summons he returned this answer, "Who gave you this authority? If
it was he who pilots the vessel of old Rome, I am ready. If it was the
Alexandrine successor of the Evangelist Mark, I am ready. If it was the
patriarch of Antioch, or he of Jerusalem, I make no opposition. But who
are ye? In my diocese you have no jurisdiction." He then read the canon
which declares those excommunicate who presume to exercise any act of
jurisdiction in the diocese of another bishop. They, however, proceeded
to pronounce against him a sentence of deposition; and the holy pastor,
after several attempts had been made secretly to take away his life,
was sent by the emperor into banishment. Michael the Stammerer, who
succeeded Leo the Armenian, in 120, also favoured the Iconoclastic
faction, and continued to harass S. Nicephorus, who died in exile, on
June 2nd, 828, in the monastery of S. Theodore, which he had erected,
at the age of seventy. By order of the empress Theodora, his body was
brought to Constantinople with great pomp, in 846, on the 13th of March.
[46] For a further account of this assembly and the ensuing
persecution, see the life of S. Nicetas, April 3rd.
[47] Eph. iv. 11.