Background
Born at Constantinople, Stephen was the son of Eudokia Ingerina and, officially, Emperor Basil I. However, at the time when he was conceived, Eudokia was the mistress of Emperor Michael III.
priest Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
Born at Constantinople, Stephen was the son of Eudokia Ingerina and, officially, Emperor Basil I. However, at the time when he was conceived, Eudokia was the mistress of Emperor Michael III.
Castrated by Basil I, Stephen became a monk and was designated for a career in the church since his childhood. As patriarch Stephen participated in the ceremonial reburial of Michael III by Leo VI in the imperial mausoleum attached to the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople. There are no important events associated with Stephen"s patriarchate and the patriarch, who acquired a reputation for piety, died in May 893.
His feast day in the Orthodox Church is on May 18.
