24.04.2013 Views

02Knights Templar - Julian Emperor

02Knights Templar - Julian Emperor

02Knights Templar - Julian Emperor

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

SAINTS IN EASTERN CHRISTIANITY<br />

the dress and make-up of important women. Indeed, such was<br />

the impact of his attacks that the empress Eudoxia believed<br />

that his comments were aimed directly at her. Matters took a<br />

turn for the worse when a statue of the empress, to which<br />

Chrysostom personally objected, was set up outside the<br />

church of Hagia Sophia.The empress, aided by a group of coconspirator<br />

bishops, accused Chrysostom of referring to her<br />

as a ‘Jezebel’ and, claiming that he was guilty of treason, demanded<br />

that the emperor Arcadius have him banished.<br />

However, although the emperor complied with the wishes of<br />

the empress and had him banished, he was recalled to<br />

Constantinople almost immediately.<br />

The empress had a change of heart after an earthquake<br />

which she believed was divine intervention for her scheming<br />

against the patriarch. Chrysostom refused to change his personal<br />

style, speaking out boldly against immorality and corruption<br />

where he saw it and it was not long before, in 404AD,<br />

he was banished for a second time.<br />

He died on 14 September 407 AD in Pontus, a distant region<br />

of the empire. Some believed that his death was the result<br />

of ill treatment he received from his guards. He was later<br />

reburied in Constantinople and today is numbered amongst<br />

the Four Greek Doctors by the Western Church. Within the<br />

Eastern Church, St John Chrysostom is one of theThree Holy<br />

Hierarchs and Universal Teachers. He is considered to be the<br />

patron saint of orators.<br />

•43•

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!