When Tarasios 1 became patriarch of Constantinople in December 784, he sent Michael 6 and Theophylaktos 37, two of the former members of his staff, as asekretis to be monks in the monastery founded by himself at the entrance to the Pontos; both men displayed great zeal and fortitude in pursuit of the ascetic life: Vita S. Theophylacti 5. Soon afterwards, when the monastery suffered from a shortage of water during a hot summer, Michael 6 and Theophylaktos 37 were brought back to Constantinople by Tarasios 1 and installed, still monks, probably at Hagia Sophia (τοῖς ἱεροῖς εὐκτηρίοις τοῦ μεγάλου καὶ καθολικοῦ θείου οἴκου): Vita S. Theophylacti 6. Both men continued to show such excellence that Tarasios soon ordained them to the priesthood and then consecrated them as bishops: Vita S. Theophylacti 7. Michael 6 became bishop of Synnada: Vita S. Theophylacti 8. He was bishop of Synnada (in Phrygia Salutaris) from at least 787 to 815.

In 787 Michael 6 attended the Second Council of Nikaia (the Seventh Ecumenical Council) and was probably present at all eight sessions, from 24 September to 23 November 787: Mansi XII 994-XIII 486. In the list of those present at the first and seventh sessions he is styled Μιχαὴλ ἐπισκόπου Συνάδων: Mansi XII 994, XIII 365. Elsewhere he is styled Μιχαὴλ ὁ ὁσιώτατος ἐπίσκοπος Συνάδων: Mansi XII 1091, 1151, XIII 137, 189. At the second session he supported the traditional veneration of icons as described in statements from pope Hadrian I (Hadrianos 1) and condemned iconoclasts: Mansi XII 1091. At the third session he accepted as orthodox statements of the faith contained in letters from Tarasios 1 and the eastern patriarchs and condemned iconoclasts: Mansi XII 1151. At the fourth session he subscribed the statements read out from the Fathers in support of the veneration of icons: Mansi XIII 137. At the fifth session he quoted a remark made by Pastillas (= Sisinnios 27, a former iconoclast leader): Mansi XIII 189.

Michael 6 was one of the three envoys sent by the emperor Nikephoros I (Nikephoros 8) in 803 to discuss peace with Charlemagne (Karoulos 1); the two others were Petros 140 and Kallistos 16; they accompanied the Frankish envoys Iesse 1 and Helmgaud (Helmgoth 1) and met Charlemagne (Karoulos 1) at Salz on the river Saale; they obtained from him a letter with peace proposals and returned to Constantinople via Rome: Annales Regni Francorum s.a. 803 (quorum nomina fuerunt Michahel episcopus, Petrus abbas et Calistus candidatus), cf. Annales Einhardi 191, 3, Annales Fuld. 353, 8, Annales Max. 23, 29, Annales Mett. 32, 44, Annales Sith. (MGH, SS XIII 37,5), MGH, Epp. IV 547,15, Dandolo, Chron. Venet. 150E.

Michael 6 was metropolitan bishop of Synnada; in 806 he led an embassy sent by Nikephoros I (Nikephoros 8) to make peace with Harun al-Rashid (Harun 1) after the caliph raided Asia Minor: Theoph. AM 6298 (τὸν μητροπολίτην Συνάδων, unnamed) (his colleagues on the embassy were Petros 12 and Gregorios 13). The peace was a humiliation for the Byzantines; cf. Treadgold, Byzantine Revival, pp. 145-146.

Michael 6 was later one of the envoys sent to Charlemagne (Karoulos 1) by the emperor Michael I (Michael 7), following the death of the emperor Nikephoros 8 (in 811); the other envoys were the two protospatharioi Arsaphios 3 and Theognostos 20; they accompanied envoys sent by Charlemagne (Karoulos 1) shortly before the death of Nikephoros 8; in the church at Aachen they met Charlemagne (Karoulos 1) and received from him the text of the ratified treaty, and they acclaimed him as Imperator and Basileus; on their way home afterwards they received another copy of the same agreement from the bishop of Rome, Leo 11, in the basilica of St Peter: Annales Regni Francorum s.a. 812 ("cum quibus et suos legatos direxit, Michahelem scilicet episcopum et Arsafium atque Theognostum protospatharios"), cf. MGH, Epp. IV 556, 20, Annales Einhardi 199,25, Annales Fuld. 355, 31, Annales Xanth. 224, 24, Poeta Saxo IV, a. 812 (in MGH, SS I 264), Dandolo, Chron. Venet. VIII 1, 10 (Muratori XII 151A). On his return from Rome he was accompanied by Gregorios 163: Synax. Eccl. Const. 372, 22-374, 16 (BHG 2166); 367/368, 38.

Bishop of Synnada, Michael 6 was allegedly a friend of Sergios 16, the father of the future patriarch Photios 1, and foretold, while Photios 1 was still in the womb, that he would become patriarch but would lead many astray from the true faith, and that it could not be prevented because it was the will of God: Ps.-Symeon 668-669. The anecdote is one of several in an account fiercely hostile to Photios.

Michael 6 was bishop of Synnada (Μιχαὴλ ὁ Συνάδων ἐπίσκοπος); in 815 he was among those who defended the veneration of icons at a meeting with the emperor Leo V (Leo 15) in the imperial palace: Vita Nicetae Medicii (AASS, April I) 34. He was one of the bishops summoned to Constantinople in 814 and 815 by the patriarch Nikephoros 2 to plead with the emperor Leo V (Leo 15) not to adopt iconoclast policies; after Nikephoros 2 went into exile, they rebuked the emperor and were then all sent into exile, each to a different place: Vita S. Theophylacti 12-14. While in exile Michael 6 told Niketas of Medikion (Niketas 43) about the capture in Thrace of Zacharias 12: Vita Nicetae Medicii 44 (still in 815) (Μιχαὴλ ὁ ἱερώτατος ἐπίσκοπος Συνάδων). He was exiled to Eudokias: Synax. Eccl. Const. 703-704.

Bishop of Synnada, Michael 6 was the addressee of letters from Theodoros 15 (Theodore the Stoudite), of which one survives, written in 817 or 818; he suffered exile during the iconoclast persecution under Leo V (Leo 15), and when Theodoros 15 wrote the extant letter had been removed from his former place of exile (in Eudokias in Phrygia) and was now detained in Constantinople; Theodoros 15 had written to him previously but had no reply; Michael 6 is styled τῇ μακαριότητί σου and addressed as ἁγιώτατε ὁμοῦ καὶ τριπόθητε: Theod. Stud., Ep. 364 (c. 817/818; addressed Μιχαὴλ Συννάδων). His death in May 826 is mentioned in two letters of Theodoros 15: Theod. Stud., Ep. 542 (εἷς τῶν λαμπτήρων ἀπέπτη πρὸς Κύριον, οὗτος δὴ ὁ ἁγιώτατος μητροπολίτης Συννάδων), Ep. 533 (τὸ περὶ τὸν μακάριον καὶ κοινὸν πατέρα ἡμῶν μητροπολίτην Συννάδων πάθος). His death was the subject of a sermon by Theodoros 15: Michael, the metropolitan bishop of Synnada, had suffered persecution from the iconoclasts but remained firm and finally died after a short illness, on the third day after being taken ill: Theod. Stud., Catech. Parva 21 (p. 76 Auvray).

His death was later celebrated on 23 or 24 May 23: Synax. Eccl. Const., 703-704 (both dates), Typicon Mateos I 298 (23 May), Typicum Messinensis 153, 22 (23 May).

Michael 6 was bishop of Synnada (Μιχαὴλ τῷ ἀοιδίμῳ ἱεράρχῃ Συνάδων); he borrowed from Stephanos 160 a copy of the Gospels belonging to Ignatios 9 (Ignatius the Deacon) and although frequently asked by Ignatios 9 to return the book he procrastinated for a long time; then he died unexpectedly (θάνατος γὰρ ἀπρόοπτος ἐπιπεσών) with the book still in his possession; later the book passed into the possession of the unnamed bishop of Hierapolis (Anonymus 764): Ignatius Diac., Ep. 54. The letter of Ignatios 9 was addressed to the patriarch Methodios 1 and therefore was written in 843/847; Michael 6's death occurred in 826.

Michael 6 is included among the metropolitans acclaimed for their support of icons in the Synodikon of Orthodoxy: Gouillard, "Synodikon", p. 53, line 123, cf. Horos of the Synod of 843, p. 297, line 113.

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