John I of Antioch

John I of Antioch - Patriarch of Antioch (429–441), who led a group of moderate Eastern bishops during the Nestorian dispute.

He is known for his participation in the Ephesus Cathedral , where he supported the idea of ​​leaving Nestorius as archbishop. After he sided with Cyril of Alexandria and Proclus of Constantinople . He corresponded with them, in which he consulted on how to deal with the remnants of Nestorianism in the diocese entrusted to him.

News of Life and Activity

Socrates Scholastic writes of John of Antioch the following: “In fact, a little time passed - and the royal decree ordered the bishops to come to Ephesus from everywhere. Therefore, immediately after Easter, Nestorius, who arrived there with many people, already found a meeting of many bishops there. Some only slowed down Cyril of Alexandria, who arrived near Pentecost , and Juvenal of Jerusalem, who appeared on the fifth day after Pentecost, but John of Antioch hesitated even more, so that the bishops who were there, without waiting for him, finally touched him At first I threw a few words and struck up a case of Cyril of Alexandria, with the intention of scaring Nestorius , whom I didn’t love. therefore, I am pure from your blood and from now on I will not come to you. ”Having said this, he, with some bishops who kept his thoughts, began to gather especially. Thus, those present were divided into two parts. However, the side of Cyril, making meetings, invited Nestorius, but he did not listen and postponed his arrival at the Council until the arrival of John of Antioch. Then those who were on the side of Cyril 65, having read many times the conversations Nestorius had spoken about the subject of research and concluding from them that he constantly blasphemed the Son of God, deposed him. And holding the side of Nestorius, having made another, separate meeting, deposed Cyril and, with him, the Ephesian bishop of Memnon. Soon after this, Bishop John of Antioch came to the Cathedral. Upon learning of the incident, John was annoyed at Cyril that he was the culprit of such confusion and hurried with the deposition of Nestorius. Therefore, in order to take revenge on John, Cyril, along with Juvenal, deposed him. When things were so confused, Nestorius, seeing that the dispute reached the point of breaking communication, repented and began to call Mary the Virgin: “let Mary be called the Virgin,” he said, “if only these troubles would stop”. However, no one believed the repentance of Nestorius , and therefore, deposed and exiled, he still lives in the Oasis. That was how the former Cathedral at that time ended. This happened at the consulate of Vass and Antiochus, on the twenty-eighth day of the month of June. Meanwhile, John returned to Antioch and, having gathered many bishops, deposed Cyril when he arrived in Alexandria. However, soon after that they ceased hostility and, having again entered into friendship, returned thrones to each other " ^[1]

Creations

• Message to Nestorius