Anthony the Confessor

Anthony the Confessor (Greek: Άντώνιος ό Ομολογήτης; died 2 November 843) was the archbishop of Thessalonica from 843 to his death. Most of his life is known through the vita of his relative Theodora of Thessalonica and he is venerated like her by the Eastern Orthodox Church on 2 November.^[1]

Venerable Anthony the Confessor
Archbishop of Thessalonica
Church	Eastern Orthodox Church
Diocese	Metropolis of Thessaloniki
Appointed	Methodios I of Constantinople
In office	ca. summer 843 - 2 November 843
Predecessor	Leo the Mathematician
Successor	Basil II
Other post(s)	Archbishop of Dyrrachium (ca. 815–?)
Personal details
Died	2 November 843
Sainthood
Feast day	2 November

Biography

Anthony was a relative of Theodora of Thessalonica, whose daughter was for some time nun at the monastery of St. Luke where his sister Aikaterine was the superior.^[2] At some time before 815, he was elected archbishop of Dyrrachium.^[3]

As a strong opponent of Byzantine Iconoclasm, he confronted emperor Leo V the Armenian and was therefore tortured and exiled by the latter.^[4][5] Under Leo's successor Michael II who was more lenient towards iconophiles Anthony was allowed to return from exile.^[6] Some time after the Council of Constantinople which reinstated the veneration of icons on 11 March 843, he was appointed by patriarch Methodios I of Constantinople as Archbishop of Thessalonica to replace Leo the Mathematician.^[4] Anthony died on 2 November 843.^[7]

Veneration

Gregory the Presbyter included the biography of Anthony the Confessor in his vita of Anthony's relative, Theodora of Thessalonike.^[8]

The eleventh century monk Guillermus Ludovicus brought along with the many other relics he collected during his time in Byzantine Nicomedia some unspecified relic of Anthony to the abbey of St Paul in Cormery.^[9]