Yaroslav Turkalo,
"Essays of history of Ecumenical Synods (325-787)".
To properly reflect the times and moods in which the next major Synod (the fifth by turn) took place one should comprehend the dominating figure of Constantinople emperor Yustynian and his influence upon the events of that time.
From the public point of view Yustynian was a great statesman, one of the most important Roman emperors who thought by great-power categories directing his energy at the unification of both parts of the Empire - eastern and western ones. largest Yustynian was demagogic, ambitious and autocratic. He was irreconcilable to his enemies, foreign and domestic. After uprising in Tsarhorod which threatened his life and dynasty, he, without any doubt, gave a command to kill 30,000 people on the race course in order to introduce order (532).
The wars took the larger part during his reign. In the west he withheld the attacks of barbarians from the north, in the east he defended the borders against continuous attacks of Persians. During 38 years of his reign he almost doubled the territory of the empire at the expense of conquered lands.
The son of a Balkan peasant (Albanian, or maybe Slav), Yustynian saw the world not far from the town of Ohryda in 482. His uncle, later on the emperor Yustin, brought him to Tsarhorod, where he got a good education for those times, became an active officer of the army, the right hand of Yustin himself and after his death he became an emperor (527).
The historian Prokopiy, his contemporary and personal enemy characterizes Yustynian in such a way :
...He was neither tall, nor slender, of medium height, neither thin, nor fat. His face was round, just a bit pleasant, even after several days of the fast it looked rose-coloured.I can't say anything clear about his character: He was virtuous and malicious, the type of people who is described as fools and heroes at the same time. He never told the truth himself but won orally and in practice, he was also gentle to those who tried to deceive him. His character showed an unusual combination of a foolish but cunning man...He was full of meanness, deceit and love; he concealed malice in himself, he was two-faced, a master to complete his actions half-way, every minute he was ready to cry bitterly but not to sympathize with somebody or be glad for somebody but accordingly to this or that case or occasion. He always liked to lie, not only occasionally but systematically, in the written or under oath and all this in the face of his subordinates. He was ready to break his word and oath immediately as he declared them as the slave who suddenly became frightened of torment. As a friend he was unfaithful, as an enemy he was unbending. He had an extreme wish to kill and to have much money. He liked to meddle with other people's life and quarrel, it was easy to make him do harm but hard to to do good. He could quickly make use of the most profitable method and he had a noticeable taste to all the good. Such was his character: how can one describe him more exactly? One can speak about his drawbacks and sins in an exaggerated form only. It looked as nature collected all faults of the whole mankind in his one person.
Yustynian dreamt about the world-wide empire. He wanted ,- the historian Prokopiy says, - to win the whole world.
We hope, - the monarch declared – that all-mighty God will allow us to take all the lands which old Romans had up to the borders of both oceans again… What is larger and more sacred than our imperial property? Who can try to object to the decrees of Tsar when the founders of laws themselves distinctly declared that the thoughts of emperors are those laws! /B>
The emperor Yustynian took the title of the Saint and that of isapostle , that is of Tsar for himself which equals Christ's apostles. The emperor for Yustynian means God's anointed sovereign through whom the All-mighty rules all earthy affairs and whom He protects by his mighty hand all the time. On the monument in the centre of Tsarhorod which Yustynian built for himself the inscription was made: He sits on the Saviour's horse and his voice will be the law. Tsar believes in God and enemies will not win him.
Yustynian introduced ceremonials which nobody had seen at court of Roman emperors before: these ceremonials and rituals were done accurately, pompously and solemnly. At different meetings, receiving messengers, etc. Yustynian always sat on the pedestal not allowing anybody (except for Tsarina Thedora) to be at the same level. He demanded from anybody who stood in front of him to kiss his clothes or his shoes. He introduced the title Saint for his own person and the whole tsar's family. When he was crowned he snatched a diamond crown from Patriarchy's hands and put it on his head himself.
Watching this the clergymen in Tsarhorod officially declared that nothing can be done in our Saint Church without consent and order of the emperor. Theologists-Greeks also agreed that the emperor rules the world on behalf of God, and the eye is given for the body to govern it, only God is needed to the emperor for this and between him and God there is not any intermediary..
Wishing to be a full master in the Church during his reign he tried not only to be at the head of all clergymen but he thought as his duty to establish church rules and dogmata. He always kept for himself the right to appoint or expel bishops, call and preside Church Synods, carry out decrees of these Synods beforehand, establish and approve church canons and interpret Holy Writ in his own way.
Such a policy of emperors got later the name of tsar-papistry, and Yustynian was the brightest representative of such tsar-papistry. He was very glad to take part in discussions on theologic themes.
Yustynian waged wars with heretics all his life till the last breath. Maniheys were without the law and they were killed. Once they were caught, when they prayed in the cave all night secretly, they were put into the boat and burnt out alive.
In the manifesto of 527 Yustynian declared that from that time the heretics would be limited in civil and political rights. All the churches of heretics should be closed.
Not being a Christian, Yustynian got rid the people of methods of education. He closed the well-known philosophical school in Athens, all the professors of this school were exiled, and their property was confiscated (529). Since that time Athens have lost their status as a large cultural centre and turned into a minor provincial town.
Yustynian took away the belongings of all those who didn't ragree to his interpretation of Holy Writ. He was very proud to say that he exiled 80000 heretics from Syria.
In 537 a new wave of massacres of monophysits began. According to the chronicler the smell of burnt meat of martyrs was spread in the air and reached the noses of true believers.
(reference – monophysits from words mono… and Greek physis- nature), followers of Christian Church appeared in the 40s of the fifth century A.D. in Byzantium. They say that Christ has only one nature- a divine nature. At Halkydon Synod in 451 monophysitism was condemned as heresy. The teaching was spread in Syria, Palestine and Egypt. Nowadays Armenian- Gregorian, Ethiopian Churches keep to monophysitism.)
During the last years of his life Yustynian was completely dissapointed with his ecclesiastic policy: neither retribution nor prisoners and banishment were able to pick out differences between true believers and their opponents. When dying, Yustynian wished to become a monophysit. All court and capital members of higher orders of clergy persuaded him not to do such things, frightened him by excruciating torment (565).
Yustynian left a vast empire and empty treasury.
When years had passed and time had wiped reminiscences about his evil deeds and sins off the memory of people, the Eastern Church has remembered him many times as a kind man and monks have enrolled his name to the list of blessed ones.
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