Juvenal of Jerusalem

Saint Juvenal (Greek: Άγιος Ιουβενάλιος) (d. 458) was a bishop of Jerusalem from about 422.

Juvenal wanted to make Jerusalem into a primary see (a "Patriarchal see") by demotion of the metropolitan see of Caesarea and the primary see of Antioch. In 431, he sided with Saint Cyril against Nestorius at the Council of Ephesus. He argued that the bishop of Antioch should have taken his doctrine from the "apostolic see of Jerusalem." Cyril refused to help Juvenal promote his claims.

In the Eutychian controversy, Juvenal was the sole supporter of Dioscorus in his proceedings in 449. When, later, Dioscorus was tried for error at the Council of Chalcedon, Juvenal voted for his condemnation. Perhaps in exchange for this vote against his old ally, the council gave Juvenal what he had sought: recognition of Jerusalem as a patriarchal see, ruling over all of Palestine. When he returned, however, monks who favored Dioscorus went into open revolt against him, and only the Imperial army allowed him to take his position.

He is regarded as a saint in parts of the Eastern Orthodox Church, but not in the west.