Saint Germanus, Patriarch of Constantinople

Life

The son of the emperor's first senator, whom Emperor Constantine Pogonatus killed. This same wicked emperor castrated the senator's son, this Germanus, and drove him by force into a monastery. As a monk, Germanus shone like a star by his virtuous life. Because of this he was elected first as Bishop of Cyzicus, and then, when Anastasius II became emperor, as Patriarch of Constantinople. As patriarch he baptized the infamous Copronymus, who during his baptism defiled the water with filth. And the patriarch then prophesied that this child, when he became emperor, would bring some unclean heresy into the Holy Church. This came to pass. When Copronymus became emperor, he revived the iconoclast heresy. Leo the Isaurian, the father of Copronymus, began the persecution of icons, and when Patriarch Germanus opposed him, the surly Leo exclaimed: "I am emperor and priest!" and cast Germanus from his throne and drove him into a monastery, where this saint lived for ten more years, until the Lord called him to Himself in the Kingdom of Heaven in the year 740.