GIOVANNI TALAIA, bishop of ALEXANDRIA. — A priest of the church of Alexandria, where he held the office of general steward, he later became bishop and died at Nola after 484. In 481 he was sent by Bishop Timothy Salofaciolus to the Emperor Zeno so that provision might be made for the succession of a Catholic bishop to the see.
At the death of Timothy, which occurred shortly thereafter, G. was canonically elected (or 482). This displeased Acacius of Constantinople, who took action with the Emperor against G., accusing him of Eutychianism and perjury. He was then forced to leave his church and was replaced by Peter Mongo, an avowed heretic, who also accepted Zeno’s Henotikon. G. first withdrew to Antioch and then to Rome, where he presented his complaints to Popes Simplicius and Felix III. Despite the latter’s vigorous remonstrances with the Emperor, urging that justice be done to G., nothing came of it; indeed, matters worsened following the defection of the papal legates, who accepted communion with Acacius and Peter. They were consequently excommunicated, giving rise to the well-known Acacian schism. G. was sent to govern the church of Nola, where he died shortly afterward.