Marcian of Constantinople

Venerable Marcian of Constantinople was a priest in the capital of the Byzantine Empire and died in the year 480. The Orthodox Church commemorates him on 10 January by the old calendar, which is 23 January by the new.

He was born in Rome but spent nearly all his life in Constantinople as a presbyter, mostly in the time of the emperor Marcian and of Pulcheria. He inherited a great fortune from his parents and spent it without sparing on two purposes: building or renewing churches, and almsgiving to the poor.

He built two new churches in Constantinople, famed for their beauty and holiness, one dedicated to Saint Anastasia and the other to Saint Irene. When asked why he spent so much on churches, he is said to have answered that if he had a daughter and were to marry her to a nobleman, he would spend a great deal of gold to adorn her as a worthy bride, and here he was adorning the Church, the bride of Christ.

As generous as he was to the churches and the poor, so strict was he with himself, following the counsel of the apostle that, having food and clothing, we should be content (1 Timothy 6:8). It is written of him that his whole life was in God and God in him, and that he came before the Lord full of years and good works.