Stephanos 2's Life (BHG 1666) was written forty-two years after his death by Stephanos 80, a deacon of Constantinople; it is cited from the edition by Auzépy and also from the text in PG 100. 1069-1186 (cited as Vita Steph. Iun.). On the sources, cf. Rochow, Theophanes, 186 and Rochow, Konstantin V, 239.

Stephanos 2 was a native of Constantinople, where he was born and brought up: Vita Steph. Iun. 91, 8-11 (1073C). Son of Gregorios 73 and Anna 5: Vita Steph. Iun. 91, 19-22 (1073D), 91, 25 (1076A), 101, 17-19 (1088D). He had two sisters, both much older than he was (see Theodote 2 and Anonyma 36): Vita Steph. Iun. 91, 25-27 (1073D-1076A), 107.8-9 (1093C-D). He was an only son and was supposedly born only when his mother, who was nearly past child-bearing age, invoked the aid of the Virgin to grant her a male child: Vita Steph. Iun. 92, 1-93, 7 (1076A-D). He was supposedly conceived during the first year of the emperor Anastasios II (Anastasios 6) (713/714) and in the year of the world 6222 (714/715): Vita Steph. Iun. 91, 12-14 (1073C). His mother was pregnant when Germanos 8 came from Kyzikos to become patriarch of Constantinople: Vita Steph. Iun. 93, 9-12 (1076D). His birth is said specifically in the Life to have occurred a few days only after the consecration of Germanos 8, which both his parents attended (and which took place, according to Theophanes, AM 6207, on 11 August 715) and where Germanos 8 allegedly named the protomartyr Stephen as an example for the expected child to follow; soon after his birth the child was given the name Stephanos: Vita Steph. Iun. 94, 25-26 (1077D). This implies that he was born in late August 715. The other testimony however argues for a slightly earlier date, in 713 or 714. The connection with Germanos may be legendary rather than historical. On the dates of his birth and his death, see Rochow, Theophanes, pp. 186-187, and Konstantin V, pp. 237-38. Forty days after his birth his mother presented Stephanos to the Virgin at Blachernai as thanks for granting her wish: Vita Steph. Iun. 94, 29-95, 15 (1077D-1080B). He was baptised at Easter by Germanos 8 (this would have to be Easter 716): Vita Steph. Iun. 96, 1-14 (1080C-D).

At the age of six he began to study the Scriptures: Vita Steph. Iun. 97, 7-11 (1081B). He attended all night vigils in his mother's company and learned a great deal from listening to the stories of martyrs and saints and to the reading of sermons, especially those by St John Chrysostom, and made great spiritual progress: Vita Steph. Iun. 97, 19-20 (1081B), 97, 21-28 (1081C-1084A). To escape the troubles provoked by the iconoclast policies of the emperor Leo III (Leo 3) he was removed from Constantinople by his parents to become a monk; they sailed to Chalcedon and took him to Ioannes 234, a holy man on Mt Auxentius, who was impressed with Stephanos 2 and agreed to accept him: Vita Steph. Iun. 102, 1-104, 12 (1088A-1089C).

In his sixteenth year he received the tonsure from Ioannes 234 and was clothed in monastic dress; his parents then returned home: Vita Steph. Iun. 104, 8-12 (1089C). The date was apparently c. 731. It probably followed soon after the abdication of Germanos 8 and the consecration of Anastasios 2. Stephanos 2 served Ioannes 234 in menial capacities, fetching water from a distance for him, while learning to become a monk; the firmness with which he practised austerities and subdued his passions prompted Ioannes to advise him to take care not to undermine his health: Vita Steph. Iun. 104, 14-105, 1 (1089D-1092B). His future fate was foretold to him by Ioannes 234: Vita Steph. Iun. 106, 22-26 (1093A-C). He returned to Constantinople for the funeral of his father; he then sold up all the family property and returned to Mt Auxentius with his mother and one sister whom he settled as nuns in the women's monastery of Trikhinareai there, before returning to his own way of life; his other sister was already a nun in Constantinople: Vita Steph. Iun. 107, 5-10 (1093C-D). When his mentor Ioannes 234 died, Stephanos was in attendance on him: Vita Steph. Iun. 107, 20-27 (1093D-1096A).

He succeeded Ioannes as leader of the holy men on Mt Auxentius and went to live in the cave formerly occupied by Auxentius himself and by his successors, as was traditional; he was then in his thirty-first year: Vita Steph. Iun. 107, 6-25 (1096B-C), 108, 11-21 (1097A-B). This implies a date about 745. He is said to have earned his own living by the work of his hands, learning how to make fishing nets and also practising the art of calligraphy: Vita Steph. Iun. 109, 26-110, 2 (1097B-C). His reputation grew and people flocked to him for advice and instruction: Vita Steph Iun. 110, 11-19 (1097C-D). He agreed to accept twelve monks under him (Marinos 13, Ioannes 233, Zacharias 17, Christophoros 24, Sergios 52 and Stephanos 79 plus six others "whose names" (says Stephen the Deacon) "are in the Book of Life") and with these he formed the first actual monastery for men on Mt Auxentius: Vita Steph. Iun. 110, 19-111, 9 (1097D-1100A). When the number of monks rose to twenty he appointed Marinos 13 as oikonomos and prepared for himself a tiny cramped cell on the top of the mountain, instead of his traditional cave; he was then aged forty-two (and so the date was apparently c. 757; this date is hard to reconcile with other evidence and is perhaps several years too late; the monastery was probably founded in c. 745): Vita Steph. Iun. 112, 17-113, 4 (1101A-B); 113, 16-17 (1101C) (τὸν τεσσαρακοστὸν δεύτερον γὰρ χρόνον ἤλαυνεν τότε, ὅτε τῇ κορυφῇ τοῦ ὄρους μετετέθη). He imposed extra hardship on himself by wearing hoops of iron under his monastic costume: Vita Steph. Iun. 114, 19-27 (1104B-C). His fame grew and many came to visit him from Constantinople: Vita Steph. Iun. 115, 1-7 (1104C-1105A). Among them was a wealthy widow, Anna 6, whom he eventually settled as a nun in the women's convent on Mt Auxentius: Vita Steph. Iun. 115, 8-116, 31 (1105A-1108A).

During the iconoclast persecution under Constantine V (Konstantinos 7), he was visited by many monks who sought his advice: Vita Steph. Iun. 122, 14-19 (1113C). A sermon is put into his mouth by Stephen the Deacon (Stephanos 80) on this matter: Vita Steph. Iun. 122, 27-125, 8 (1113C-1117B). His advice to those who came was to seek out those parts of the empire where the emperor Constantine V(Konstantinos 7) was unable to enforce his policies, and he named the Black Sea region, Lycia and Cyprus, and parts of the West, including Rome: Vita Steph. Iun. 125, 12-126, 11 (1117C-1120B). After the Council of Hieria he was visited on Mt Auxentius by Kallistos 8, sent by the emperor to persuade him to subscribe the Council; when he refused he was forcibly taken from his cell by troops and interred in a monastery, but quickly released because the troops were required for an expedition against the Scythians (i. e. the Bulgars) and returned to his own monastery (see Anonymus 248): Vita Steph. Iun. 129, 1-131, 12 (1121D-1125B). Soon afterwards allegations were made of misconduct between him and Anna 6 and she suffered torture in a vain attempt to make her confess: Vita Steph. Iun. 131, 14-136, 16 (1125B-1132C). He received a visit from Georgios 129, an agent of the emperor Constantine V (Konstantinos 7) sent to trick him; although he recognised him as one of the emperor's servants, Stephanos 2 agreed to accept the man as a monk and gave him the tonsure and the dress of a monk; the man then returned to the emperor with his account of what had happened: Vita Steph. Iun. 136, 18-140, 11 (1132D-1137C). Stephanos 2's monastery was then burnt, the monks were dispersed, and Stephanos 2 himself dragged from his cell and taken roughly to the coast and then by sea to Chrysopolis, where he was confined in the monastery by the sea: Vita Steph. Iun. 140, 12-141, 26 (1137C-1140B). He was visited there by a delegation of senior iconoclasts, both lay and clerical, sent by the emperor, with a copy of the Council of Hieria, and interviewed by them; he rejected the Council and their claims for it and answered their questions without giving any ground: Vita Steph. Iun. 142, 5-146, 4 (1140B-1145A). He was then sent into exile on the island of Prokonnesos in the Hellespont: Vita Steph. Iun. 146, 8-10 (1145B). He spent seventeen days at the monastery in Chrysopolis and during that time touched no food, even though the emperor had food sent to him: Vita Steph. Iun. 146, 10-13 (1145B). While he was there, the hegoumenos of the monastery (Anonymus 251) fell severely ill with fever and was expected to die; he sent a message to Stephanos 2 to help him, and Stephanos 2 cured him: Vita Steph. Iun. 146, 15-147, 4 (1145B-D). He then took ship and sailed to his island exile; the island was wild, but he found near the southern cliffs, at a place called Kossouda, a chapel dedicated to St Anna, where he made his home, living off local fruits: Vita Steph. Iun. 147, 5-17 (1145D-1148A).

Here he was joined by the monks from his former monastery, and he founded another monastery on the island; he was also then joined by his mother, Anna 5, and his sister (Theodote 2), who came from the women' s monastery on Mt Auxentius; Stephanos 2 now found a tiny cave and resumed his life of privation; he was at this time in his forty-ninth year: Vita Steph. Iun. 147, 19-148, 20 (1148A-C). The date was therefore c. 762. While on the island he is said to have performed a number of miracles: Vita Steph. Iun. 148, 22-152, 23 (1148D-1153D) (he restored a blind man's sight, 149, 13-151, 5 (1149B-1152B) (and see Anonymus 259); he drove a demon out from a boy from Kyzikos, 151, 7-152, 7 (1152B-1153A); he healed a woman from Herakleia in Thrace of a bloody flux, 152, 9-23 (1153A-B); by his prayers he saved many sailors in peril on stormy seas, 152, 27-29 (1153C-D)).

During his second year in exile his mother Anna 5 and soon afterwards his sister Theodote 2 both died: Vita Steph. Iun. 153, 10-16 (1153D-1156A). He cured the soldier Stephanos 83 while in exile on Prokonnesos: Vita Steph. Iun. 153, 18-24 (1156A-C). This drew him again to the notice of the emperor, and he was ordered to be taken from Prokonnesos to Constantinople, where he was kept in fetters in the prison of Phiale: Vita Steph. Iun. 153, 25-154, 24 (1156C-D). He was taken from there to the Heliakon of the Pharos for interrogation by the emperor: Vita Steph. Iun. 154, 25-157, 16 (1156D-1160B) (and see Anonymi 10). He was then sent to the praitorion (τῷ πραιτωρίῳ παραπεμφθείς), where he foretold his own approaching end: Vita Steph. Iun. 157, 18-24 (1160B-C); cf. Auzépy, p. 255, n. 363.

He remained in the prison for eleven months, until his death; during this time he clandestinely received food supplies from an iconophile lady who was married to one of his gaolers (see Anonyma 33 and Anonymus 256); she also smuggled in to him icons of Christ, St Peter and St Paul: Vita Steph. Iun. 158, 21-160, 5 (1161A-1164B). Forty days before his death he began preparations for it: Vita Steph. Iun. 163, 11-27 (1168A-1169B). With the large number of other monks confined with him in the praitorion (allegedly three hundred and forty-two: Vita Steph. Iun.157.26; 1160C-D) he turned it into a monastery and received visitors from the inhabitants of Constantinople; he was therefore removed from there by order of the emperor (see Anonymus 255), but was quickly returned there in order to suffer a worse death: Vita Steph. Iun. 165, 14-167, 7 (1169B-1172C). A crowd of the emperor's supporters attacked the prison and dragged him out violently; as he was hauled through the streets one of the men, Philomatios 1, struck him violently with a heavy wooden object and killed him: Vita Steph. Iun. 169, 21-170, 5 (1176B-C). His body was neverthless dragged through the streets and horribly mutilated and maltreated, before being thrown into the burial ground reserved for criminals, known as Ta Pelagiou: Vita Steph. Iun. 170, 7-171, 21 (1176D-1177C). He died in his fifty-third year, on 28 November (τῷ πεντηκόστῳ τρίτῳ χρόνῳ τῆς αὐτοῦ ἡλικίας, μηνὶ Νοεμβρίῳ, εἰκάδι ὀγδόῃ): Vita Steph. Iun. 171, 28-30 (1177D), and see Synax. Eccl. Const. 261, 24-263, 12 (28 November); 263, 20-26 (28 November); Menol. Bas. 181B-C (28 November); Typicon Mateos I 72 (20 October); 114f.(28 November); 127 app. crit. (Codex Oxfordensis, Fa on 9 December; confused with another Stephanos). Following his death Constantinople was covered by black cloud and there was a heavy hailstorm: Vita Steph. Iun. 172, 2-20 (1180A-B). The evidence puts his death in either 764 or 765 or 767 (see below).

A holy man and teacher, he was a monk and hermit (ἔγκλειστον: Theoph. AM 6257) living on Mt Auxentius; he was an opponent of iconoclasm and urged people to leave their homes and families and to withdraw from the imperial court to become monks; he was arrested by the iconoclasts, tortured and killed in the Forum of the Ox and his body was thrown, as that of a villain, into the so-called Tombs of Pelagios: Nic. Brev. de Boor 72, Mango 81, Theoph. AM 6257 (Στέφανον τὸν νέον πρωτομάρτυρα), AM 6259 (τῷ μακαρίῳ Στεφάνῳ, τῷ ἐγκλείστῳ τοῦ ἁγίου Αὐξεντίου), Zon. XV 7. 17 (ὁ μέγας ἐν ἀσκήταις καὶ ἐν ἀθλήταις περιβόητος Στέφανος). According to Theophanes AM 6259 he was a close confidant of Strategios 1 and was killed after learning from Strategios 1 details of the emperor's unsavoury activities. The date of his death is given as 20 November 765: Theoph. AM 6257. It was actually 28 November 764 (see above and cf. ODB III, p. 1955).

On the monastery of Mt Auxentius, see also Beck, Kirche, p. 208 with n. 2. On the nature of the conspiracy involving Strategios 1, see Winkelmann, Quellenstudien, pp. 47-48. See Rochow, Konstantin V, pp. 237-240.

Stephanos 2 is among those acclaimed for their support of icons in the Synodikon of Orthodoxy: Gouillard, "Synodikon", p. 53, line 120.

See further references in Vita Nic. Med. (BHG 1342) 37, 42; Georg. Mon. 757, 11-18; Joseph Hymnographos, Canon on Stephanos, PG 105. 1253B-D; Leo Gramm. 186, 13-15; Theod. Mel. 128, 20-22; Sym. Slav. 81, 17-19; Cedrenus II 13, 13-17; Leo of Constantinople, chs. 5-11 (pp. 74-86).

For an unedited Georgian Vita and other references, see PmbZ 1. Abteilung, Prolegomena, 100ff.; Rochow, Theophanes, pp. 187-188, and Rochow, Konstantin V, p. 239.

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