John VIII of Constantinople

"John Xiphilinos" redirects here; for his nephew, see John Xiphilinus. "Patriarch John VIII" redirects here. There are other patriarchs with the name, including Pope John VIII of Alexandria.

John VIII Xiphilinos (Greek: Ἰωάννης Ξιφιλῖνος; c. 1010 – 2 August 1075), a native of Trebizond, was a Byzantine intellectual, jurist, and patriarch of Constantinople from 1064 to 1075. He was the uncle of John Xiphilinus, the Epimator. He is considered "an innovator in the field of the methodology of jurisprudential research."

Saint John Xiphilinos
Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
Seal
Church	Eastern Orthodox Church
In office	1 January 1064 – 2 August 1075
Predecessor	Constantine Leichoudes
Successor	Cosmas I
Personal details
Born	c. 1010 Trebizond (modern-day Trabzon, Turkey)
Died	2 August 1075 Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul, Turkey)
Education	University of Constantinople
Sainthood
Feast day	August 30
Venerated in	Eastern Orthodoxy Philosophy career
Institutions	University of Constantinople
Notable students	Michael Psellos
Main interests	Jurisprudence

Early career

John Xiphilinos was born in Trebizond. He pursued studies at the University of Constantinople and eventually became nomophylax of its School of Law. Later he became a monk and was eventually selected by Emperor Constantine X Doukas (1059–67) to succeed Constantine Leichoudes as the patriarch of Constantinople.

Episcopacy

In 1072, John VIII presided over an assembly of metropolitans and archbishops at the oratory of Saint Alexius in which the question of the election of bishops to vacant sees was discussed. Michael Keroularios had forbidden metropolitans who were resident in Constantinople from participating in such elections. John, however, recognized that metropolitans sometimes had to remain for a long period in the capital due to ecclesiastical business or illness. The assembly with John's consent decreed that metropolitans who gave the patriarch advance notification of their intent could again vote while resident in Constantinople. After his death, his remains were buried at the monastery of Angourion on 2 August 1075.

John VIII wrote a hagiography of Saint Eugenios of Trebizond.

John VIII has been canonized in the Eastern Orthodox Church and his feast day is celebrated on August 30.

External links

• John VIII Xiphilinos – Encyclopedia of the Hellenic World (in Greek)