Growing up both Saint Theophanes and his older brother, Saint Theodore the Graptos, were given quality education. They were also taught philosophy, which open their minds to higher thinking. This led to their desire to learn more of God and follow his teachings. This led them to a monastery where Theophanes was tonsured as a monk.
These brothers lived during a hard period for the church. Iconoclasm was present and the emperors mainting this heresy were ruthless. Both Theophanes and his brother defended the holy icons, and were teaching others the importance of venerating the icons. Together they went to Constantinople, on order from the Patriarch of Jerusalem, where they declared both Emperor Leo, and separately, Emperor Balbos and Theophilus as heretics and wrong.
These claims led them to dire torments. Starvation, prison, and torture all came upon them from the wrath of the emperors. Finally Emperor Theophilus, outraged, decided to have a crude phrase branded with a hot iron into their foreheads. This is why they are often titled as the “branded”. The brothers stood by their faith saying that the emperor will one day have to read the writing of his own judgement in the age to come.
At this time, Theodore was imprisoned once more, where he gave his soul to the Lord. Saint Theophanes was exiled. God had mercy on him as the Iconoclast rule soon ended, and the veneration of icons was once again permitted. Theophanes was then appointed Bishop of Nicea. During the last period of his life he wrote many beautiful hymns. Most of them focused on the importance of icons. He died with peace after a very determined life of honoring the Lord.