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[[Image:Tarasius.jpg|frame|right|St. Tarasius of Constantinople]]Our father among the Saints [[saint]]s '''Tarasiusof Constantinople''', (Greek: Ταράσιος), was '''the Patriarch of Constantinople''' from 784 to 806. Patriarch Tarasius presided at He accepted the [[see]] of Constantinople on the condition that a council, the [[Seventh Ecumenical Council]], be convened to settle the issue of [[veneration]] of [[icon]]s. He His [[feast day]] is commemorated by the Church on [[February 25]]th. 

Saints Tarasius was is believed to have been born and educated about 730, in Constantinople, the son of a high ranking judge. He swiftly advanced was of illustrious lineage, related to important families including the rank family of senator the future Patriarch [[Photius the Great]]. He received a fine education and royal advisor embarked on a career in the secular administration of the empire. He was promoted rapidly at the court of the emperor [[Constantine VI]]and his mother,the Empress [[Irene of Athens|Irene]]. He attained the rank of senator and eventually became imperial secretary (''asekretis'') to Constantine's VI and his mother, Irene.  At that time the Church was agitated by the holy turmoil of the iconoclast disturbances. Patriarch [[Irene Paul IV of AthensConstantinople|Paul IV]], who had formerly supported [[Iconoclasm]] but later repented, resigned his office due to old age and illness. He withdrew to a [[monastery]], where he took the schema. When the Empress Ireneand her son Constantine came to him for advice concerning the patriarchate, Paul told them that his most worthy successor would be Tarasius, who at the time was still a [[laity|layman]]. Even though he was a layman, he, like all educated Byzantines, was well versed in theology, and the election of qualified laymen as bishops was not unheard of in the history of the Church. When approached by the emperor and empress, Tarasius refused the position for a long time, considering himself unworthy of the high office. In time, he gave in with the condition that an Ecumenical Council be convened to address the Iconoclast [[heresy]].

During Beginning as a layman, Tarasius was taken quickly through the Iconoclast disturbances the holy [[Paul IV Holy Orders]], [[ordination|ordained]] first a [[deacon]], then a [[priest]], before [[consecration of Constantinoplea bishop|Patriarch Paulconsecration]] who had formerly supported as [[Iconoclasmbishop]]. On [[December 25]], repented and resigned his office784, Bp. After the death of the Tarasius was [[Leo IV the Khazarenthronement|emperor Leoenthroned]], St Paul wanted to restore as [[iconpatriarch]] veneration but was not able to accomplish this, since the iconoclasts were still quite powerful.of Constantinople

Irene and ConstantineOn [[August 17]], with Paul's counsel786, chose Tarasius the council was convened in the Church of the Holy Apostles to be Paulconsider the issue of [[iconoclasm]]. However, the council was suddenly invaded by mutinous troops who dispersed the delegates. It wasn's successor t until the following year, in September 787, that the year 783 A.D. Tarasius accepted council was again convened, this rank reluctantly in order to assist Orthodoxy time in the struggle against [[heresiesNicea]]. In attendance were 367 bishops. With Patr. Tarasius presiding, the council, especially against known also as the Second Council of Nicea, condemned Iconoclasmand formally approved the veneration of icons. Patr. Tarasius was quickly elevated through assumed a moderate policy towards the former Iconoclasts, which caused the opposition of [[Theodore the ecclesiastical ranks Studite]] and became patriarch in 784his partisans. However, those bishops who repented of their iconoclasm were again received by the Church.

In About a decade later, in January 795, Tarasius became involved in emperor Constantine's divorce of his wife, Maria of Amnia. By the year 787 divorce, emperor Constantine slandered his spouse, the Seventh Ecumenical Council was convened in empress Maria, the city granddaughter of NiceaSt. Philaretos the Merciful, with Patriarch Tarasius presidingso that he could send Maria to a monastery and free himself to marry his own kinswoman, and 367 bishops attendingTheodote. The veneration monastic community was scandalized. Patr Tarasius, however, refused to dissolve the marriage of holy icons was confirmed at the councilemperor, for which he fell into disgrace. Those bishops who repented of their iconoclasmSoon, however, were again received Constantine was deposed by his own mother, the ChurchEmpress Irene.

St Patr. Tarasius wisely governed led the Church for twenty-two years. He led lived a strict [[asceticism|ascetic]] life. He Frugally, he spent all his money on God-pleasing ends, feeding and giving comfort to the aged, to the impoverished, and to widows and orphans, and on . On Holy Pascha , he set out a meal for them, and that he served them himself. Toward Tarasius continued to serve loyally through the powerful, Tarasius was decisive in his defense subsequent imperial regimes of faith Irene and moralsNikephoros I. When Emperor Constantine banished His ability to work with three different monarchs contributed to his lawful wife Maria (granddaughter of St [[Philaret the Merciful of Amnia continuation in Asia Minor|Philaret the Merciful]]), and sought a blessing from the patriarch for marriage to a kinswoman, Tarasius not only refused him a blessing, but first counseled him, after that reproached him, and finally forbid him to receive [[Holy Communion]]office until his death.

Before his death, devils tried to get the saint to admit to sins that he had not committedPatr. Many saw how Tarasius replied to the demons saying: "I am not guilty of this sin! I am not guilty either of that sin!" Until his weakened tongue could not longer speak, he then began to defend himself with his hands driving away the demons. When he expired reposed on [[February 25]], 806, his face lightened up as in Constantinople. He was buried in a monastery he built on the sunBosphorus.

Troparion (Tone 3) [http://www.oca.org/FSTropars.asp?SID=13&ID=100605]

[[Kontakion]] (Tone 3) [http://www.oca.org/FSTropars.asp?SID=13&ID=100605]

years=784 – -806 |after=[[Nicephorus I of Constantinople| Nicephorus I]]}}{{end box}} ==Sources==*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=100605 OCA: St Tarasius the Archbishop of Constantinople]*[[Wikipedia:Patriarch_Tarasios_of_Constantinople]] ==External links==*[http://98.131.104.126/prolog/February25.htm Saint Tarasius, Patriarch of Constantinople] (''[[Prologue of Ohrid]]'')*[[Wikipedia:Theodote]]