St Tryphon, Patriarch of Constantinople (+933)
Saint Tryphon, Patriarch of Constantinople (+933), was tonsured a monk in his youth. At that time the Emperor Romanus (919–944) reigned in Byzantium; he wished to enthrone his youngest son Theophylact on the patriarchal see. When Patriarch Stephen (925–928) died, Theophylact was sixteen. The emperor asked the Venerable Tryphon to occupy the patriarchal throne until Theophylact came of age.
The Venerable Tryphon accepted the burden of the patriarchal ministry in obedience, and for three years governed the Church wisely. When Theophylact turned twenty, the emperor proposed that Saint Tryphon renounce the rank of patriarch. The Venerable Tryphon considered it impossible for an inexperienced youth to be at the helm, and refused the emperor’s proposal. The emperor could find no pretext to depose the patriarch, but made use of the treachery of Theophilus, Bishop of Caesarea.
Theophilus came to the Venerable Tryphon and praised his decision, but advised him to take precautions too: to refute the emperor’s opinion that he was unlettered, he should write out his full title on a sheet of paper. At a council of bishops the guileless patriarch wrote on a blank sheet: “Tryphon, by the will of God Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, and Ecumenical Patriarch.” By the emperor’s order the following sentence was treacherously added to the signature: “I leave the patriarchal throne only because I do not consider myself worthy.” When this forgery was read out, Saint Tryphon was driven from the patriarchal palace. The Venerable Tryphon bore the terrible betrayal magnanimously; he returned to his monastery and lived there until his end (+933). His body was brought to Constantinople and buried in the burial vault of the patriarchs.
