Section 01: Foundations
The world from which Photius came and the manner of his rise. These files cover the noble, iconophile Constantinopolitan family and the imperial career that made Photius the most learned and most powerful layman of Byzantium, and then the contested events of 858 by which a layman was carried through the orders to the patriarchal throne in a matter of days.
Tradition: Pan-Orthodox / Byzantine
Contents
| File | Topic |
|---|---|
| The Scholar and Statesman | The noble family; the confessor-father Sergius and the kinship with Patriarch Tarasios; the iconophile pedigree; the career of imperial secretary (protasekretis) and senator; the reputation as the most erudite man of his age |
| Raised to the Patriarchate (858) | The deposition of Patriarch Ignatius; the layman Photius carried through the orders in six days and enthroned on Christmas; the consecration by Gregory Asbestas; the canonical objections, narrated from both sides |
How to Use
- Read The Scholar and Statesman first for the formation, learning, and standing that explain why a layman could be made patriarch at all.
- Read Raised to the Patriarchate for the disputed elevation of 858 that opens the whole controversy; the conciliar sequel is carried in Section 02.
Cross-References
- For the controversy that the elevation set off, see Ignatius, Rome, and the Rival Claims
- For the institutional patriarchate Photius held, see Constantinople and The Byzantine Church
References
- See the collection README for the principal sources; each content file carries its own full reference list.