In 399 CE Anastasius I became pope. He issued directives calling for priests to
stand and bow their heads when they read from the Gospels. He condemned the writings of Origen and
fought against these writings throughout his papacy which lasted only two
years. In 401 CE he was succeeded by his
son Innocent I. Melania the Elder
returned to Rome that same year and convinced her granddaughter of the same
name take up the way of life of the desert hermits.
Pope Innocent I defended John Chrysostom and consulted with
the bishops of Africa concerning the controversies concerning the teachings of
Origen and Pelagius. In 404 CE, the
Patriarch of Alexandria called for a synod charged Chrysostum with heresy and
forced him into exile. His supporters
revolted and burned the cathedral to the ground. Olympias wrote letters calling for the
decision of the synod to be overturned, but the clergy accused her of inciting
the rebellion that led to the destruction of the cathedral. Despite strenuously
denying the accusations, Olympias was arrested.
Her properties were confiscated and she was sent into exile.
Chrysostom wrote her a series of letters reminding her that
the Church had been redeemed from such trials in the past. Her letters were full of concern for his
well-being and safety. Chrysostom
wrote, “Do not be anxious on my behalf, nor rack yourself with solicitude, on
account of the severity of the winter, and the weakness of my digestion...”
During the first winter both of them suffered and nearly
died from a recurrent intestinal disorder.
Medications sent to them from Constantinople seemed only to
exacerbate their condition. Olympias
fell into despair and Chrysostom tried to buoy her spirits, but her condition
did not improve. She began to long for
death as a release from suffering, and Chrysostom feared that he if he died
first she would give in to despair.
Knowing she needed his support helped him to survive the harshest
conditions and the beatings of robbers sent to attack him.
Chrysostom was confined to his bed unable to digest food for
months. Plagued by perpetual vomiting,
headache, loss of appetite, and constant sleeplessness, Olympias began to
suffer from hallucinations. Each of them
was more concerned about the other than for themselves. Olympias continued writing letters to the
clergy and nobility of Constantinople, urging them to overturn the synod's
charge of heresy against Chrysostom.
Feeling that her advocacy on his behalf was placing her in
danger, he begged her to stop writing. The
elite tried to undermine the popular influence of Chrysostom and Olympias, but their
popularity only increased during exile. The
Patriarch had Chrysostom moved to an even more desolate location and he died on
the way in 407 CE Olympias succumbed to her illness and died soon after she
heard of Chrysostom’s death.
