[July 3] St. Anatolius, patriarch of Constantinople

Date of Birth: 449
Predecessor: Flavian
Reign: 451 – 458
Summary: Like so many other early church leaders, little is known about Anatolius' early life. He had been the apocrisiarius (representative) of Dioscorus I, patriarch of Alexandria, at Constantinople in the years immediately prior to his coronation. In that capacity, he attended the Second Council of Ephesus and witnessed the deposition of Bishop Flavian of Constantinople, his predecessor. He was chosen to replace Flavian soon after with the support of Roman Emperor Theodosius II. Almost immediately fter his election, Anatolius purged the church of the heretical sect called Eutychianism by condemning Eutyches, its leader, as well as Nestorius, another heretical leader. Unlike many other church leaders in Constantinople, Anatolius remained on good terms with the Roman pontiff. He worked with Pope Leo to denounce the popular heresies of the day and prosecute those leading them. Together, they held the Council of Chalcedon in 451 which turned Constantinople into a patriarchate on par with Rome. Anatolius was now able to act in equality with the Roman pope.


Disputes arose soon after between the pope of Rome and the patriarch of Constantinople. The pope complained to Emperor Marcian that Anatolius was arrogant in appointing Maximinus as patriarch of Antioch, an appointment previously allowed only to the pope of Rome. The feud was never settled, nor was it ever ended in future reigns on either side of the conflict. When Timothy usurped the title of patriarch of Alexandria, Anatolius requested aid from Emperor Leo I. Leo was able to remove him in 460, but Anatolius had already died by then. One of Anatolius' last acts was to crown Roman Emperor Leo I at Constantinople. It was the first time that the local patriarch was involved in a coronation ceremony and it heralded the end of Roman Papal control over the Roman monarchy. Anatolius was killed in 458 by followers of the heretic Dioscorus. He is honored by both the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches as a saint.
Date of Death: 3 July 458 CE
Successor: Gennadius I

Other Monarchs Who Died Today:

• Mehmed V, sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1918)