Anthony II Kauleas, patriarch of Constantinople (893–901)
Obverse
The Mother of God standing, holding Christ in her left arm. Circular inscription ending in a star. Border of dots.
ΘΕΟΤΟΚΕΟΗΘΕΙ
Θεοτόκε βοήθει
Reverse
Inscription of five lines preceded and followed by decoration. Border of dots.
· ·
ΑΝΤΩΝΙΩ
ΑΡΧΙΕΠΙΣΚΟ
ΠΩΚΩΝΣΤΑΝ
ΤΙΝΟΥΠΟΛΕΩΣ
ΝΕΑΣΡΩΜΗΣ
· ·
Ἀντωνίῳ ἀρχιεπισκόπῳ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως Νέας Ῥώμης.
Obverse
The Mother of God standing, holding Christ in her left arm. Circular inscription ending in a star. Border of dots.
ΘΕΟΤΟΚΕΟΗΘΕΙ
Θεοτόκε βοήθει
Reverse
Inscription of five lines preceded and followed by decoration. Border of dots.
· ·
ΑΝΤΩΝΙΩ
ΑΡΧΙΕΠΙΣΚΟ
ΠΩΚΩΝΣΤΑΝ
ΤΙΝΟΥΠΟΛΕΩΣ
ΝΕΑΣΡΩΜΗΣ
· ·
Ἀντωνίῳ ἀρχιεπισκόπῳ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως Νέας Ῥώμης.
| Accession number | BZS.1958.106.309 (formerly DO 58.106.309) |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 36.0 mm; field: 31.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 6, no. 114.1; Zacos, Seals 2: no. 9b; Laurent, Corpus 5.3: no. 1628. Cf. Galavaris, “Thokos,” no. 5 (p. 173). |
Translation
Θεοτόκε βοήθει Ἀντωνίῳ ἀρχιεπισκόπῳ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως Νέας Ῥώμης.
Mother of God, help Anthony, archbishop [patriarch] of Constantinople, the New Rome.
Bibliography
- Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 6, Emperors, Patriarchs of Constantinople, Addenda (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
- Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
- The Representation of the Virgin and Child on a ‘Thokos’ on Seals of the Constantinopolitan Patriarchs (Open in Zotero)
- An Eleventh-Century Seal with a Representation of Patriarch Antony II Kauleas (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
Anthony II is a saint both of the Orthodox and the Roman Church. He entered a monastery at age twelve and later became hegoumenos, earning a reputation for assistance to the poor. After the death of Patriarch Stephanos I in May of 893, Anthony was enthroned as his successor the following August. He devoted himself to restoring harmony within the Church. One of his great accomplishments was to renew ties between the Church and Stylianos Mapas, metropolitan of Neokaisareia, and members of his anti-Photian party, a move that promoted peaceful relations between Constantinople and the Church of Rome. His feastday is 12 February. It was celebrated, according to the Synaxarion of Constantinople, “in his monastery,” a structure variously referred to as the monastery τοῦ Καλέα, τοῦ Καλέως, or τοῦ Καλλίου. The last spelling appears on an eleventh-century seal that belonged to the monastery τοῦ Καλλίου and bears a depiction, with an identifying inscription, of St. Anthony, archbishop of Constantinople. He is shown raising his right hand in blessing and holding a book in his left. The monastery’s church was of reputedly lavish decoration. For a detailed discussion of the saint’s life and career see Cotsonis–Nesbitt, “Antony II Kauleas,” 517–21.