ASKIDAS, TEODORO. – An Origenist monk of Palestine. He first appears in history as abbot of the “New Laura” near Jerusalem, at the Council of Constantinople in 536. He enjoyed great credit with the empress Teodora and was not only steeped in the errors of Origen, but also secretly favorable to Monophysitism.
Perhaps as early as 537 he succeeded in being appointed metropolitan of Caesarea in Cappadocia, but he resided more often at Constantinople than in his diocese. Orthodoxy fortunately found illustrious defenders in Palestinian monasticism, and the Roman apocrisarius Pelagius acted so skillfully against the Origenist errors that both the emperor Giustiniano and the patriarch of Constantinople Menas decided to condemn them, the former in a solemn edict, the latter in a small council in 543. A., compelled to subscribe to the edict, plotted his revenge against the Chalcedonians. In agreement with Teodora, he suggested to the emperor that the best means of restoring the Monophysites to unity was to condemn as infected with Nestorianism what came to be called the “Three Chapters.” The emperor fell completely into the trap laid for him, and as early as 543 condemned the “Three Chapters.” This act raised a storm in the Church, in both the West and the East, which ended only with the Fifth Ecumenical Council, the Second of Constantinople (552-553). The “Three Chapters” were condemned again, but A. had no cause for rejoicing, since five anathemas, which he too had to subscribe, also struck at Origenism, dealing it a blow from which it could never recover. During the breach that arose between Giustiniano and Pope Vigilio, A., naturally enough, sided with the emperor (550-51), which earned him condemnation and deposition by the Pope. He submitted in 552 and d. at Constantinople in Jan. 558.