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After this council they convened a seventh council in the reign of Emperor Anastasius. The occasion for it was that Sorus the Constantinopolitan held the same view as Eutyches; he therefore came before the emperor and said, “The six hundred and thirty fathers of the Council of Chalcedon erred when they anathematized Eutyches (and when they abandoned Alexandria) (1). The true faith is what those two declared, and no creed other than theirs should be accepted. Rather, write to all your governors (2) ordering them to anathematize (3) the six hundred and thirty and to oblige the people to profess one nature, one will, and one hypostasis.” The emperor granted his request.

When this reached Elias, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, he gathered the monks and they anathematized Emperor Anastasius, Sorus, and anyone who adopted their doctrine. News of this reached Anastasius; he banished Elias to Aylah and appointed John as patriarch over Jerusalem, for John had promised him that he would curse the six hundred and thirty of the Council of Chalcedon.

When John arrived in Jerusalem, the monks assembled and said, “Beware of accepting anything from Sorus; instead, champion (4) the Council of Chalcedon and we will stand with you.” John pledged to do so, thereby disobeying the emperor’s order. When the emperor learned of this, he sent a commander with instructions to compel John to repudiate the Council of Chalcedon, and if he refused, to remove him from the patriarchal seat.

The commander arrived, threw John into prison, and the monks went in to him there.