Patriarch Maximus III of Constantinople
Encyclopedia
Maximus III born Manuel Christonymos , was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1476 to his death in 1482, and a scholar. He is honoured as a saint
in the Eastern Orthodox Church
and his feast day is November 17.
, and he became Grand Ecclesiarch (i.e. Head Sacristan
) of the Patriarchate. This ministry soon after the Fall of Constantinople
took the functions also of the skeuophylax, taking care of the holy treasures and relic
s of the Patriarchate, and in this position Manuel clashed with Patriarch Gennadius Scholarius on economical issues. Under the patronage of the secretary of the Sultan, Demetrios Kyritzes, Manuel, together with the Great Chartophylax George Galesiotes, influenced the life of the Church of Constantinople for more than twenty years.
In 1463 he sided with Patriarch Joasaph I
against the request of the politician George Amiroutzes
, a Greek nobleman from the former Empire of Trebizond
, to marry a second wife because it was a case of bigamy
under Christian canon law
. As punishment for his support to Joasaph, Manuel had his nose cut by order of Sultan Mehmed II. In autumn 1465 (or early 1466) Manuel sponsored the election to the Patriarchate of Mark II
, and later he opposed the patriarchs supported by other factions, such as Symeon of Trebizond
and Dionysius I
, who on 15 January 1467 stripped him and George Galesiotes of any ecclesiastic dignity. However they soon regained their influence.
Manuel was successful in recovering the esteem of Mehmed II, and in spring 1476 he himself was finally elected as Patriarch of Constantinople. He was still a lay
, thus he was first ordained a monk
taking the religious name
of Maximus, and the next day he received the consecration to bishop
and was enthroned as Patriarch by the Metropolitan
of Heraclea. His reign ended a period of troubles for the Church and was marked by peace and consensus.
Maximus died on 3 April 1482. His main literary work is the "Monody
on the Capture of Constantinople
".
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
in the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
and his feast day is November 17.
Life
Manuel Christonymos was probably a native of the PeloponnesePeloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
, and he became Grand Ecclesiarch (i.e. Head Sacristan
Sacristan
A sacristan is an officer who is charged with the care of the sacristy, the church, and their contents.In ancient times many duties of the sacristan were performed by the doorkeepers , later by the treasurers and mansionarii...
) of the Patriarchate. This ministry soon after the Fall of Constantinople
Fall of Constantinople
The Fall of Constantinople was the capture of the capital of the Byzantine Empire, which occurred after a siege by the Ottoman Empire, under the command of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, against the defending army commanded by Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI...
took the functions also of the skeuophylax, taking care of the holy treasures and relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
s of the Patriarchate, and in this position Manuel clashed with Patriarch Gennadius Scholarius on economical issues. Under the patronage of the secretary of the Sultan, Demetrios Kyritzes, Manuel, together with the Great Chartophylax George Galesiotes, influenced the life of the Church of Constantinople for more than twenty years.
In 1463 he sided with Patriarch Joasaph I
Patriarch Joasaph I of Constantinople
Antony Joasaph I Kokkas was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople in the 1460s. The exact dates of his reign are disputed by scholars at various times ranging from 1462 to 1465.-Life:Antony Kokkas was born probably to Western parents and he became a monk...
against the request of the politician George Amiroutzes
George Amiroutzes
George Amiroutzes was a Pontic Greek Renaissance scholar and philosopher.He was born in Trebizond, lived and taught in Italy and eventually died in Constantinople. He is considered as a controversial figure of the late Byzantine era...
, a Greek nobleman from the former Empire of Trebizond
Empire of Trebizond
The Empire of Trebizond, founded in April 1204, was one of three Byzantine successor states of the Byzantine Empire. However, the creation of the Empire of Trebizond was not directly related to the capture of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade, rather it had broken away from the Byzantine Empire...
, to marry a second wife because it was a case of bigamy
Bigamy
In cultures that practice marital monogamy, bigamy is the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another. Bigamy is a crime in most western countries, and when it occurs in this context often neither the first nor second spouse is aware of the other...
under Christian canon law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
. As punishment for his support to Joasaph, Manuel had his nose cut by order of Sultan Mehmed II. In autumn 1465 (or early 1466) Manuel sponsored the election to the Patriarchate of Mark II
Patriarch Mark II of Constantinople
Mark II Xylokaravis was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1465 to 1466. In 1467 he became Archbishop of Ohrid, a post he held until his death.-Life:...
, and later he opposed the patriarchs supported by other factions, such as Symeon of Trebizond
Patriarch Symeon I of Constantinople
Symeon I of Trebizond was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople three times: for a short time in 1466, from 1471 to 1475 and from 1482 to 1486. In 1484 he presided over the Synod of Constantinople of 1484 which repudiated the Union of Florence.-Life:...
and Dionysius I
Patriarch Dionysius I of Constantinople
Dionysius I was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople two times, from 1466 to 1471 and from 1488 to 1490. He is honoured as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church and his feast day is November 23.-Life:Dionysius was born in Dimitsana, in the Peloponnese...
, who on 15 January 1467 stripped him and George Galesiotes of any ecclesiastic dignity. However they soon regained their influence.
Manuel was successful in recovering the esteem of Mehmed II, and in spring 1476 he himself was finally elected as Patriarch of Constantinople. He was still a lay
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
, thus he was first ordained a monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
taking the religious name
Religious Name
A religious name is a type of given name bestowed for a religious purpose, and which is generally used in religious contexts. Different types of religious names may be in use among the clergy of a religion, as well in some cases among the laity....
of Maximus, and the next day he received the consecration to bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
and was enthroned as Patriarch by the Metropolitan
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
of Heraclea. His reign ended a period of troubles for the Church and was marked by peace and consensus.
Maximus died on 3 April 1482. His main literary work is the "Monody
Monody
In poetry, the term monody has become specialized to refer to a poem in which one person laments another's death....
on the Capture of Constantinople
Fall of Constantinople
The Fall of Constantinople was the capture of the capital of the Byzantine Empire, which occurred after a siege by the Ottoman Empire, under the command of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, against the defending army commanded by Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI...
".