MENA, patriarch of CONSTANTINOPLE, saint. – Born in Alexandria toward the end of the 5th century, died in Constantinople in August 552. He directed the great hospice for pilgrims of St. Samson in that city when, in 536, he was elected patriarch of Constantinople by Pope Agapitus after the deposition of Anthimus I (q.v.).
On 22 April of the same year Agapitus died, and Menas presided over the council that opened on 2 May, in which Anthimus was excommunicated along with his other followers. In the famous controversy over the “Three Chapters” (q.v.), Menas signed and induced the Eastern bishops to sign the condemnation of the same, and Pope Vigilius excommunicated him along with all the signatories. The controversy dragged on for a long time; but Menas recognized his error and retracted what he had subscribed only out of weakness. The Roman Martyrology records his name on 25 August.