St. Nikephoros the Confessor was born in Constantinople in the second half of the 8th century. Deep faith and readiness for the feat of confessing were instilled in him by his parents, Theodore and Evdokia. They gave their son a real Christian upbringing, supported by the example of their own lives. His father suffered as a confessor of Orthodoxy from the iconoclast emperor Constantine Copronymos (740-775). The mother, who shared all the trials of her husband, followed him into exile, and after his death returned to Constantinople and ended her life as a monk. Saint Nikephoros received a good secular education, but most of all he studied the Holy Scriptures and read spiritual books.
During the reign of Leo IV (775-780), Saint Nikephoros received the title of royal advisor. While at the royal court, he continued to lead a strict, virtuous life, firmly preserved the purity of the Orthodox faith and zealously defended the veneration of holy icons. After the death of Leo IV, during the reign of Constantine VI (780-797) and his mother Saint Irene, the Seventh Ecumenical Council was convened in Nicaea in 787, condemning the iconoclastic heresy. Deeply knowing the Holy Scriptures, Saint Nikephoros, on behalf of the emperor, spoke at the Council in defense of Orthodoxy, which greatly helped the holy fathers of the Council.
After the Council, Saint Nikephoros remained at court for several years, but the saint's busy life became more and more burdensome. He left the service and settled in seclusion, near the Bosphorus, spending his life in scientific work, silence, fasting and prayer. Saint Nikephoros built a church, founded a monastery, and led a strict monastic life even before taking monastic vows.
During the reign of Emperor Nikephoros I (802-811), after the death of Holy Patriarch Tarasios (784-806), Saint Nikephoros was elected in his place, took monastic vows and priestly orders, and was elevated to the patriarchal throne on April 12, 806, the day of Holy Easter.
Under Emperor Leo V of Armenia (813-820), an ardent follower of the iconoclastic heresy, the period of troubles and persecution began for the Church again. The Emperor could not immediately begin an open persecution of Orthodoxy, since iconoclasm was condemned by the Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Holy Patriarch continued to serve in the Great Church, boldly persuading the people to keep the Orthodox faith, and conducted a consistent and unrelenting struggle against heresy. The Emperor began to recall from exile bishops and clergy who had been excommunicated by the Seventh Ecumenical Council. Having composed a heretical council of them, the emperor demanded that the patriarch appear for a debate on the faith. The Patriarch refused to discuss faith with heretics, since the teachings of the iconoclasts had already been anathematized by the Seventh Ecumenical Council. He tried in every possible way to reason with the emperor and his entourage, fearlessly explained to the people the doctrine of the veneration of holy icons, wrote exhortations to the Empress and the mayor Eutychian, the dignitary closest to the emperor, adding at the end a prophetic word about the imminent death of heretics from the "punishing hand of the Lord." Then the heretical council excommunicated the holy Patriarch Nikephoros and his predecessors, the blessed Patriarchs Tarasius and Herman. Saint Nikephoros was exiled first to a monastery in Chrysopolis, and then to the island of Proconnis in the Sea of Marmara. After 13 years of hardships and sorrows, on June 2, 828, the Holy Patriarch Nikephoros died in exile.
On March 13, 847, the incorruptible relics of the Holy Patriarch Nikephoros, which had lain in the ground for 19 years, were solemnly transferred to the Cathedral Church of St. Sophia in Constantinople.
Saint Nikephoros was an outstanding church figure of his time, "an ornament of the age and the pulpit" and, having served the Church a lot, left an extensive spiritual legacy – numerous works of historical, dogmatic and canonical content.