Saint Germanus

Catholic Saint

st.Germanus I-Patriarch of Constantinople, Father of the Church

Feast Day : May 12

Germanus was born to a patrician family; his father, Justinianus, held various high-level positions in the government. Germanus became a cleric at the cathedral, and some time after the death of his father was made bishop of Cyzicus. Germanus opposed Monothelitism, which rejected the two wills of Christ, but was forced to accept it by Emperor Philippicus. Philippicus was dethroned in 713, and his successor, Anastasius, restored orthodoxy. In 715, Germanus was recognized as patriach by Pope Constantine (r. 708–715). Germanus opposed Emperor Leo III the Isaurian in his support of Iconoclasm, and Leo sought to depose him. Germanus appealed to Pope Gregory II (r. 715–731). In 730 the pope summoned Germanus to a council and he was instructed to support the prohibition of the use of images in worship. Germanus refused and was forced to resign. He returned to the home of his family, where he died either in 733 or 740. In 787 the Council of Nicaea praised Germanus.