Patriarch Pachomius II of Constantinople
Encyclopedia
Pachomius II Patestos was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1584 to 1585. He is sometimes considered an usurper.
Pachomius was native of Lesbos. He was a man of great education, a scholar, and he served as a teacher of philosophy and mathematics of Sultan Mehmed III
. Around 1580 he became rector of the Patriarchal Church in Constantinople
. On about 1583 or 1584, thanks to the support of his brother, who was a wealthy merchant, he bought his election to the Metropolitanate
of Caesarea
. However, Patriarch Jeremias II Tranos
, who as Patriarch had the right to validate any Metropolitan's appointment, refused to confirm and consecrate him.
Pachomius led a group of Greek prelates who tried to overthrow Jeremias, accusing the latter of having supported a Greek uprising against the Ottoman Empire
, to have baptized
a Muslim
and to be in correspondence with the Papacy. Jeremias II was arrested and beaten, and three trials followed: the first charge was proven false, but the last resulted in his deposition on 22 February 1584. With a personal decision Sultan Mehmed III appointed Pachomius as Patriarch of Constantinople. The appointment was due not only to Pachomius's personal relationship with the Sultan, but also to a promise to increase the annual tax paid by the Church to the Ottoman state.
During Pachomius' patriarchate, a synod
was held in Constantinople with the participation of Patriarch Sophronius IV of Jerusalem, which condemned the Gregorian calendar
and exiled the former Patriarch Jeremias II, whom it charged not to have been opposed enough to the new calendar.
Same bishops tried to overthrow Pachomius, offering to Sultan Murad III the great amount of 40,000 florin
s. The Sultan however received the same amount from friends of Pachomius and kept him in place. Pachomius remained unpopular with most of his flock; when he was due to pay the increased annual gift he had promised to the Sultan, he tried to collect it from the Orthodox faithful, who refused their help. To obtain money Pachomius sold church properties, but he nevertheless failed to gather the promised amount. Pachomius also failed to address the ongoing polemic launched against him by the deacon of Jeremias II, Nikephoros, who considered his election as illegal. Finally Pachomius was deposed by a meeting of prelates on 26 or 27 February 1585, and the Sultan did not oppose to the synodal decision. Pachomius was succeeded by Theoleptus II
, who had leagued with him in overthrowing Jeremias the year before.
A year later Pachomius was acquitted of the charges and was sent to Egypt and Cyprus to collect donations. During his travel Pachomius was charged of immoral behavior, and he returned to Constantinople, where he worked and continued to pose problems. He was finally exiled in Wallachia
, where he died.
Life
16th-century Greek sources show an extended bias against Pachomius: he is labeled as "dissolute" by Pseudo-Dorotheos and Leontios Eustrakios stated that he "inflicted immeasurable grief upon the Christians".Pachomius was native of Lesbos. He was a man of great education, a scholar, and he served as a teacher of philosophy and mathematics of Sultan Mehmed III
Mehmed III
Mehmed III Adli was sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1595 until his death.-Biography:...
. Around 1580 he became rector of the Patriarchal Church in Constantinople
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...
. On about 1583 or 1584, thanks to the support of his brother, who was a wealthy merchant, he bought his election to the Metropolitanate
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 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...
. However, Patriarch Jeremias II Tranos
Patriarch Jeremias II of Constantinople
-External links:**...
, who as Patriarch had the right to validate any Metropolitan's appointment, refused to confirm and consecrate him.
Pachomius led a group of Greek prelates who tried to overthrow Jeremias, accusing the latter of having supported a Greek uprising against the Ottoman Empire
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...
, to have baptized
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
and to be in correspondence with the Papacy. Jeremias II was arrested and beaten, and three trials followed: the first charge was proven false, but the last resulted in his deposition on 22 February 1584. With a personal decision Sultan Mehmed III appointed Pachomius as Patriarch of Constantinople. The appointment was due not only to Pachomius's personal relationship with the Sultan, but also to a promise to increase the annual tax paid by the Church to the Ottoman state.
During Pachomius' patriarchate, a synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
was held in Constantinople with the participation of Patriarch Sophronius IV of Jerusalem, which condemned the Gregorian calendar
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar, or Christian calendar, is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582, a papal bull known by its opening words Inter...
and exiled the former Patriarch Jeremias II, whom it charged not to have been opposed enough to the new calendar.
Same bishops tried to overthrow Pachomius, offering to Sultan Murad III the great amount of 40,000 florin
Florin
Florin derives from the city of Florence in Italy and frequently refers to the gold coin struck in 1252.This money format was plagiarized in other countries and the word florin is used, for example, in relation to the Dutch guilder and the coin first issued in 1344 by Edward III of England, then...
s. The Sultan however received the same amount from friends of Pachomius and kept him in place. Pachomius remained unpopular with most of his flock; when he was due to pay the increased annual gift he had promised to the Sultan, he tried to collect it from the Orthodox faithful, who refused their help. To obtain money Pachomius sold church properties, but he nevertheless failed to gather the promised amount. Pachomius also failed to address the ongoing polemic launched against him by the deacon of Jeremias II, Nikephoros, who considered his election as illegal. Finally Pachomius was deposed by a meeting of prelates on 26 or 27 February 1585, and the Sultan did not oppose to the synodal decision. Pachomius was succeeded by Theoleptus II
Patriarch Theoleptus II of Constantinople
Theoleptus II was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1585 to 1586.-Life:Theoleptus was a nephew of Patriarch Metrophanes III. He became Metropolitan of Philippopolis and although he was been helped by Patriarch Jeremias II, he conspired against him, leaguing with Pachomius II...
, who had leagued with him in overthrowing Jeremias the year before.
A year later Pachomius was acquitted of the charges and was sent to Egypt and Cyprus to collect donations. During his travel Pachomius was charged of immoral behavior, and he returned to Constantinople, where he worked and continued to pose problems. He was finally exiled in Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
, where he died.