St. Photius the Great
St. Photius (c. 810-893) was Patriarch of Constantinople (858-867 and 877-886) and the most learned man of his age, whose Bibliotheca preserved summaries of hundreds of ancient books now lost.
He baptized Prince Boris of Bulgaria, blessed the mission of Sts. Cyril and Methodius to the Slavs, and in his Mystagogy of the Holy Spirit defended the Orthodox teaching on the Trinity against the filioque. Twice driven from his throne and vindicated, he died in exile and is honored as a pillar of Orthodoxy, an equal of the Apostles in zeal, and a confessor of the faith.
Nothing is dearer than the truth.
It is truly necessary that we observe all things, but above all, that which pertains to matters of faith, in which but a small deviation represents a deadly sin.
Let no one, then, fail to enter the contest, let no one slacken, let no one desert the ranks.
Troparion · Tone 4
Follower of the Apostles' way and teacher of mankind: intercede, O Photius, with the Lord of all, to grant peace to the world and to our souls great mercy!
Kontakion · Tone 8
Far-reaching beacon of the Church and God-inspired guide of the Orthodox, you are now crowned with the flowers of song. You are the divine words of the Spirit's harp, the strong adversary of heresy, and to you we cry: "Hail, all-honorable Photius."
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