John Scholasticus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|---|---|
| Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople | |
| Enthroned | 565 |
| Reign ended | 577 |
| Personal details | |
| Denomination | Chalcedonian Christianity |
John Scholasticus (also known as Scholastikos) was a very important leader of the Christian church in Constantinople. He was the 32nd Patriarch of Constantinople, which is like being a top bishop or religious leader. He served from April 12, 565, until his death on August 31, 577. He is also considered a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Early Life and Career
John Scholasticus was born around 503 AD in a place called Sirimis, near Antioch. Antioch was a big city with a famous school for lawyers. John studied law there and became a very good lawyer.
Later, he became a church official and secretary for his church. This job brought him to Constantinople, the capital city of the Byzantine Empire. Here, he worked closely with the emperor's court.
Becoming Patriarch
The emperor at the time, Justinian I, wanted to remove the current Patriarch, Eutychius. John Scholasticus, who was known for his legal skills and his work on church laws, was chosen to become the new Patriarch. He took on this important role in 565 AD.
Organizing Church Laws
One of John Scholasticus's biggest achievements was organizing church laws. These laws are rules that guide the church. Before him, these laws were often just listed in the order they were made. John decided to organize them by topic, making them much easier to understand and use.
He took existing church rules from important meetings (called councils) like Nicaea, Ephesus, and Constantinople. He also added other important rules, including 89 "Apostolical Canons" and rules from Sardica and Basil.
John also created a shorter version of his work called the Nomocanon. This book compared church laws with the emperor's civil laws, especially the new laws made by Emperor Justinian. This was a very helpful guide for both church and government leaders.
Time as Patriarch
Not long after John became Patriarch, Emperor Justinian died. The new emperor, Justin II, was crowned by John Scholasticus on November 14, 565.
During his time as Patriarch, John tried to bring different groups of Christians together. In 567, he helped create a compromise between the Chalcedonians and Non-Chalcedonians, two groups with different beliefs about Jesus. He even managed to temporarily unite them in 571.
John Scholasticus died on August 31, 577, shortly before Emperor Justin II.
