NICEPHOROS, patriarch of Constantinople, 753-828; b. Constantinople. He was the son of Theodore, imperial secretary of Constautios Copronymns. He first held high office at court. In 787 be was present as imperial commissioner at the Nicene council, where, in defense of image-worship, lie opposed the iconoclasts. This zeal for image-worship he inherited from his father. Soon after his return to the capital he retired to a convent, whence, in 1863, he was called to be patriarch of ConStanti nople. Leo the Armenian, who became emperor in 813, passed an edict in 814 against the worship of images. But neither menaces nor entreaties could induce Nicephorus to assent to it. He became unpopular at court, and in the ensuing year was deposed, and withdrew to the convent of St. Theodore, which he himself had founded, and remained there till his death. He is sometimes called Homologeta, or Confessor, because of his vigorous opposition to the Iconoclasts, and his subsequent deposition. He pub
lished several valuable ecclesiastical works, characterized by great beauty of style. His historical productions are distinguished for accuracy, discernment, and erudition. The most important are a historical abridgement, published with a Latin translation and notes by father Petran, in Paris, in 1616; and M. Cousins has given a French translation of it in his History of Constantinople; Chronograplela Brevis, a short chronicle of events from the beginning of the world to the author's time, with the series of kings, emperors, patriarchs, bishops, etc. It was translated into Latin, and published with notes, by father Goar, Paris. Nitiphorus is numbered among the saints in both the Greek and Roman churches.
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