Theodosius II (Greek: Θεοδόσιος), lay surname Christianopoulos (Χριστιανόπουλος), served as the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople between 1769 and 1773.
Theodosius II | |
---|---|
Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople | |
Church | Church of Constantinople |
Diocese | Constantinople |
See | Ecumenical Patriarchate |
Installed | 22 April 1769 |
Term ended | 27 November 1773 |
Predecessor | Meletius II |
Successor | Samuel |
Personal details | |
Born | Christianopoulos (Χριστιανόπουλος) unknown |
Died | after 1776 Istanbul |
Denomination | Eastern Orthodox Church |
Occupation | Ecumenical Patriarch |
Biography
editHe was born in Crete, where he was father superior. He served as chief of the Church of St. George in Istanbul. Later he was elected bishop of Ierissos and Mount Athos, and in 1767 metropolitan bishop of Thessaloniki. He was elected Patriarch on 11 April 1769, at a time when Christians were persecuted after the withdrawal of the Russian forces following the Orlov Revolt. Many Christians had helped the Russians, following the exhortations of the former Patriarch Seraphim II and other clerics. Theodosius made efforts to save the monasteries of Mount Athos from demolition, he freed prisoners, he supported schools and monasteries and, with cooperation with the Patriarch of Jerusalem Sophronius V, he managed to keep the Holy Land under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Lastly, he tried to give a conciliatory solution[1] to the issue of the Kollyvades of Mount Athos.
He was forced to resign on 16 November 1773, following the machinations of the Metropolitan of Prussa, Meletius. He retired to the Kamariotissa Monastery in Heybeliada. In 1776, having completely lost his sight, he returned to Istanbul, where he resided until his death.
References
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ο ἱμ ὲν ἐν Σαββάτῳ τελοῦντεςτ α τ ῶν ἀποιχομένων μνημόσυνακ α λ ῶς ποιούσιν, ὡςτ ὴν ἀρχαίαν παράδοσιντ ῆς Ἐκκλησίας φυλάσσοντες,ο ἱδ ὲ ἐν Κυριακῇο ὐχ ὑπόκεινται κρίματι [...]Π ε ρ ὶδ ὲτ ο ῦ πυκνότερον ἢ βραδύτερον προσέρχεσθαιτ ὴ μεταλήψειτ ῶν ἀχράντων μυστηρίων, φαμέν, ὅτ ι χρόνοςμ ὲν ο ὐχ ἄριστοι, ἀναγκαῖα δ ὲ πάντως ἡδ ι ὰτ ῆς θείας μετανοίαςκ α ὶ ἐξομολογήσεως προετοιμασία.Κ α ὶο ἱμ ὲν ἐν τ ῇ ἀρ χ ῇτ ο ῦ κηρύγματος χριστιανοὶ προσήρχοντότ η τ ῶν θείων μυστηρίων μεταλήψεικ α θ ἐκάστην Κυριακήν,ο ἱδ ὲ μετὰτ α ῦτ α ἐν τεσσαράκοντᾳ ἠμέραις προευτρεπιζόμενοιδ ι ὰτ ῆς μετανοίας,ο ὕτ ω προσήρχοντο.Δ ι ὸ ἕκαστος,ε ἰ ἄξιος, παραβαλλέττω ἑαυτὸν ἐν τ ο ὶς πρώτοις,ε ἰδ ὲ μή,τ ο ὶς δευτέροις,κ α ὶτ ο ῦτ ο γ ὰρ μακαριστὸν [...]Κ α τ ὰγ ο ῦν τ ὸν θ ε ῖο ν Ἀπόστολον, δοκιμαζέτω ἄνθρωπος ἑαυτὸν κ α ὶο ὕτως ἐκ τ ο ῦ ἄρτου ἐσθιέτωκ α ὶ ἐκ τ ο ῦ ποτηρίου πινέτω"
Sources
editBibliography
edit- Διονύσιος
Δ . Βαλαής (D. D. Valais),Ο Μητροπολίτης Θεσσαλονίκης Θεοδόσιος Β΄ (Theodosius II of Constantinople) (1762-1769), Επιστημονική Επετηρίδα της Θεολογικής Σχολήςτ ο υ Α .Π .Θ ., Νέα Σειρά, Τμήμα Θεολογίας, Τιμητικό Αφιέρωμασ τ ο ν ομότιμο καθηγητή ΙωάννηΧ ρ . Ταρνανίδη (Scientific Annals of the Theological School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, New Series, Theology Department, Honorary Tribute to Professor Emeritus J. C. Tarnanidis), 17 (2007-8), p. 15-46