Patriarch Joannicius II of Constantinople
Encyclopedia
Joannicius II of Lindos was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople four times from 1646 to 1656.
on the island of Rhodes
. He was appointed Metropolitan
of Ganos and Chora
in 1624 by Patriarch Cyril Lucaris
and in 1636 he became the Metropolitan of Heraclea. Supported by the Moldavian Voivode, Vasile Lupu
, he was elected the first time to the Patriarchal Throne on 16 Nov 1646.
Throughout the 17th century it was customary that the intrigues and quarrels into the Greek community and the Holy Synod
caused rapid changes and re-instalments of Patriarchs: from 1595 to 1695 there were sixty-one changes and thirty-one Patriarchs. These frequent changes were encouraged by the Ottoman
authorities who received a fee for each appointment. Joannicius too was subject to recurring depositions and re-election: he was deposed on 28 Oct 1648, re-installed for the second time in June 1651, deposed on June 1652, and he reigned again from Apr 1653 to March 1654 and from March 1655 to July 1656.
In 1654 he was imprisoned for accumulated debts of the Patriarchate towards the Ottoman Porte. After the last deposition in 1656, he was appointed bishop of Kea
and Thermia
, where he retired until his death in 1659 or 1660.
To strength his position towards his opponents, he looked for the support of the Austrian Emperor
and of Rome
. For this reason he allowed Catholic missions
to be settled in the Black Sea
coasts and in the Cyclades
. He anyway refused to sign a Catholic profession of faith as asked by Propaganda Fide, pleading his precarious position.
Life
Joannicius was a native of LindosLindos
Lindos is an archaeological site, a town and a former municipality on the island of Rhodes, in the Dodecanese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Rhodes, of which it is a municipal unit. It lies on the east coast of the island...
on the island of Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
. He was appointed Metropolitan
Metropolitan
Metropolitan may refer to:* A metropolis* A metropolitan area* A metropole, "mother country", or central part of a colonizing state* Metropolitan bishop or archbishop, leader of an ecclesiastical "mother see"...
of Ganos and Chora
Sarköy
Şarköy is a seaside town and district of Tekirdağ Province situated on the north coast of the Marmara Sea in Thrace in Turkey. Şarköy is 86 km west of the town of Tekirdağ, and can be reached either by the inland road or by the winding coast road, which goes on to Gallipoli...
in 1624 by Patriarch Cyril Lucaris
Cyril Lucaris
Cyril Lucaris born Constantine Lukaris or Loucaris was a Greek prelate and theologian, and a native of Candia, Crete . He later became the Greek Patriarch of Alexandria as Cyril III and Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople as Cyril I...
and in 1636 he became the Metropolitan of Heraclea. Supported by the Moldavian Voivode, Vasile Lupu
Vasile Lupu
Vasile Lupu was a Moldavian Voivode between 1634 and 1653. Vasile Coci surnamed "the wolf" who ruled as Prince of Moldavia had secured the Moldavian throne in 1634 after a series of complicated intrigues and managed to hold it for twenty years. Vasile was of Albanian origin and Greek education...
, he was elected the first time to the Patriarchal Throne on 16 Nov 1646.
Throughout the 17th century it was customary that the intrigues and quarrels into the Greek community and the Holy Synod
Holy Synod
In several of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches and Eastern Catholic Churches, the patriarch or head bishop is elected by a group of bishops called the Holy Synod...
caused rapid changes and re-instalments of Patriarchs: from 1595 to 1695 there were sixty-one changes and thirty-one Patriarchs. These frequent changes were encouraged by the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
authorities who received a fee for each appointment. Joannicius too was subject to recurring depositions and re-election: he was deposed on 28 Oct 1648, re-installed for the second time in June 1651, deposed on June 1652, and he reigned again from Apr 1653 to March 1654 and from March 1655 to July 1656.
In 1654 he was imprisoned for accumulated debts of the Patriarchate towards the Ottoman Porte. After the last deposition in 1656, he was appointed bishop of Kea
Kea (island)
Kea , also known as Gia or Tzia , Zea, and, in Antiquity, Keos , is an island of the Cyclades archipelago, in the Aegean Sea, in Greece. Kea is part of the Kea-Kythnos peripheral unit. Its capital, Ioulis, is inland at a high altitude and is considered quite picturesque...
and Thermia
Kythnos
Kythnos is a Greek island and municipality in the Western Cyclades between Kea and Serifos. It is from the harbor of Piraeus. Kythnos is in area and has a coastline of about . It has more than 70 beaches, many of which are still inaccessible by road...
, where he retired until his death in 1659 or 1660.
To strength his position towards his opponents, he looked for the support of the Austrian Emperor
Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand III was Holy Roman Emperor from 15 February 1637 until his death, as well as King of Hungary and Croatia, King of Bohemia and Archduke of Austria.-Life:...
and of Rome
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. For this reason he allowed Catholic missions
Catholic missions
As the church normally organizes itself along territorial lines, and because they had the human and material resources, religious orders—some even specializing in it—undertook most missionary work, especially in the early phases...
to be settled in the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
coasts and in the Cyclades
Cyclades
The Cyclades is a Greek island group in the Aegean Sea, south-east of the mainland of Greece; and a former administrative prefecture of Greece. They are one of the island groups which constitute the Aegean archipelago. The name refers to the islands around the sacred island of Delos...
. He anyway refused to sign a Catholic profession of faith as asked by Propaganda Fide, pleading his precarious position.