By virtue of his piety and strong faith, he quickly rose through the church hierarchy, becoming the Patriarch of Constantinople. However, his reign coincided with the rise of the Arians. They had a strong influence on the emperor, also an Arian. Citing a formality, the emperor convened a church council to depose Saint Paul and exiled him to Rome.
His successor did not reign long. Saint Paul returned to Constantinople, welcomed by his flock. He also brought with him a harsh letter from the pious emperor of the Western Empire, an opponent of the Arians. The letter took effect, and the saint was reinstated, only to be exiled once again after the assassination of the Western Emperor.
Banished to the mountainous wilderness of Armenia, he was serving liturgy in the remote town of Cucusus when a band of Arians attacked him and strangled him with his omophorion. The righteous Emperor of Byzantine Theodosius the Great had his relics brought back to His relics were brought back to Constantinople, and in 1326, they were laid to rest in Venice.
