A Patriarch And His Chronicler in The Age of Iconoclasm
During the eighth-century, Byzantium is being internally torn apart by iconoclasm, a heresy declaring that icons are idols leading to the widespread destruction of icons. It is in the midst of this struggle that a monk named Theophanes begins writing a record of events that will eventually be published as The Chronicle of Theophanes. Theophanes is no stranger to the political and theological upheaval his chronicle bears testament to: for his own refusal to sanction the destruction of icons, he will be imprisoned and then exiled by Emperor Leo V. While Theophanes does not appear in his own chronicle, there is nevertheless, a figure who shares much of Theophanes own experiences and convictions and in paying attention to this man, Patriarch Tarasios, it is perhaps possible to get a glimpse at the soul of the chronicler.
The life work of Tarasios, patriarch of Constantinople, serves as a microcosm for exploring the struggle to defend the Faith and preserve the unity of the Church during this tumultuous period. Tarasios served the Church at a very crucial time and for his significant role he is remembered today as a confessor and venerated as a saint. In the document that is The Chronicle, the lives of these two men — the patriarch confessor and the historian who recorded his legacy — provide the reader will the riveting true story of the fight for the soul of the Church. But in order to understand why Tarasios was so important to Theophanes and to the Church, it’s important to first look at his predecessor, Paul.
The year is 784 AD. Paul, the patriarch of Constantinople, having fallen ill, has just abandoned his position and entered a monastery. Empress Irene visits him, visibly distressed, to ask him why he has done this. He replies that he had not sat on the “throne of holiness” willingly because the church has been ruled tyrannically and is now in schism. Paul informs the Empress that “if there is no ecumenical council and if the error in our midst is not corrected, you will not be saved.” But Paul has his own closeted skeletons when it comes to iconoclasm: though he secretly supported veneration of icons, he kept silent out of fear and instead publicly supported iconoclasm. Deeply ashamed of his cowardice, he enters the monastery to spend the few final days of his life mourning his sin and begging God for His mercy.
Constantinople is thus in need of a patriarch and Empress Irene and the people are agreed that a layman named Tarasios would be a good appointee. But Tarasios is reluctant to take on this role: as a man who was involved in Imperial service and the concerns of the world rather than any kind of clerical role, he feels unworthy to assume so lofty a position. Moreover, he recognizes that being patriarch might require him to defend icons even if that puts him dangerously at odds with the Empire. Tarasios knows well how his predecessor compromised his conscience before God out of fear of the imperial powers and he does not wish to bear the burden of being in that same uncomfortable position and having to face that same temptation.
As a condition for accepting the will of the Empress and becoming patriarch, Tarasios requests that an ecumenical council be held to unify the Church. He also asks for a reconsideration of icons and notes that iconoclasm is a doing away with “ancient customs handed down in the church”, thus making clear that he supports the veneration of icons and demonstrating his concern for the preservation of church tradition and teaching.
Newly installed patriarch Tarasios wastes no time at all in sending out letters to Pope Hadrian in Rome and organizing a synod. But no sooner are all the leaders gathered in in the church of the Holy Apostles to begin their discussion then armed iconoclasts arrive to disrupt the proceedings.
Two years later, Tarasios is finally able to hold the meeting of church leaders. At this, the seventh ecumenical council, three hundred fifty bishops come to a consensus that affirms the traditions of the Church, upholds the veneration of icons, and declares to be heretics those church leaders who had called for the destruction of icons.
One wonders if Theophanes felt a special kind of affinity for Tarasios. Both men were leading quiet, pious lives when they were pulled into the debate over icons and both men followed the dictates of their consciences in defending icons at risk of their very lives. Five years after Tarasios died, there was a resurgence of iconoclasm under Emperor Leo V and it is under this Emperor that Theophanes was imprisoned and then exiled. Given how intimately acquainted Theophanes was with the good work of Tarasios, it is likely that Theophanes was encouraged to be steadfast despite the darkness of the times and the pain of his own exile with the hope that iconoclasm would again be rebuffed and the teachings of the Church upheld.
The Church today is very much indebted to the legacy of men like Theophanes the historian and Tarasios the patriarch — men who desired unity and the preservation of God’s truth. Theophanes’ chronicle records, for our time and all time, the greatest plea and prayer of Tarasios that: “the followers of Christ, our Head might come into harmony and travel together as one body.”
Source: Theophanes, The Chronicle of Theophanes; trans. Harry Turtledove; (University of Pennsylvania Press, 1982.)
