Patriarch Tryphon of Constantinople

Who was Patriarch Tryphon of Constantinople?

Tryphon was a monk in Constantinople, he was raised to the Patriarchate in 928 by Romanos I on condition that he would resign in favour of the Emperor's son Theophylaktos when the boy would in age to be consecrated as Patriarch.

Theophylactus turned 16 in 931 and Roman asked Patriarch Tryphon to step down as promised so Theophylaktos could assume the Patriarchate. Tryphon refused to hand over the throne to a boy and remained in office. Romanos was infuriated and wanted to arrest him and execute him but Tryphon was very much loved by the people for his virtues.

Then the Emperor's advisors came up with a better plan to remove him from office without causing a rebellion. During a meeting with other bishops, Bishop Basil accused Tryphon of being illiterate, and the Patriarch protested that he was not. Bishop Basil had an Imperial agent ask him to prove that by signing his name on a blank paper, Tryphon signed the blank paper and then Bishop Basil sent the paper to the Palace where the Imperial Clerks wrote the document of his resignation on the blank paper with Tryphon's signature.