THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
hands of his clever and ambitious nephew Justinian. The orthodox throughout the East began to rise against their late oppressors. Five ii. Begin- days after Justin's accession, a mob ning of Vic- entered the cathedral, and the Patritory for arch John II. (the Cappadocian, who Orthodoxy, had succeeded Timothy on Apr. 17) was compelled to anathematize the "Manichean," the " new Judas," Severus of Antioch (q.v.), and promise the people that he would solemnly confirm the decrees of Chalcedon, which he did the next day. Four days later a synod met and made formal request to the emperor and empress for the restoration of orthodoxy. This was echoed from Jerusalem on Aug. 6, and from Tyre on Sept. 16. In the province of Antioch, where Monophysitism had held undisputed sway, Severus was banished in September, and fled to Alexandria, where Timothy IV., patriarch since the previous October, received him and still supported him. Justin, who had already notified the pope of his accession, wrote again on Sept. 7 to express his willingness and that of the Synod of Constantinople to resume negotiations. Hormisdas first sent a formal acknowledgment, and then despatched legates with detailed instructions, directing them to avoid holding intercourse with the patriarch until he should have signed a formula condemning the Monophysite leaders with Acacius and his "followers," apparently meaning Euphemius and Macedonius — although they were allowed in case of necessity to let the last condition drop. On Mar. 28, 519, the patriarch signed the formula, and in presence of the legates struck out the names of Anastasius and Zeno from the diptychs. Promises of submission were freely made; but the execution was somewhat disappointing. At Thessalonica the metropolitan Dorotheus opposed the union, supported by the people who murdered the host of a Roman legate; another legate was dangerously wounded. Hormisdas demanded that Dorotheus should be sent to Rome for judgment; but he was set at liberty. There was also some delay in filling the see of Antioch with an orthodox candidate, although finally the choice fell on Paul, a presbyter of Constantinople, who proceeded with such severity against the Monophysites that he was forced to resign in two years. His successor Euphrasius had been on the Monophysite side but returned to the faith and apparently continued to persecute his former associates, while the next patriarch, Ephraem (526-545), came out also in support of the official orthodoxy. The same policy ruled at Constantinople, where Epiphanius was patriarch from 520 to 535; and the capital witnessed an unprecedented sight when the successor of Hormisdas, John I. (523-526), assisted in person at the Easter mass of 525, side by side with the local patriarch but on a more elevated throne.
Justinian (q.v.) was proclaimed co-emperor on Apr. 1, 527, and when his uncle died, exactly four months later, began his absolute rule. For his attitude toward the West and Rome see Three Chapter Controversy; Theopaschites; Vigilius. He was probably more anxious to restore unity to the Church than to give the victory to any particu-
lar phase of doctrine, while his wife Theodora, a
woman of great force of character and influence
was believed to favor the Monophy-
12. Events sites. He caused conferences to be held Under between Catholic and Monophysite
Justinian, bishops, but without result. On Mar. 15 533, he issued an edict declaring Chalcedon to be, with the three earlier councils, the standard of orthodoxy. Negotiations still proceeded with the Monophysites; a long correspondence was held with Severus, the real head of the party, who, however, declined to come to Constantinople until 535. Anthimus, who became patriarch about the same time, was a favorite of Theodora, and, though of a devout and ascetic life, strongly inclined to agree with Severus, who announced the fact with joy to his friends in Alexandria. Their joy was shortlived; Ephraem of Antioch, who knew Anthimus of old, made haste to lay the matter before Pope Agapetus, and he, coming to Constantinople to plead for the Gothic King Theodahad, then hard pressed by Belisarius, had sufficient influence to bring about the disgrace of Anthimus. Mennas was raised to the vacant throne (Mar. 13, 536), and was consecrated by the pope himself, who died in Constantinople a month later. In May and June Mennas held an important synod at which Anthimus, Severus, and their principal partizans were excommunicated. Another, held at Jerusalem in September, approved the deposition of Anthimus, without apparently touching the case of the others; and Ephraem of Antioch subjected the Monophysites of his jurisdiction to a severe persecution. In Alexandria, during the episcopate of Timothy IV., the Monophysites had split up into the conflicting parties of Severians and Julianists, each of whom set up a candidate for the vacant see on Timothy's death (Feb. 8, 535). Ultimately both were put down, and Paul, an abbot from Tabennes, was consecrated by Mennas in Constantinople and entrusted with far-reaching powers by Justinian. He seems to have been unsuccessful in his use of them, and it is possible that his dogmatic position was not wholly satisfactory. At any rate, he fell into disfavor with the court, and Justinian, through the papal legate Pelagius (later pope himself) brought about his deposition by the other eastern patriarchs at a synod held at Gaza not later than Easter, 542.
But Theodora had been busy in the direction of
Rome also. She had gained influence over the
deacon Vigilius, who had come to Constantinople
with Agapetus, and he is said to have
13. Theo- promised her that if he were elected dora's pope he would set aside the Constan- Efforts tinopolitan Synod and hold commu-
for Mono- nion with Anthimus and Severus. In physitism. his absence Silverius had been chosen pope in Rome; but at Theodora's bidding Belisarius, then all-powerful in Italy, imprisoned and banished him on a charge of treasonable intercourse with the Goths, and procured the election of Vigilius (Mar. 29, 537). Vigilius now sent to Theodosius, Anthimus, and Severus a confession of faith which rejected the two natures and condemned the Antipchian theology, requesting