April: Day 6: Saint Eutychios, Patriarch of Constantinople

 

April: Day 6:
Saint Eutychios, Patriarch of Constantinople
 
(Humility is the Path to Exaltation)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Eutychios, whom the Church now remembers, was born in the Asia Minor region of Phrygia. His parents were Alexander, a soldier, and Syneria, the daughter of the priest Hesychios. In the house of his grandfather, the priest Hesychios, Eutychios received his early education, and to complete it he went to Constantinople. Gradually, an inclination for spiritual illumination and monastic life was nurtured in him. When he reached adulthood, the Metropolitan of Amasia took him in, made him a cleric, then ordained him a priest, and intended to elevate him to the rank of bishop. But the humble Eutychios, due to his inclination for a quiet monastic life, retired to an Amasian monastery in the rank of presbyter and there accepted monasticism. For his strictly ascetic life and piety, he was soon elevated to the rank of archimandrite and appointed chief superior of all the monasteries of the Amasian metropolitanate.

At that time, under Emperor Justin, the Fifth Ecumenical Synod was convened in Constantinople (in 553). The Metropolitan of Amasia was unable to go to the synod himself due to illness and sent Archimandrite Eutychios in his place. Arriving in Constantinople some time before the opening of the synod, Eutychios was kindly received there by the Patriarch of Constantinople Menas, lived in his house and gained such favor from him that the elderly and sick patriarch, feeling the approach of his death, wished to see Eutychios as his successor in the rank of Patriarch of Constantinople and predicted this to him. He gave the best recommendation of Eutychios before the emperor. Indeed, Menas soon died, and Eutychios was elected in his place. With the opening of the Fifth Ecumenical Synod, Eutychios presided over it. Eutychios was ordained to the rank of Patriarch at the age of 40. For 12 years he governed the Church of Constantinople, and after that, for denouncing the Emperor Justinian for his patronage of some heretics, he was slandered and illegally condemned by a synod of bishops who agreed with the Emperor. Armed soldiers took him out of the church by force, stripped him of his bishop's vestments, and he was sent into exile to Amasia. Another Patriarch was appointed in his place.

After a 12-year exile, with the accession of Justin, to whom Saint Eutychios had predicted this accession in advance, the Saint was returned to the patriarchal throne of Constantinople, was joyfully received by the people and lived for another four and a half years, teaching his flock by word and example, and never ceasing to perform miracles to help his neighbors. He died in peace in 582, 70 years after his birth, and was solemnly buried in the Constantinople Church of the Holy Apostles. In 1246 his holy relics were transferred from there to Venice.

II. Wondrous, brethren, are the destinies of God in the life of Saint Eutychios! Having renounced the rank of bishop in humility and retired into solitude, by the will of the Lord he became Patriarch of Constantinople, endured many sorrows in this calling and finished his earthly career with glory and honor. Let us learn from this the truth that humility is the surest path to exaltation.

a) Nowadays, brethren, you will find few people who would go to exaltation by the path of humility. To humble oneself, they say, means to abase oneself, and not to exalt oneself. And so some think to exalt themselves by ranks, badges of distinction, and use all means to acquire them, as if a badge of distinction could add something to the dignity of the soul, as if it could make an evil soul good, bring a heart far from God closer to Him. Others think to exalt themselves in the opinion of others by an open luxurious life, receptions, outings, expensive clothes and, finally, by their proud appearance. Still others, in order to exalt themselves, try to praise themselves, to proclaim their imaginary or real merits: some declare their noble origin, others about their extensive business, either trade or industry. There are people who even use piety as a tool for gaining respect for themselves, for exalting themselves, and so they put on display before others either their fasting, or frequent going to church, or prolonged prayer at home, or their abundant charitable deeds, doing all this with the goal of receiving praise, or an expression of admiration for themselves. But what is the fruit of all this? Before people, these people, perhaps, can achieve what they want, but before God, no. God does not need our external distinctions, not external dignity and superiority in anything over others, but a humble and pure heart, a heart full of love for Him, completely devoted to Him. "Son, give Me your heart," He says through the wise man. Therefore, in the eyes of God, only that is high which is done from the whole heart, which has no other motives than the desire to please Him.

b) Therefore, if you want exaltation, do not seek exaltation. Those who strive to earn praise only from men are pitiful individuals, they are in delusion, they love human glory more than heavenly glory. Do not seek the exaltation of your name by others, but instead, take better care to fulfill your duty, to which you are called, and to carry out your vocation as it should be, as if for God Himself, as though in His very presence. Those who quietly, without noise, yet accurately, and with Christian love, perform their deeds and duties, indeed proceed towards glory and exaltation with slow, but reliable steps. Let his share be the lowest, let him be unknown to anyone, even despised by all, what does it matter? In reality, he will be above all those who think highly of themselves but do little; renowned by many yet attributing their glory not to God but to themselves - he will surpass them, be more known than they, for God will know him, honored and praised by Him, known by angels and saints - the companions he emulates and to whom he turned in life. How many saints do we see, glorified by God both on earth and in heaven, who in life were scarcely known by many - saints of the most humble rank - despised ones. Blessed is the state of living for God - serving God! And here on earth, these people are blessed - their blessedness lies in the tranquility of conscience, which affirms their life’s purity, and there in heaven, who can describe what awaits them? "It has not yet been revealed what we shall be," says the Apostle John the Theologian.

III. Through the prayers of Saint Eutychios, may the Lord grant us to be worthy of these blessings. Amen.

 

Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.