October 488-489 A.D. Fravitas—Constantinople’s 48th
October
488-489 A.D. Fravitas—Constantinople’s
48th
Fravitta of
Constantinople
Biography
References
Fravitta of
Constantinople
From Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia
Fravitta (also spelled Fravitas, Flavitas or Flavianus) (died 489) was the patriarch of Constantinople (488–489).[1] He
is regarded as a saint, and has a feast day of
February 18.[citation needed]
Biography
According to Nicephorus
Callistus Xanthopoulos,
on the death of Acacius, the emperor Zeno placed
on the altar of the great church of Constantinople two sheets of paper. On one
was written a prayer that God would send an angel to inscribe on the blank
sheet the name of him whom He wished to be the patriarch. A fast of 40 days
with prayer was ordered. The church was given into the custody of a
confidential eunuch, the imperial chamberlain,
and the imperial seal set on the casket containing the papers.[1]
Fravitta was a presbyter in
charge of the suburban church of Saint Thecla. Fueled with
ambition, he paid the eunuch large sums, and promised him more, to write his
name on the blank sheet. At the end of the 40 days the casket was opened; the
name of Fravitta was found, and he was enthroned amid universal acclamations.
Within 4 months he died, and the powerful eunuch was pressing his executors for
the promised gold. They revealed the odious tale to the emperor. The forger was
turned out of all his employments and driven from the city. The emperor Zeno,
ashamed of his failure, entrusted the election of the new patriarch to the
clergy.[1]
However, the correspondence
between Zeno, Fravitta, and Pope Felix III on
the appointment show no trace of this story.[1]
Fravitta simultaneously wrote
letters to Peter Mongus asking for his communion, and a synodal to
Pope Felix for his sanction and co-operation. This document was carried to Rome
by monks of
Constantinople who had always kept separate from Acacius and his friend Mongus.
An accompanying letter of Zeno showed great affection for Fravitta; Zeno had
only worked for his appointment because he thought him worthy and to restore
peace and unity to the churches. Pope Felix, delighted with the letters, had
Zeno's read aloud to the deputation and all the clergy of Rome, who expressed loud approval.[1]
When the Pope, however, wished
the monks from Constantinople to undertake that the names of Acacius and Mongus
should be rejected from the diptychs, they replied that they had no
instructions on that point. The joy of the Pope was destroyed by the arrival at
Rome of a copy of the letter which Fravitta had sent to Mongus, denying all
communion with Rome. The Pope would not hear a word more from the monks.
Whether the story of Nicephorus Callistus Xanthopoulos be true or not, Fravitta
stands disgraced by this duplicity.[1]
References
Attribution
·
This article incorporates text
from a publication now in the public domain: Sinclair, W. M. (1911). "Fravitta, bp. of Constantinople". In Wace, Henry; Piercy, William C.Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the
End of the Sixth Century (third ed.). London: John Murray. Sinclair cites:
·
Liberat.
Diac. Brev. xviii. Patr. Lat. lxviii.;
Patriarch of Constantinople
488–489 |
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