ON S. MICHAEL THE CONFESSOR, BISHOP OF SYNNADA IN PHRYGIA.
ABOUT 820.
HISTORICAL COMMENTARY,
His Elogia from the Synaxaries, the time of his contest, deeds in the Episcopate from various sources.
Michael, Confessor Bishop of Synada in Phrygia (S.)
BY G. H.
The memory of this Saint is most celebrated, who alone fills the Office of this day in the Menæa without the company of any other Saint, and in the metrical Ephemeris is alone noted, and from there also became known to the Russians, depicted among them. Concerning this holy Confessor in the Menology of Basil Porphyrogenitus the Emperor stands this elogium, Elogium from the Menology of Emperor Basil, which after the first Tome of May we have given in Greek, but in Latin it sounds thus. "Michael, our holy Father and of Christ Confessor, was a pious monk and fearing God, and on account of the religious institution of his life of the Synadenses was consecrated Bishop. But afterwards under the rule of Leo the Iconoclast, on account of the orthodox faith, amid the sufferings which he endured, remained constant in teaching the people of Christ those things which pertain to salvation. But striking the heretics with his sermons as with javelins, and expelling them from his flock, the impious Emperor he provoked to wrath. Called therefore by him, he was ordered to deny the veneration of the sacred images: and when he had constantly refused this, he was subjected to most harsh exiles: where when he had endured very many temptations and miseries on account of the truth and the doctrine of orthodox religion, and had persevered immutably constant to the end; joyful he set an end to this mortal life, crowned with a double diadem, namely of the highest Priesthood and of the confession of faith." Thus from the Menology of Emperor Basil: which somewhat more largely are explained in the Manuscript Synaxary of the Constantinopolitan Church, another from a Manuscript Synaxary. which belongs to the College Louis-le-Grand of the Society of Jesus at Paris, and is of this kind.
[2] Μηνὶ Μαΐῳ
ΚΓ᾽.
Μνήμη τοῦ ὁσίου Πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ Ὁμολοτητοῦ Μιχαὴλ, Ἐπισκόπου Συνάδων. Οὗτος ὁ ἀγγελώνυμος Μιχαὴλ, διὰ βίου τελείου ἑαυτὸν ἐκκαθάρας, ἐκ μητρικῶν ἀγγαλῶν γετονὼς ἀνάθημα τῷ Θεῷ, ὤφθη Ἱερεὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑψίστου· καὶ ὑπ᾽ ἀυτοῦ δυναμούμενος τῶν θεομάχων πᾶσαν κατέσβεσε γλωσσαλγίαν, ἁιρετιζόντων ἄθεα στόματα φιμώσας, κατά τῆς θείας ἀυτὰ μορφώσεως ἀνοιγόμενα. Μὴ φέρων γὰρ τῆς γλώσσης ἀυτοῦ ὁ θὴρ ὁ δυσώνυμος τὸ θεῖον ρεὗμα, ὅτι περεστὼς ὁ Μακάριος ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βήματος ἀυτοῦ οὐ κατεπλάγη τὰς μάστιγας καὶ ἀπειλὰς, ὀυ δὲ κεχαυνώθη τὸν νοῦν, αλλ᾽ ἐλευθέρᾳ τῇ φωνῇ ἐξεβόησε, Ιὴν ἄχραντον καὶ θεῖον ἐίκονα σέβω καὶ προςκυνῶ τοὕ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν καὶ Θεοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ τῆς παναγίας ἀυτοῦ Μητρὸς, τὸ δὲ σὸν δόγμα διαπτύω καὶ εἰς οὐδὲν λογίζομαι.
Ὁ δὲ ἀισχύνης ὑποπληθεὶς καὶ τῷ θυμῷ ὑπερζέσας ἐξορίᾳ ἀυτὸν μακρᾷ καταδικάζει. Αὐτὸς δὲ διαπηρῶν το κατ᾽ εἴκονα ἀῤῥύπωτον καὶ ἀκοιλίδωτον, καὶ διωκόμενος τόπον ἐκ τόπου, θλείψεις πολλὰς ὑπομείνας καὶ πικρίας, ἐις ἐυρύχωρον πλάτος κατάντησε. Οὕτως τὸν δρόμον τελήσας καὶ διπλοῖς στεφάνοις κοσμούμενος, προστέτεθη τοῖς Ἀρχιερεῦσι Ἀρχιερεὺς καὶ τοῖς Μάρτυσιν ὁ Μάρτυς, τὰ γέρα τῶν ἀγώνων λειψόμενος. Of which this is the Latin interpretation: "This Michael, sharing an Angelic name, through a perfect life kept himself spotless, and from his mother's arms consecrated to the Divinity appeared a Priest of God most high: by whom strengthened with heavenly power, he extinguished every tongue exalting itself against God, and the impious mouths of heretics, belching forth blasphemy against the divine images of God, altogether he stopped up. But the wild beast of inauspicious name, bore not his divine eloquence: nor was he shaken by his threats or scourges, nor in mind did he yield anything to these, but with free voice openly cried out: 'I venerate and worship the immaculate and divine image of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, and of his most holy Mother: but your decree I despise, and I esteem of no moment.' Offended by these things the Tyrant and abashed, and inflamed with grave wrath, condemned the Saint to long exile. But the Saint preserving his mind unmoved and unchangeable toward images, changed place from place in the persecution, until he should escape into the most ample field of the heavenly region. So this excellent course of life completed, adorned with a twofold crown, among Bishops as a Bishop, and among Martyrs as a Martyr he was placed." Similar things are had everywhere in all the Greek Menæa, both manuscript and printed, and his Memory is noted in the Arabo-Egyptian Manuscript of the Maronites.
[3] The time of the persecution mentioned above is best explained in the Life of S. Nicetas Hegumen of Medicia in neighboring Bithynia, which Theostericus the monk and his disciple wrote, which from a Vatican Greek Manuscript drawn out and rendered into Latin we edited on the 3rd day of April: in which in chapter 5 is explained the iconomachy, revived by Leo the Armenian with great persecution of the faithful, and in number 35 these things are read. "The Fathers refused that it should be permitted, that those should come either before their sight, or to a colloquy. And when they had perceived the Emperor's mind prone to evil, for the cult of images, and not to be diverted from it, although they should adduce all Scripture in testimony; Æmilianus Bishop of Cyzicus replied: 'If it is an Ecclesiastical question, as you say, Emperor, let it be discussed in the Church, as is the custom: for from the beginning Ecclesiastical questions have been customarily treated in the Church, not in the palace.' 'But I also,' says the Emperor, 'am a son of the Church, opposes Leo the Armenian: and as a mediator I will hear both of you, that judging the things said on either side, I may know what is true.' To these things Michael Bishop of Synada: 'If you are a mediator, why do you not do what belongs to a mediator? For these you indeed hide in the palace and gather, giving them confidence to teach impious dogmas: but others dare not even in corners say anything, terrified by your edicts everywhere. This is not a judgment of mediation, but of tyranny.' In the same way as SS. Æmilianus and Michael, replied to Leo the Armenian S. Theophylact Bishop of Nicomedia, Peter Bishop of Nicaea, S. Euthymius Bishop of Sardis, and S. Theodore the Studite: whose opinions can be read there. Then, as is had in number 39, is sent into exile: the Emperor seething with wrath, and reckoning his injury for equity, dismissed all, and sent very many into exile." For about S. Michael in chapter 7, number 45 these things are there indicated; "Zacharias, the kindly Custos of S. Nicetas, sent for the administration of public affairs by the Emperor into the parts of Thrace, was captured by the barbarians dwelling on those shores, and bound was led into their region. When this Michael, the most holy Bishop of Synada, had heard, from custody, in which he himself was also detained, he indicated to the most blessed Nicetas, that their common friend Zacharias was apprehended by the Thracians, and bound went into their land: 'but I beg,' he said, 'urge God for him: for you are able.'" Thus there.
[4] The mentioned S. Theophylact Metropolitan of Nicomedia is venerated on March 8, where we brought forth an elogium of him from an old Tilian codex produced by Francis Combefis, in which these things are read: "Because Tarasius by divine suffrage was raised to the See of the city of Constantinople, and a divine Pontiff was created (which was done December 25, previously a monk under S. Tarasius, in the year 784) at this time Michael of Synada and the admirable Theophylact take up the monastic life, and by the great Tarasius are sent to a monastery, which is placed at the mouth of the Euxine Sea. But then, when their virtue had advanced and shone forth like the stars, the great Tarasius judging them worthy of the highest Priesthood, sent Michael indeed to Synada, but the blessed Theophylact at Nicomedia is ordained Bishop." Thus there. S. Tarasius died in the year 806, on the 25th day of February, on which we illustrated his Life. To him succeeded S. Nicephorus, ordained on Easter Sunday April 12. and made Bishop. He after the slaying of Nicephorus the Iconoclast Emperor, crowned the Catholic Michael Curopalates, elected Emperor in the year 811: who soon, with Theophanes attesting, transmitted Synodical letters to Leo III the most holy Pope of Rome: for up to this time he had been prohibited by Nicephorus the Emperor, so that he could not perform this. Those letters he asserts he commended to be borne by the most holy Metropolitan of Synadon or of Synada (but not of the Synnaculi as is wrongly intruded) of the city beloved of Christ: and then adds: from him sent as legate to Rome to Leo III "We are certain that his appellation and address are by you long since received, that benignly by you it shall be seen and received. But we ask also on account of our smallness, that with greater benevolence and familiarity, those things which pertain to reception and honor may be conferred on him. For toward your love he is affected with very ardent and sincere love, and in Ecclesiastical affairs shows himself zealous and alert, just as in speech and conversation and virtue he excels the rest: who also ought, with God assisting, and you in this moving, the symbols of love and concord, that is your honored writings and the rescripts of syllables, which are in our hands, to bring back to us, for the greater spiritual joy of ours, and the perfection of our affection beloved in the Lord." These things in the said Synodical letters, which Baronius edited in full for the year 811 from number 20 to number 23.
[5] To Michael spontaneously leaving the Empire succeeded Leo the Armenian, who, as in the cited above elogium of S. Theophylact is read, condemned all to exile, and indeed the divine Nicephorus he relegated to the island of Tasos, exile at Eudociade. but the renowned Michael Bishop of Synada into Eudociade, and others he carried off to other places. The city of Synada is the metropolis of Salutarian Phrygia: but of the city of the Synnaculi no vestige is anywhere found. Similar is the σφάλμα (error) of Sirletus in his Menology, where it is said S. Michael was ejected into exile by Leo the Isaurian, which elogium so also Baronius expressed in the Notes to this 23rd of May. But in the Martyrology itself only these things are read: "At Synada in Phrygia, of S. Michael the Bishop," Molanus adds, "and the Confessor." The Odes of the Canon proposed on this day, contain nothing singular which the elogia do not have: only it seems to be indicated in Ode V, that he wrote some things eruditely, when it is said: Ποταμοὺς ἀν ἔβλυσε διδαγμάτων, οἷς ἐντρυφῶντες εὐφραινόμεθα, Μάκαρ. "Rivers of teachings flow from you, in which luxuriating we exult, O Blessed One." But that in a short time he accomplished much, can in some measure be gathered from this distich before the elogium:
Τῷ κυματώδει μικρὸν ἐμπρέψας βίῳ, Λύῃ Μιχαὴλ οἷα κούφη πομφόλυξ.
"Shining a little while in the tempestuous age, Like a bubble by light breath, you are dissolved, Michael."