THEODORE ASCIDAS

Sixth-century Origenist monk, archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, and theological adviser to justinian i; d. 558. Theodore first appears as a monk and perhaps abbot of the New Laura, near Tekoa in Palestine, which he represented at the synod of Constantinople against the Monophysites (536). In Constantinople, his fellow Origenist, leontius of byzantium, introduced him to the court, and he became head of an Origenist party that defended the Christological formulas of the Council of chalcedon against the attack of the Monophysites by interpreting it in the light of the Christology of the Origenist evagrius ponticus. justinian i made him archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia without the obligation of residence. When the second Origenistic controversy flared up in Palestine (c. 540), Theodore and the Origenist party unsuccessfully resisted the demand of the Patriarch of Constantinople mennas and the Roman deacon Pelagius, serving as papal legate, that Origen be condemned. However, by signing Justinian's edict against Origen in 543 Theodore maintained his position. He continued to support the Origenistic propaganda in Palestine until the second and final condemnation of the Origenists at the Council at constantinople ii in 553. He played a leading part in the events leading to the Council and in the preparation of the council's acts.

As early as 543, Theodore and Leontius had attacked Theodore of Mopsuestia as the spiritual father of the heretic nestorius, almost certainly because they knew that many of the adversaries of Origen's teachings, including Pelagius, were in sympathy with the Mopsuestian Christology. In 544 Ascidas persuaded Justinian to issue an edict against the so-called three chapters and undertook to secure the support of the Eastern patriarchs. Pope vigilius, who opposed the measure, was brought to Constantinople (547) and was persuaded to condemn the Three Chapters as the emperor wished (548). When Western bishops resisted and the pope was treated with violence, Vigilius excommunicated Theodore and his circle of Constantinopolitan prelates. In 553, before the council met, Vigilius accepted Theodore's retraction and apologies. During the council Ascidas served as one of Justinian's advisers and probably established its agenda. Nothing is known of him from the end of the council until his death five years later.

Bibliography: e. stein, Histoire du Bas- Empire, tr. j. r. palanque (Paris 1949–59) v.2. l. duchesne, L'église au VIe siècle (Paris 1925) 156–218. a. nagl, "Theodoros Askidas (50)," Paulys Realenzyklopädie der klassischen Altertumswissenschaft, ed. g. wissowa et al. (Stuttgart 1893) 5A.2 (1934) 1890–93.

[d. b. evans]