Saint Thomas, Patriarch of Constantinople

Life

He lived in the time of Emperors Maurice and Phocas, and in the time of the holy Patriarchs John the Faster and Cyriacus. Noticed by Saint John for his great piety and zeal, he was elevated by that holy one to the rank of sakellarios (administrator) of the Patriarchate, and after the death of Cyriacus was elected Patriarch. In his time there occurred a remarkable event: when a procession was once going with crosses, the crosses began to shake of themselves and strike against one another. All the people were astonished; and when the patriarch learned of this as a true occurrence, he summoned Theodore of Sykeon, a renowned ascetic and clairvoyant, asking him to explain what this foretold. Theodore prayed to God and revealed to the patriarch that it signified great calamities that would befall both the Church and the Greek Empire on account of internal religious and political discord. Christians would themselves beat and exterminate one another. All of this was soon fulfilled. Thomas begged Theodore to pray to God for him, that God would take him before those calamities came. "Art thou bidding me come to thee, or shall we meet there before God?" Thus Theodore wrote back to the patriarch, thereby hinting that both the patriarch and he would soon die. And that very same day the patriarch fell ill and died, and shortly after him holy Theodore as well. Holy Thomas passed away and departed to the Lord in the year 610.