Nicetas I of Constantinople

Nicetas I of Constantinople served as the Ecumenical Patriarch from the year seven hundred sixty-six until seven hundred eighty. A man of Slavic ancestry, he was notable for being a eunuch, a status that shaped his role within the church and society.

Chosen by Emperor Constantine V to succeed Patriarch Constantine II, Nicetas I's tenure was marked by controversy. His strong support for iconoclasm, the rejection of religious images, made him a polarizing figure in Constantinople, leading to significant unpopularity among the populace.

Following his death in the year seven hundred eighty, Nicetas I's legacy was further complicated when he was declared a heretic. His successor, Paul IV, would inherit the challenges of a divided church and the ongoing debates surrounding iconoclasm.