4. Of TYRE. On the deposition of Irenaeus, bishop of Tyre, in
H. E. 1.10) makes the deposition of Irenaeus one of the acts of the
notorious Council of Ephesus, held in A. D. 449, and known as the "Concilium Latrocinale :"
but Tillemont more correctly considers that the council only confirmed the previous
deposition. (Mémoires, vol. xv. p. 268.) Photius of Tyre was one
of the judges appointed by the emperor Theodosius II., in conjunction with Eustathius, bishop
of Berytus and Uranius, bishop of Himerae in Osrhoiene, to hear the charges against Ibas,
bishop of Edessa. Photius, Eustathius, and Uranius, met at Berytus, and Photius and Eustathius
again met at Tyre, in the year 448 or 449, heard the charges, acquitted Ibas, and brought
about a reconciliation between him and his accusers, who were presbyters of his own church at
Edessa. (Concil. vol. iv. col. 627, &c., ed. Labbe, vol. ii. col.
503, &c., ed. IIardouin.) There is a considerable difficulty as Mém. vol. xv. p. 897, &c.) Photius was present at the
Council of Ephesus, known as the "Concilium latrocinale," where he joined in acquitting the
archimandrite Eutyches, and restoring him to his ecclesiastical rank from which he had been
deposed. (Concil. vol. iv. col. 260, ed. Labbe, vol. ii. col. 220, ed.
Hardouin.) About the same time Photius had a contest with Eustathius, bishop of Berytus, who
had obtained an edict of the emperor Theodosius II., erecting Berytus into a metropolitan see,
as to the extent of their respective jurisdictions. Tillemont judges that the dignity accorded
to the see of Berytus, was designed to be merely titular, and that the struggle was occasioned
by the attempt of Eustathius to assume metropolitan jurisdiction over some bishoprics
previously under the jurisdiction of Tyre. In this attempt, being supported by the patriarchs,
Anatolius of Constantinople, and Maximus of Antioch, he effected his purpose : and Photius,
after a struggle, was constrained, not so much by an excommunication which was speedily
recalled, as by a threat of deposition, to submit. The jurisdiction of the dioceses abstracted
was, however, restored to Photius by the Council of Chalcedon, Concil. vol. iv. col. 539, ed. Labbe, vol. ii. col. 435,
&c., ed. Hardouin.) Photius was among those who at the same council voted that Theodoret
was orthodox, and should be restored to his see. (Concil. col. 619, ed.
Labbe, col. 495, ed. Hardouin.) He also took part in some of the other transactions of the
assembly. Nothing further is known of him. There is extant one piece of Photius, entitled
A Synopsis de Conciliis, extant in MS., is ascribed to Photius of Tyre
: this cannot be, as some have supposed, the same work as the