John VIII of Constantinople

John VIII Xiphilinos (Greek: Ἰωάννης Ηʹ Ξιφιλῖνος; c. 1010 – 2 August 1075), a native of Trebizond, was a Byzantine intellectual[1] and Patriarch of Constantinople from 1064–1075. He was the uncle of John Xiphilinos the Epimator. He is considered "an innovator in the field of the methodology of jurisprudential research."[2]

"John Xiphilinos" redirects here; for his nephew, see John Xiphilinus. "Patriarch John VIII" redirects here. There are other patriarchs with the name, including Pope John VIII of Alexandria.

John VIII of Constantinople
Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
Church	Church of Constantinople
In office	1 January 1064 – 2 August 1075
Predecessor	Constantine Leichoudes
Successor	Cosmas I of Constantinople
Personal details
Born	c. 1010
Died	2 August 1075

Saint John
Born	c. 1010 Trebizond
Died	2 August 1075 Constantinople
Venerated in	Eastern Orthodoxy
Feast	August 30

Biography

John Xiphilinos was born in Trebizond. He pursued studies at the University of Constantinople and eventually became nomophylax of its School of Law. Later he became a monk and was eventually selected by Emperor Constantine X (1059–67) to succeed Constantine Leichoudes.

In 1072 John VIII presided over an assembly of metropolitans and archbishops at the oratory of Saint Alexius in which the question of the election of bishops to vacant sees was discussed. Michael Keroularios had forbidden metropolitans who were resident in Constantinople from participating in such elections. John, however, recognized that metropolitans sometimes had to remain for a long period in the capital due to ecclesiastical business or illness. The assembly with John's consent decreed that metropolitans who gave the patriarch advance notification of their intent could again vote while resident in Constantinople.[3] After his death his remains were buried at the monastery of Angourion on 2 August 1075.[4]

One of the leading Byzantine intellectuals of his day and a leader of legal studies, Xiphilinos was exiled, became a monk, and then was made Ecumenical Patriarch.

John VIII also wrote a hagiography of Saint Eugenios of Trebizond.[5]

Feast day

John VIII has been canonized in the Eastern Orthodox Church and his feast day is celebrated on August 30.

References

1. Xiphilinos, John VIII – Oxford Reference
2. Basil Tatakis, Byzantine Philosophy, Hackett Publishing, 2003, p. 147.
3. N. Oikonomides, "Un décret synodal inédit du Patriarche Jean VIII Xiphilin", REB 18 (1960), p. 56.
4. Raymond Janin, Les Églises Et Les Monastères Des Grands Centres Byzantins, Institut français d'études byzantines, 1975, p. 27.
5. William Miller, Trebizond: The last Greek Empire of the Byzantine Era: 1204-1461, 1926 (Chicago: Argonaut, 1969), p. 11

External links

• John VIII Xiphilinos – Encyclopedia of the Hellenic World (in Greek)

Eastern Orthodox Church titles
Preceded by Constantine III Leichoudes	Patriarch of Constantinople 1064–1075	Succeeded by Cosmas I