John of Cappadocia facts for kids

John II, also known as John the Cappadocian, was an important leader of the church in Constantinople. He served as the Patriarch of Constantinople from 518 to 520 AD. This was during the time of the Byzantine emperor Anastasius I. John II is remembered for helping to bring the Eastern and Western parts of the Christian church back together after a big disagreement that lasted 34 years. Before becoming Patriarch, he was a priest and a chancellor (a high official) in the Church of Constantinople.

John II: A Peacemaker Patriarch

John II's time as Patriarch was short but very important. He played a key role in ending a long-standing split between the churches in the East and West. This split was mainly about how they understood the decisions made at a major church meeting called the Council of Chalcedon.

A Big Day in Constantinople

On July 9, 518, Emperor Anastasius I died. A new emperor, Justin, who supported the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon, took his place. On July 15, the new emperor went to the main church. Patriarch John II was walking through the crowd. Suddenly, people started shouting. They cheered for the Patriarch and the Emperor. They asked why the churches were still separated. They wanted the Council of Chalcedon to be officially recognized.

The crowd was very excited. They kept shouting, demanding that a leader named Severus, who disagreed with the Council of Chalcedon, be declared wrong. Patriarch John II took some time to think. Then, he came out and spoke to the crowd. He said that nothing had been done against their faith. He confirmed that the church recognized all the important councils that supported the decisions of Nicaea. This included the councils of Constantinople, Ephesus, and the great Council of Chalcedon.

The people wanted an even stronger statement. They kept shouting for hours. They wanted a special day to celebrate the Council of Chalcedon. They also insisted that Severus be officially declared wrong right away. Seeing how determined the people were, Patriarch John II talked with twelve other church leaders. They all agreed to declare Severus wrong. This decision was made right there, with the crowd cheering loudly. The church was filled with shouts of joy. It was a day that people in Constantinople would remember for a long time.

Reaching Out for Peace

The next day, the promised celebration for the Council of Chalcedon took place. Again, as the Patriarch entered the church, the crowd started shouting. They wanted the names of important church leaders, like Macedonius and Leo of Rome, to be added to the church's official list of honored people, called the "diptychs." They also wanted the four main church councils to be listed.

Patriarch John II tried to calm them. He said they had done enough the day before. He stressed that their faith was the most important thing. But the people kept shouting. They were full of excitement that had been held back for a long time. Finally, the Patriarch agreed. He had the four councils—Nicaea, Constantinople, Ephesus, and Chalcedon—added to the diptychs. He also added the names of Patriarchs Euphemius and Macedonius, and Pope Leo of Rome. The crowd then sang praises for a long time.

To make these decisions official, John II held a meeting with 40 bishops on July 20. They confirmed that the four general councils and Pope Leo's name would be added to the diptychs. Severus of Antioch was officially declared wrong after his writings were examined. John II sent letters to other church leaders, sharing the good news. Emperor Justin also sent orders to bring back everyone who had been sent away by the previous emperor. Many other churches agreed with the Council of Chalcedon. During Emperor Justin's rule, about 2,500 bishops supported these changes.

Uniting East and West

Now it was time to make peace with the church in Rome. Emperor Justin wrote to the Pope, asking him to help bring the churches back together. Patriarch John II also wrote to the Pope, saying that he accepted the four general councils. He also mentioned that the names of Pope Leo and Pope Hormisdas (the current Pope) had been added to the diptychs.

A group of representatives from Rome arrived in Constantinople on March 25, 519. Emperor Justin welcomed them warmly. The Patriarch agreed to write a special letter, copying the words of Pope Hormisdas. Two copies were sent to Rome, one in Greek and one in Latin. Everyone in Constantinople, including the Emperor and the Senate, was very happy about this peace agreement.

The final step was to remove the names of some past church leaders and emperors from the diptychs. These were people who had been part of the long disagreement. All the bishops and abbots in Constantinople agreed to this. On Easter Day, the peace was officially announced. The court and the people were very excited. They filled the main church, St. Sophia, and cheered loudly for God, the Emperor, St. Peter, and the Pope of Rome. Many people who had thought there would be trouble were surprised. More people took part in church services that day than anyone could remember.

The Emperor sent news of these events throughout the provinces. The Roman representatives sent their report back to Rome. Patriarch John II wrote to Pope Hormisdas, congratulating him on this great achievement. Soon after, on January 19, 520, John II passed away.