SAINT NESTORIUS
"THE UNBLOODY MARTYR",
5th Century Patriarch of Constantinople
Mar Nestorius, born in the region of Antioch, was consecrated to the archiepiscopal See of Constantinople (modern day Istanbul, Turkey) on April 10th, 428 a.d. His was an election most controversial, being chosen over another fellow Bishop who desired the see after being rejected once before, Proclus. Mar Nestorius was selected to the post after the strong recommendation of his childhood friend, Archbishop John, the Patriarch of Antioch. He was also a close friend of Bishop Theodoret of Cyr and Andrew of Samosata. These three would be the main figures of that day to represent to the rest of the world Antiochian Theological tradition.
As soon as Mar Nestorius gained the see, he began his reforms and administrative works as Archbishop of Constantinople, much to the dismay of others who enjoyed the luxuries that the Bishops previously gave them. He immediately bumped heads with the sister of the Emperor, an teach the Antiochene traditions as he had once enjoyed to teach back in Antioch. He also called for the ousting of the last standing Arian chapel.
These actions angered the key figures of Constantinople, and set out to entrap him, beginning with the matter of Christology. They approached him with the matter of the Blessed Virgin Mary, asking if it was right that she be venerated and called "Mother of God" or not, clashing with other Antiochene monks. His natural answer from his Antiochene teachings was that the terms "Mother of God" (Theotokos) nor "Mother of The Man" (Anthropotokos) were insufficient, and could equally lead a person astray if misunderstood. One can suggest that saying that she was Mother of the Man Jesus Christ, but allow for one to think that He was in fact only a man, while saying Mother of God would suggest that she was in fact "a source of Christ's diety". These terms where not the most familiar of his day in the Antiochene tradition. The Monks of Constantinople used this therefore to bring him out in the open and allow for his enemies to find a point of attack. After several sermons back and forth on the subject, what he considered a small matter turned into an all out ecumenical crisis, with Archdeacon Leo (future Pope of Rome) at the point of concern, and Pope Saint Cyril of Alexandria at the point of attack.
Pope Cyril and Archbishop Nestorius argued out the matter of the the Theotokos and what Mar Nestorius came to call "Christotokos" (Mother of Christ). When Mar Nestorius spoke of the nature and will of Christ Jesus, he suggested "God's will was Christ's will". His opponents took this to be "Two Sons in the one Christ" when in fact he meant and even clearly stated in his second letter to Pope Cyril that it was "Two Natures in the One Son that is Christ". His own words were these:
"Christ is indivisible in that He is Christ, but He is two fold in that He is both God and Man. He is one in His sonship, but He two fold in that which assumes and that which is assumed. In the prosopon of the Son He is indivisible, but as in the case of two eyes, He is separate in the nature of manhood and Godhood. The result is we do not acknowledge two Christs, or two Sons, or Only Begottens, or Lords. We do not say One Son and another Son, not a first and a second Christ, but one and the same who has been seen in created and uncreated nature."
After much dispute, Pope Cyril maneuvered the Synod of Rome into declaring Mar Nestorius deposed. Mar Nestorius appealed the decision, fighting back calling for an Ecumenical Council. The Emperor agreed, and it was originally to be held in Constantinople, but was later switched to the city of Ephesus, the place where Mother Mary was highly venerated as "The Mother of God (Theotokos)".
The Emperor gave strict instructions not to summon the council until all that would attend were in place. Pope Cyril however rushed the proceedings, not allowing for the delegates from Antioch to arrive in time and opened the council early. Three times they summoned Mar Nestorius to appear, yet he decided to wait upon the delegates of Antioch. The Ecumenical Council of Ephesus therefore went ahead and declared Nestorius deposed and anathematized for heresy. At the arrival of the Antiochian delegation, they deposed and excommunicated Pope Cyril. Two years later, the Antiochian and Alexandrian Churches came to the decision to regain full communion with one another. Pope Cyril agreed to use the "two Natures in the One Christ" standing, while Antioch agreed to reject Mar Nestorius as a sort of sacrifice. He would be exiled like that of Saint John Chrysostom before him and removed from his see because of his influence and Pope Cyril feeling threatened by such.
The Trinidadian Patriarchate is not alone in respecting the man Mar Nestorius and his contributions to Christianity, for the Assyrian Church of the East hail him as "Mar Nestorius, Patriarch of Byzantium, The Unbloody Martyr, persecuted for the truth of the orthodox confession".
Holding hands from consecration to consecration down through the generations of Church history and the ministry of the All-Holy Spirit, the Holy Orthodox Catholic Church of Trinidad and Tobago shares in the historic apostolic succession and grace filled ministry of Saint Nestorius of Constantinople by way of the teachings and episcopal ministry, passing on his succession with power and faithfulness.