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Tarasius of Constantinople

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[[Image:Tarasius.jpg|frame|right|St. Tarasius of Constantinople]]
Our father among the saints [[saint]]s '''Tarasius of Constantinople''' , (Greek: Ταράσιος), was the Patriarch of Constantinople from 784 to 806. He accepted the [[Patriarchsee]] of Constantinople on the condition that a council, the [[seeSeventh Ecumenical Council]] from 784 , be convened to 806. Patriarch Tarasius presided at settle the issue of [[veneration]] of [Seventh Ecumenical Council[icon]]s. He His [[feast day]] is commemorated by the Church on [[February 25]].
==Life==
St. 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 Emperor the emperor [[Constantine VI]], and Constantine's his mother, the holy Empress [[Irene of Athens|Irene]]. He attained the rank of senator and eventually became imperial secretary (''asekretis'') to Constantine VI and his mother, Irene.
During At that time the Church was agitated by the turmoil of the [[iconoclasm|iconoclast]] disturbances, the holy . Patriarch St. [[Paul IV of Constantinople|Paul the New]IV] ([[August 30]]), who had formerly supported iconoclasm[[Iconoclasm]] but later repented, repented and resigned his officedue to old age and illness. After the death of Emperor He withdrew to a [[Leo IV the Khazar|Leomonastery]], Stwhere he took the schema. When the Empress Irene and her son Constantine came to him for advice concerning the patriarchate, Paul wanted to restore told them that his most worthy successor would be Tarasius, who at the time was still a [[iconlaity|layman]] [[veneration]] but . 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 able to accomplish this, since unheard of in the history of the iconoclasts were still quite powerfulChurch.
Irene When approached by the emperor and Constantineempress, with Paul's counselTarasius refused the position for a long time, chose Tarasius to be Paul's successor in considering himself unworthy of the year 783 Ahigh office.D. Tarasius accepted this rank reluctantly In time, he gave in order with the condition that an Ecumenical Council be convened to assist Orthodoxy in address the struggle against Iconoclast [[heresiesheresy]], especially against Iconoclasm. Tarasius was quickly elevated through the ecclesiastical ranks and became patriarch in 784.
In the year 787 the Seventh Ecumenical Council Beginning as a layman, Tarasius was convened in taken quickly through the city [[Holy Orders]], [[ordination|ordained]] first a [[deacon]], then a [[priest]], before [[consecration of a bishop|consecration]] as [[bishop]]. On [[NiceaDecember 25]], with Patriarch Tarasius presiding784, and 367 bishops attendingBp. The veneration of holy icons Tarasius was confirmed at the council. Those bishops who repented [[enthronement|enthroned]] as [[patriarch]] of their iconoclasm were again received by the Church. Constantinople
St. Tarasius wisely governed the Church for 22 years. He led a strict On [[asceticAugust 17]] life. He spent all his money on God-pleasing ends, feeding and giving comfort to 786, the council was convened in the Church of the aged, Holy Apostles to consider the impoverished, to widows and orphans, and on Holy issue of [[Paschaiconoclasm]] he set out a meal for them. However, and he served them himselfthe council was suddenly invaded by mutinous troops who dispersed the delegates. Toward It wasn't until the powerfulfollowing year, Tarasius in September 787, that the council was decisive again convened, this time in his defense of faith and morals. When Emperor Constantine banished his lawful wife Maria (granddaughter of St. [[Philaret the MercifulNicea]]). In attendance were 367 bishops. With Patr. Tarasius presiding, the council, known also as the Second Council of Nicea, condemned Iconoclasm and sought a blessing from formally approved the patriarch for marriage to a kinswoman, veneration of icons. Patr. Tarasius not only refused him assumed a blessingmoderate policy towards the former Iconoclasts, but first counseled him, after that reproached him, and finally forbade him to receive which caused the opposition of [[Holy CommunionTheodore the Studite]]and his partisans. However, those bishops who repented of their iconoclasm were again received by the Church.
Before About a decade later, in January 795, Tarasius became involved in emperor Constantine's divorce of his wife, Maria of Amnia. By the divorce, emperor Constantine slandered his spouse, the empress Maria, the granddaughter of St. Philaretos the Merciful, so that he could send Maria to a monastery and free himself to marry his deathown kinswoman, Theodote. The monastic community was scandalized. Patr Tarasius, however, refused to dissolve the marriage of the emperor, for which he fell into disgrace. Soon, however, Constantine was deposed by his own mother, the Empress Irene.  Patr. Tarasius led the Church for twenty-two years. He lived a strict [[asceticism|ascetic]] life. Frugally, he spent his money on God-pleasing ends, devils tried feeding and giving comfort to get the saint aged, to admit the impoverished, and to sins widows and orphans. On Holy Pascha, he set out a meal for them, that he had not committedserved himself. Many saw how Tarasius replied continued to serve loyally through the demons saying: "I am not guilty subsequent imperial regimes of this sin! Irene and Nikephoros I am not guilty either of that sin!" Until his weakened tongue could not longer speak, he then began . His ability to defend himself work with three different monarchs contributed to his continuation in office until his hands driving away the demonsdeath. Patr. When he expired Tarasius reposed on [[February 25]], 806, his face lit up like in Constantinople. He was buried in a monastery he built on the sunBosphorus.
==Hymns==
:Therefore we cry to you:
:"Rejoice, wise Father Tarasius."
 
==External links==
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=100605 St Tarasius the Archbishop of Constantinople] ([[OCA]])
*[http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/saints.asp?contentid=441 Tarasios, Patriarch of Constantinople] ([[GOARCH]])
*[http://www.westsrbdio.org/prolog/my.html?month=February&day=25 Saint Tarasius, Patriarch of Constantinople] (''[[Prologue of Ohrid]]'')
 
{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=[[Paul IV of Constantinople|Paul IV]]|
title=[[List of Patriarchs of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]]|
years=784 – -806 |after=[[Nicephorus I of Constantinople| Nicephorus I]]Nikephorus}}{{end box}} ==Sources==http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=100605 OCA: St Tarasius the Archbishop of Constantinoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriarch_Tarasios_of_Constantinople TarasiusFebruary 25 ==External links==*[http://www.westsrbdio.org/prolog/my.html?month=February&day=25 Saint Tarasius, Patriarch of Constantinople] (''[[Prologue of Ohrid]]'')*[[Wikipedia:Theodote]]
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Patriarchs of Constantinople]]
[[Category:Saints]]
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