St Gennadius, Patriarch of Constantinople (+471)

Saint Gennadius, Patriarch of Constantinople, ascended the throne of the helmsman of the Church of Constantinople in 458, in the reign of the holy and pious King Leo the Great (457–474). Information about his life is found in the book called the Spiritual Meadow, which includes the accounts of the venerable fathers Sophronius and John, monks of the monastery of Salama (near Alexandria). These monks had been clergy of the Church of Constantinople in the time of Patriarch Gennadius. The hierarch Gennadius was distinguished by humility, patience, holiness and abstinence.

To put an end to the unlawful practices and false teachings that had arisen in the Church, Saint Gennadius convened a local council, at which the heresy of Eutyches was condemned and simony (ordination in return for payment) was forbidden. The hierarch took care that those who wished to receive holy orders should be deeply versed in Holy Scripture.

During the patriarchate of the blessed Gennadius a church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist was built in Constantinople. At the same time the senator Studius, who had come from Rome, founded a monastery which is known as the monastery of Studion. The steward of the Church during Saint Gennadius’s patriarchate was the Venerable Marcian (commemorated 10 January). The hierarch ordained the Venerable Daniel the Stylite (commemorated 11 December) presbyter. The blessed father governed the Church of Constantinople for thirteen years and reposed in peace in 471.