Acacius of Constantinople

Acacius (Greek: Ἀκάκιος; died 26 November 489) served as the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 472 to 489. He was practically the first prelate in all of Eastern Orthodoxy and was renowned for his ambitious participation in the Chalcedonian controversy.^[1] His controversial attempts at healing the theological divisions led to the Acacian schism and his being condemned by the Chalcedonian churches. He is revered as a saint in Oriental Orthodoxy.

Acacius advised the Byzantine emperor Zeno to issue the Henotikon Edict in 482, which condemned Nestorius and Eutyches, accepted the Twelve Chapters of Cyril of Alexandria and ignored the Chalcedon Definition.^[2] Though the Henotikon aimed to resolve the conflict surrounding the Chalcedon council's orthodoxy, it ultimately failed. Pope Felix III considered Acacius' slighting of Chalcedon and his predecessor Leo to be an affront to the prestige of his See. Acacius was condemned and deposed by Felix III, an action which was met with contempt by Acacius and resulted in a schism between the two sees, which continued after Acacius's death. The schism extended throughout the tumultuous reign of the Byzantine emperor Anastasius I and was only resolved by Justin I under Pope Hormisdas in 519.^[1]

The Coptic Orthodox Church celebrates The Departure of St. Acacius, Patriarch of Constantinople on the 30th of the Coptic month of Hatour.^[3]