Photian

English

Etymology

From Photius +‎ -an.

Adjective

Photian (comparative more Photian, superlative most Photian)

1. Of or relating to Photios I of Constantinople.
   • 1631, Rich[ard] Crakanthorp, Vigilius Dormitans. Romes Seer Overseene. Or a Treatise of the Fift Generall Councell Held at Constantinople, Anno 553. under Iustinian the Emperour, in the Time of Pope Vigilius: The Occasion Being Those Tria Capitula, Which for Many Yeares Troubled the Whole Church. Wherein Is Proved That the Popes Apostolicall Constitution and Definitive Sentence in Matter of Faith, Was Condemned as Hereticall by the Synod. And the Exceeding Frauds of Cardinall Baronius and Binius Are Clearely Discovered., London: […] M. F. for Robert Mylbourne, page 304:

     […]; yea, they ſaid to the Photian Biſhops, Imperator jubet et vult, the Emperours will, pleaſure, and command is, that you ſhould ſpeake in your owne cauſe.

   • 1859, Thomas Greenwood, Cathedra Petri. A Political History of the Great Latin Patriarchate., London: Thickbroom Brothers, page 390:

     The persons who had represented the three patriarchs in the Photian synods were brought forward and made to confess themselves impostors;

   • 2004, Alan Cameron, Greek Mythography in the Roman World, Oxford University Press:

     It is a major shortcoming of R. Henry’s Budé text of the Photian excerpts that he does not make clear when we have fuller versions of the Photian text.

Noun

Photian (plural Photians)

1. A follower of the Photian bishops, a sect in the 17th century that questioned the supremacy of the Pope believing that the Christian Church should be governed by 12 supreme rulers.
   • 1612, The Ecclesiasticall History of Theodoret Bishop of Cyrus, page 345:

     Anathema to the Photians in like manner, who renewing the hereſy of Ebion, teach that our Lord Ieſus Chriſt tooke his beginning onely of the Virgin Mary.

   • 1654, John Prideaux, A Synopsis of Councels, Oxford: […] Leonard Lichfield […], for Thomas Robinson, page 32:

     To 9 Actions in which theſe things were traſacted there are added 27 Canons, in which beſides the fooliſh rage againſt the Photians and the honour beſtowed on Images, that is to be commended of the ſixth canon, which forbids Prieſtly veſtments to be uſed in ſcenicall playes though for ſports ſake.

   • 1859, Thomas Greenwood, Cathedra Petri. A Political History of the Great Latin Patriarchate., London: Thickbroom Brothers, page 390:

     From the sixth to the ninth session the synod amused itself by anathematising the Photians and their heresies, and burning their books and papers.