Saint of the Day – 25 August – Saint Menas (Died 552) Bishop of Constantinople , (modern Istanbul, Turkey). Born in Alexandria in Egypt on an unknown date and died on 24 August in 552 in Constantinople. Also known as Mennas, Mina, Minas.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Constantinople, St Mennas, Bishop.”
Menas was the director of the hospice of Saint Samson in Constantinople. Following the deposition of Bishop Anthimus I of Constantinople, Pope St Agapetus I elected him on 3 March 536 to fulfil the high office as the Bishop of that City..
After the Pope’s death, Menas presided over the Council which excommunicated Anthimus. In 543 he headed the Council which ratified Justinian ‘s edict against the Origenists and in 547 he signed, together with the Eastern Bishops, the condemnation of the Three Chapters for which he was excommunicated by Pope Vigilius.
In 552 Mena presented a retraction of his ideas with a profession of faith to the Pope. After his reconciliation with the Church he dedicated to Divine Wisdom the great Church built by the Emperor Justinian.
Menas died on 24 August 552. He was venerated as a Saint and celebrated in the Byzantine Church on 24 August 24 or 25, the latter date on which he is still celebrated in the Roman Martyrology.
AnaStpaul 