Patriarch Metrophanes III of Constantinople
Encyclopedia
Metrophanes III of Byzantium was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople two times, from 1565 to 1572 and from 1579 to 1580.
(now part of Istanbul
), from where he took the sobriquet Byzantios ("of Byzantium
"). His original name is variously given as Manuel or George.
In 1546 he was appointed Metropolitan of Caesarea
by his personal friend Patriarch Dionysius II, who sent him to Venice
mainly to raise funds, but Metrophanes went also to Rome and met the Pope
. In 1548 this news caused a great concern in a part of the Greek population of Constantinople, with riots and an attempt to murder Dionysius who was considered as guilty as Metrophanes. Dionysius was on the point of being deposed, but no actions was taken against him because he enjoyed the support of Suleiman the Magnificent
. Metrophanes was deposed from his See
of Caesarea, but in 1551 he was forgiven and he went to live in the Monastery of the Holy Trinity in the island of Chalki where he took care and enlarged the library.
He was elected Patriarch the first time in January or February 1565 supported by the rich and influential Michael Cantacuzene. He reigned for seven years, and tried to improve the finances of the Patriarchate also through a trip in Moldavia
. He was an open-minded man of letters, and well disposed towards the Westerners, both Catholic and Protestant.
He was deposed on 4 May 1572 when Michael Cantacuzene transferred his support to the young and brilliant Jeremias II Tranos
. After his deposition, to grant him a financial revenue, he was appointed bishop eis zoarkeian (i.e. without pastoral obligations) of Larissa
and Chios
, and he returned to live in the Monastery of the Holy Trinity in the island of Chalki, near the capital.
After his attempts to return to the throne, in 1573 he was exiled to Mount Athos
. Six years later, after the execution of Michael Cantacuzene and the murder of the Great Vizier Mehmed, Jeremias lost his supporters and Metrophanes was successfully restored on the throne on 25 November 1579. He died a few months later, on 9 August 1580, and was buried in the Pammakaristos Church
, at the time the patriarchal cathedral.
Life
Metrophanes was born in 1520 to a Bulgarian merchant father in the village of Agia ParaskeviHasköy, Istanbul
Hasköy is a neighborhood on the northern side of the Golden Horn in Beyoğlu, Istanbul, Turkey. It includes the officially defined neighborhoods of Keçeci Piri, Piri Paşa, and Halıcıoğlu, and parts of Camiikebir and Sütlüce....
(now part of Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
), from where he took the sobriquet Byzantios ("of Byzantium
Byzantium
Byzantium was an ancient Greek city, founded by Greek colonists from Megara in 667 BC and named after their king Byzas . The name Byzantium is a Latinization of the original name Byzantion...
"). His original name is variously given as Manuel or George.
In 1546 he was appointed Metropolitan of Caesarea
Kayseri
Kayseri is a large and industrialized city in Central Anatolia, Turkey. It is the seat of Kayseri Province. The city of Kayseri, as defined by the boundaries of Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, is structurally composed of five metropolitan districts, the two core districts of Kocasinan and...
by his personal friend Patriarch Dionysius II, who sent him to Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
mainly to raise funds, but Metrophanes went also to Rome and met the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
. In 1548 this news caused a great concern in a part of the Greek population of Constantinople, with riots and an attempt to murder Dionysius who was considered as guilty as Metrophanes. Dionysius was on the point of being deposed, but no actions was taken against him because he enjoyed the support of Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman I was the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1520 to his death in 1566. He is known in the West as Suleiman the Magnificent and in the East, as "The Lawgiver" , for his complete reconstruction of the Ottoman legal system...
. Metrophanes was deposed from his See
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of Caesarea, but in 1551 he was forgiven and he went to live in the Monastery of the Holy Trinity in the island of Chalki where he took care and enlarged the library.
He was elected Patriarch the first time in January or February 1565 supported by the rich and influential Michael Cantacuzene. He reigned for seven years, and tried to improve the finances of the Patriarchate also through a trip in Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
. He was an open-minded man of letters, and well disposed towards the Westerners, both Catholic and Protestant.
He was deposed on 4 May 1572 when Michael Cantacuzene transferred his support to the young and brilliant Jeremias II Tranos
Patriarch Jeremias II of Constantinople
-External links:**...
. After his deposition, to grant him a financial revenue, he was appointed bishop eis zoarkeian (i.e. without pastoral obligations) of Larissa
Larissa
Larissa is the capital and biggest city of the Thessaly region of Greece and capital of the Larissa regional unit. It is a principal agricultural centre and a national transportation hub, linked by road and rail with the port of Volos, the city of Thessaloniki and Athens...
and Chios
Chios
Chios is the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated in the Aegean Sea, seven kilometres off the Asia Minor coast. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. The island is noted for its strong merchant shipping community, its unique mastic gum and its medieval villages...
, and he returned to live in the Monastery of the Holy Trinity in the island of Chalki, near the capital.
After his attempts to return to the throne, in 1573 he was exiled to Mount Athos
Mount Athos
Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
. Six years later, after the execution of Michael Cantacuzene and the murder of the Great Vizier Mehmed, Jeremias lost his supporters and Metrophanes was successfully restored on the throne on 25 November 1579. He died a few months later, on 9 August 1580, and was buried in the Pammakaristos Church
Pammakaristos Church
Pammakaristos Church, also known as the Church of Theotokos Pammakaristos , in 1591 converted into a mosque and known as Fethiye Mosque and today partly a museum, is one of the most famous Byzantine churches in Istanbul, Turkey...
, at the time the patriarchal cathedral.