Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century/Joannes Talaia, bp. of Nola
Joannes (11) I., surnamed
Talaia, patriarch
of Alexandria and afterwards bp. of
Nola. From having been a presbyter in the
monastery of the Tabennesians at Canopus
near Alexandria, he was known as Tabennesiotes
(Pagi, Critic. s.a. 482, xix.; Mansi, vii.
1178 B). Previous to the expulsion of Salofaciolus
from his see of Alexandria, and after
his restoration, John held the office of oeconomus
under him (Brevic. Hist. Eutych. Mansi,
vii. 1063; Liberat. Breviar. c. 16 in Migne,
Patr. Lat. lxviii. 1020). Shortly afterwards
John was sent by the Catholics of Alexandria to
the emperor Zeno, to thank him for the restoration
of Salofaciolus, and to pray that when a
vacancy occurred in the see they might choose
his successor. He obtained an edict from the
emperor complying with this request (Evagr.
H. E. iii. 12), and after his return became
greatly distinguished as a preacher in Alexandria
(Brevic. Hist. Eutych. u.s.). Salofaciolus
died A.D. 482 and the Catholics then
elected John (ib.). The Monophysites elected
Peter Mongus, then in exile (Liberat. c. 17;
Theophan. s.a. 476). John sent the usual
synodic announcement of his election to
Simplicius, bp. of Rome, but neglected to direct one to
ACACIUS
bp. of Constantinople, only
sending one to his friend Illus, who was then
in that city, with instructions to make what
use of it he thought fit, and accompanying it
with a letter addressed to the emperor. When
the magistrianus whom John employed as his
messenger to Constantinople arrived there, he
found that Illus had gone to Antioch, whither
he followed him with the synodic. On receiving
it at Antioch Illus delivered the synodic
to Calandio, then recently elected to the
patriarchate of that see (Liberat. cc. 17, 18).
Acacius, taking offence at not receiving a
synodic from John, joined the Monophysites
in their appeal to the emperor against him,
and prevailed upon Zeno to write to Simplicius,
praying him not to acknowledge John
(Simplic. Ep. 17, July 15,
A.D. 482, in Mausi,
vii. 951). Without waiting for the reply of
Simplicius, Zeno instructed the civil authorities
to expel John. Thus driven from
Alexandria, Talaia went to Illus at Antioch,
and thence to Rome (Liberat. c. 18). There
he was favourably received by Simplicius, who
at once wrote to Acacius on his behalf (Ep. 18,
Nov. 6, 482, in Mansi, vii. 995). Acacius
replied that he did not recognize John, but had
received Mongus into communion by command
of Zeno; and Simplicius rejoined, blaming
Acacius in no measured terms (Liberat. c. 18).
Simplicius died March 2, 483, but John was
warmly supported by his successor Felix III.,
who cited Acacius to answer certain charges
brought against him by Talaia, and wrote to
the emperor praying him to withdraw his
countenance from Mongus and restore John
(Libell. Citationis ad Acac. Mansi, vii. 1108;
Felic. Ep. 2, A.D. 483, in ib. 1032).
On the return of his legates from Constantinople, Felix
held a synod at Rome which excommunicated
Acacius for his persistent support of Mongus
(Ep. 6, July 28, 484, in ib. 1053). Felix wrote
to inform Zeno of this, and to let him know
that "the apostolic see would never consent
to communion with Peter of Alexandria, who
had been justly condemned long since" (Ep.
9, Aug. 1, 484, in ib. 1065). Felix did not
obtain his end, and John seems to have remained
at Rome until the death of Zeno and
the succession of Anastasius, A.D. 491, to
whom John had shewn kindness at Alexandria
after his shipwreck. Presuming that Anastasius
would not be unmindful of this, John
went to Constantinople to appeal to him. On
hearing of his arrival Anastasius at once
ordered him to be exiled, and John made his
escape and returned to Rome (Theophan. s.a.
484, p. 118; Victor Tunun. s.a. 494, in Migne,
Patr. Lat. lxviii. 948). Felix died Feb. 25, 492,
but his successor, Gelasius I., equally interested
himself in John (Gelas. Epp. 13, 15, in
Mansi, viii. 49 seq., c. 493–495).
All these efforts to procure his reinstatement were of no avail; John never returned to Alexandria, but received, as some compensation, the see of Nola in Campania, where, after many years, he died in peace (Liberat. c. 18). During his episcopate there he apparently wrote an απολογια to Gelasius, in which he anathematized the Pelagian heresy, Pelagius himself, and Celestius, as well as Julianus of Eclana. Phot. Biblioth. Cod. liv.; Le Quien, Or. Christ. ii. 417, 419; Remondini, Del Nolana Eccl. Storia, iii. 56–59; Ughelli, Ital. Sacr. vi. 251; Tillem. Mém. xvi. 313 seq.; Hefele, Concil. ii. 604 seq.
[T.W.D.]