Peter the Fuller, a non-Chalcedonian Christian churchman,…

Peter the Fuller, a non-Chalcedonian Christian churchman, had received his surname from his former trade as a fuller of cloth.

Tillemont (Empereurs, tome vi.

p. 404) considers that Peter was originally a member of the convent of the Akoimetoi, which he places in Bithynia on the Asiatic side of the Bosphorus, at Gomon, "The Great Monastery" and being expelled thence for his behavior and heretical doctrine, passed over to Constantinople, where he courted persons of influence, through whom he was introduced to Zeno, the son-in-law of Leo I and future emperor whose favor he had secured, obtaining through him the chief place in the church of St. Bassa, at Chalcedon.

Here his Non-Chalcedonian beliefs had quickly become apparent, resulting with his flight to Zeno, who was then setting out for Antioch as commander of the East (Magister Militum per Orientem).

Arriving at Antioch 463, Peter had greatly desired the patriarchal throne, then filled by Martyrius.

He quickly befriended the populace, with whom he raised suspicions against Martyrius as a concealed Nestorian, thus causing Martyrius' tumultuous expulsion and his own election to the throne.

Theodorus Lector dates this to 469 or 470.

When established as patriarch, Peter at once declared himself openly against the Council of Chalcedon, and added to the Trisagion the words "Who was crucified for us," which he imposed as a test upon all in his patriarchate, anathematizing those who declined to accept it.

According to the Synodicon, he summoned a council at Antioch to give synodical authority to this novel clause (Labbe, iv.

1009).

The deposed Martyrius went to Constantinople to complain to the Emperor Leo, by whom, through the influence of the Patriarch Gennadius, he was courteously received; a council of bishops found in his favor, and his restoration was decreed (Theodorus Lector p. 554).

But despite the imperial authority, Peter's personal influence, supported by the favor of Zeno, was so great in Antioch that Martyrius's position was rendered intolerable and he soon left Antioch, abandoning his throne again to the intruder.

Leo was naturally indignant at this audacious disregard of his commands, and he dispatched an imperial decree for the deposition of Peter and his banishment to the Oasis (Labbe, iv.

1082).

According to Theodorus Lector, Peter fled, and Julian was unanimously elected bishop in his place (471).