Anthimus I

Anthimus I (flourished 6th century) was a Greek Orthodox patriarch of Constantinople (reigned 535–536), the last notable Byzantine churchman explicitly to advocate Monophysitism (see Monophysite).

As bishop of Trebizond Anthimus participated in discussions at Constantinople in 532, to effect religious and political unity between East and West. Although avowing support for the orthodox party, Anthimus harboured Monophysite sentiments and corresponded with the chief theoreticians of that doctrine, the patriarchs Severus of Antioch and Theodosius of Alexandria. On the death of Patriarch Epiphanius in June 535, the empress Theodora, who was sympathetic toward the Monophysites, had Anthimus appointed patriarch of Constantinople. While promising to promote orthodoxy in alliance with Pope Agapetus I, Anthimus secretly furthered the Monophysite cause. Discovering Anthimus’ real beliefs on a visit to Constantinople in early March 536, Pope Agapetus convened a synod, broke off ecclesiastical communion with the patriarch, deposed him, and nullified his ministerial power. Anthimus was condemned by the council of Constantinople, and until his death he remained in monastic seclusion under the protection of Empress Theodora. The remains of his writings include his Monophysite tracts and anathemas against orthodox Christological doctrine (on the nature and person of Christ), preserved in the Thesaurus of Orthodoxy, by the 12th-century Byzantine historian Nicetas Choniates.