Patriarch Jeremias II of Constantinople
Encyclopedia
Jeremias II Tranos was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople three times between 1572 and 1595.
family. The exact date of birth is not known, most probably 1530, but some scholars suggest 1536. He studied with the best Greek teachers of his age, and in his youth he became a monk
. Supported by the rich Michel Cantacuzene, he was appointed bishop of Larissa
on about 1568.
When Michel Cantacuzene obtained the deposition of Patriarch Metrophanes III, Jeremias, supported by Cantacuzene, was elected for the first time to the Patriarchate on 5 May 1572. Jeremias' first concern was the reform of the his Church, and he summoned a synod with the aim to root out the simony
. He also made restored his cathedral
, that at the time was the Pammakaristos Church
. During this his first reign Jeremias also had the first contacts with the Lutherans which ended in a deadlocked disagreement. On 3 March 1578 his patron, Michel Cantacuzene was executed, and so Jeremias position became weak. On 23 (or 29) November 1579 Jeremias was deposed and excommunicated, and his rival Metrophanes III returned on the Patriarchal throne.
Metrophanes III died on August 1580, and Jeremias returned for the second time on the throne, probably on 13 August. From 1580 to 1583 there were contacts between Jeremias and envoys of the pope
in regard to the introduction in Greece of the Gregorian calendar
: Rome
was almost sure about a positive solution, but on the contrary the final position of Jeremias was negative. In 1584 Jeremias offered as a gift to Pope Gregory XIII
two pieces of relics from the bodies of Saint John Chrysostom and Saint Andrew of Crete
.
In the winter between 1583 and 1584 Jeremias was subject of a conspiration of some Greek bishops against him, led by Pachomius of Kaisaria
and Theoleptus of Philippoupolis, that accused him to have supported a Greek uprise against the Ottoman Empire
, to have baptized
a muslim
and to be in correspondence with the papacy. Jeremias was arrested and beaten, and three trials followed: the first charge resulted false, but the last resulted in his deposition on 22 February 1584 and in his exile in Rhodes
.
Thanks to the intercession of the French ambassador, in 1586 Jeremias obtained the freedom from the exile in Rhodes and started his travel through Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (which included also Ukraine
) and the Tsardom of Russia
to raise founds. During his travel, he arrived in Moscow
on the 11 July 1588, and after negotiations with Boris Godunov
(the Regent
for Tsar Feodor I of Russia
) on 26 January 1589 Job of Moscow was enthroned as the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. On his way back to Constantinople, Jeremias deposed the Metropolitan of Kiev Onesiphorus Devochka, and in his place appointed and consecrated Michael Rohoza.
In the meantime, after 1584 Jeremias' deposition two other patriarchs followed, Pachomius II and Theoleptus II, who was deposed on May 1586. The Church was governed by a supporter of Jeremias, the deacon
Nicephorus (died 1596), and for ten days by the deacon Dionysios (later Metropolitan of Larissa, died 1611). In April 1587 Jeremias was formally re-elected as Patriarch, but due to his absence for his travel the Church went on being governed by locum tenens deacon Nicephorus. On 4 July 1589 the Sultan formally appointed of Jeremias as Patriarch of Constantinople (third time). Jeremias was informed to be again elected patriarch only in 1589 in Moldova
when he was on the way back to Istanbul where he arrived in 1590.
On 12 February 1593 a synod
in Constantinople sanctioned the Autocephaly
of the Patriarchate of Moscow. The exact date of Jeremias' death is not known, but it occurred between September and December 1595, in Constantinople.
and Martin Crusius from Tübingen
presented the Patriarch with a translated copy of the Augsburg Confession
. Jeremias II wrote three rebuttals known as 'Answers,' which established that the Orthodox Church had no desire for reformation
. The Lutherans replied to the first two letters, but the third letter ended in a deadlocked disagreement between the parties. The significance of the exchanges were that they presented, for the first time in a precise and clear way, where the Orthodox and Reformation churches stood in relation to each other.
suggested that his residence should be Vladimir, a largely impoverished town at this time. Jeremias instead consecrated Boris's associate, Metropolitan Job, as Patriarch.
Patriarch Jeremias also obtained certain privileges for the Greek communities within the Ottoman Empire, one of which was the establishment of schools. Until Jeremias' time, there was only one Greek-language school in the Ottoman Empire, the "Great School of the Nation". With Patriarch Jeremias' influence seven schools opened in the late 16th century, in Athens
, Livadia
, Chios
, Smyrna
, Kydonies
, Patmos
and Yanina. Subsequently, another 40 schools opened across Greece and Asia Minor: in Skopje, Philipopolis, Andrianople, Sozopolis, Anchialos, Constantinople, Aenos, Serres, Giannitsa, Korytsa, Vlachokleisoura, Veria, Thessaloniki, Kalipolis, Kozani, Hieromerio, Tirnavo, Trikala, Paramytha, Agrafa, Arta, Karpenisi, Varnakova, Aetoliko, Thebes, Chalkida, Argos, Nafplio, Koroni, Monemvasia, Methoni, Kythera, Kerkyra, Zakynthos, Chandax (Heraklion in Crete), Rodes, Kos, Patmos, S. Lemonias and Myrtinisiotisses (Lesvos), Mykonos, Naxos. (See "Holy David and School Master Monks of Varnakova during Turkish Rule" by Holy Metropolis of Phocis, page 89.)
Life
Jeremias Tranos was born in Anchialos, from an influential GreekGreeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
family. The exact date of birth is not known, most probably 1530, but some scholars suggest 1536. He studied with the best Greek teachers of his age, and in his youth he became 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...
. Supported by the rich Michel Cantacuzene, he was appointed bishop 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...
on about 1568.
When Michel Cantacuzene obtained the deposition of Patriarch Metrophanes III, Jeremias, supported by Cantacuzene, was elected for the first time to the Patriarchate on 5 May 1572. Jeremias' first concern was the reform of the his Church, and he summoned a synod with the aim to root out the simony
Simony
Simony is the act of paying for sacraments and consequently for holy offices or for positions in the hierarchy of a church, named after Simon Magus , who appears in the Acts of the Apostles 8:9-24...
. He also made restored his cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
, that at the time was 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...
. During this his first reign Jeremias also had the first contacts with the Lutherans which ended in a deadlocked disagreement. On 3 March 1578 his patron, Michel Cantacuzene was executed, and so Jeremias position became weak. On 23 (or 29) November 1579 Jeremias was deposed and excommunicated, and his rival Metrophanes III returned on the Patriarchal throne.
Metrophanes III died on August 1580, and Jeremias returned for the second time on the throne, probably on 13 August. From 1580 to 1583 there were contacts between Jeremias and envoys of 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 regard to the introduction in Greece of 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...
: 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...
was almost sure about a positive solution, but on the contrary the final position of Jeremias was negative. In 1584 Jeremias offered as a gift to Pope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII , born Ugo Boncompagni, was Pope from 1572 to 1585. He is best known for commissioning and being the namesake for the Gregorian calendar, which remains the internationally-accepted civil calendar to this date.-Youth:He was born the son of Cristoforo Boncompagni and wife Angela...
two pieces of relics from the bodies of Saint John Chrysostom and Saint Andrew of Crete
Andrew of Crete (martyr)
For the archbishop of the same name, see Andrew of Crete.Saint Andrew of Crete is a martyr of the Christian Church. A fervent iconophile, he was killed at the orders of Emperor Constantine V in 766 or 767, during the Byzantine Iconoclasm. His feast day is October 20...
.
In the winter between 1583 and 1584 Jeremias was subject of a conspiration of some Greek bishops against him, led by Pachomius of Kaisaria
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...
and Theoleptus of Philippoupolis, that accused him to have supported a Greek uprise 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 was arrested and beaten, and three trials followed: the first charge resulted false, but the last resulted in his deposition on 22 February 1584 and in his exile in 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...
.
Thanks to the intercession of the French ambassador, in 1586 Jeremias obtained the freedom from the exile in Rhodes and started his travel through Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (which included also Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
) and the Tsardom of Russia
Tsardom of Russia
The Tsardom of Russia was the name of the centralized Russian state from Ivan IV's assumption of the title of Tsar in 1547 till Peter the Great's foundation of the Russian Empire in 1721.From 1550 to 1700, Russia grew 35,000 km2 a year...
to raise founds. During his travel, he arrived in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
on the 11 July 1588, and after negotiations with Boris Godunov
Boris Godunov
Boris Fyodorovich Godunov was de facto regent of Russia from c. 1585 to 1598 and then the first non-Rurikid tsar from 1598 to 1605. The end of his reign saw Russia descend into the Time of Troubles.-Early years:...
(the Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
for Tsar Feodor I of Russia
Feodor I of Russia
Fyodor I Ivanovich 1598) was the last Rurikid Tsar of Russia , son of Ivan IV and Anastasia Romanovna. In English he is sometimes called Feodor the Bellringer in consequence of his strong faith and inclination to travel the land and ring the bells at churches. However, in Russian the name...
) on 26 January 1589 Job of Moscow was enthroned as the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. On his way back to Constantinople, Jeremias deposed the Metropolitan of Kiev Onesiphorus Devochka, and in his place appointed and consecrated Michael Rohoza.
In the meantime, after 1584 Jeremias' deposition two other patriarchs followed, Pachomius II and Theoleptus II, who was deposed on May 1586. The Church was governed by a supporter of Jeremias, the deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
Nicephorus (died 1596), and for ten days by the deacon Dionysios (later Metropolitan of Larissa, died 1611). In April 1587 Jeremias was formally re-elected as Patriarch, but due to his absence for his travel the Church went on being governed by locum tenens deacon Nicephorus. On 4 July 1589 the Sultan formally appointed of Jeremias as Patriarch of Constantinople (third time). Jeremias was informed to be again elected patriarch only in 1589 in Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
when he was on the way back to Istanbul where he arrived in 1590.
On 12 February 1593 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...
in Constantinople sanctioned the Autocephaly
Autocephaly
Autocephaly , in hierarchical Christian churches and especially Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches, is the status of a hierarchical church whose head bishop does not report to any higher-ranking bishop...
of the Patriarchate of Moscow. The exact date of Jeremias' death is not known, but it occurred between September and December 1595, in Constantinople.
The Greek Augsburg Confession
From 1576 to 1581 he conducted the first important theological exchanges between Orthodoxy and Protestants. On 24 May, 1575, Lutherans Jakob AndreaeJakob Andreae
Jakob Andreae was a significant German Lutheran theologian, involved in the drafting of major documents.-Life:He was born in Waiblingen, in the Duchy of Württemberg. He studied at the University of Tübingen from 1541...
and Martin Crusius from Tübingen
Tübingen
Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
presented the Patriarch with a translated copy of the Augsburg Confession
Augsburg Confession
The Augsburg Confession, also known as the "Augustana" from its Latin name, Confessio Augustana, is the primary confession of faith of the Lutheran Church and one of the most important documents of the Lutheran reformation...
. Jeremias II wrote three rebuttals known as 'Answers,' which established that the Orthodox Church had no desire for reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
. The Lutherans replied to the first two letters, but the third letter ended in a deadlocked disagreement between the parties. The significance of the exchanges were that they presented, for the first time in a precise and clear way, where the Orthodox and Reformation churches stood in relation to each other.
Accomplishments
He is known for his role in establishing the Moscow Patriarchate during his trip to Russia in 1589. Jeremias initially suggested himself as a candidature for the first Patriarch of Moscow, but Boris GodunovBoris Godunov
Boris Fyodorovich Godunov was de facto regent of Russia from c. 1585 to 1598 and then the first non-Rurikid tsar from 1598 to 1605. The end of his reign saw Russia descend into the Time of Troubles.-Early years:...
suggested that his residence should be Vladimir, a largely impoverished town at this time. Jeremias instead consecrated Boris's associate, Metropolitan Job, as Patriarch.
Patriarch Jeremias also obtained certain privileges for the Greek communities within the Ottoman Empire, one of which was the establishment of schools. Until Jeremias' time, there was only one Greek-language school in the Ottoman Empire, the "Great School of the Nation". With Patriarch Jeremias' influence seven schools opened in the late 16th century, in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Livadia
Livadia
Livadia can refer to:* Livadiya , a suburb of Yalta, Crimea, Ukraine, where the Livadia Palace is situated.* Livadiya, Primorsky Krai, a suburb of Nakhodka, Russia, near Mount Livadia* Livadeia , a city in Boeotia, Greece....
, 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...
, Smyrna
Smyrna
Smyrna was an ancient city located at a central and strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Thanks to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to prominence. The ancient city is located at two sites within modern İzmir, Turkey...
, Kydonies
Kydonies
Kydonies, also Kidonies may refer to several places in Greece:*Kydonies, a town in the Achaea prefecture*Kydonies, a town in the Grevena prefecture...
, Patmos
Patmos
Patmos is a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea. One of the northernmost islands of the Dodecanese complex, it has a population of 2,984 and an area of . The highest point is Profitis Ilias, 269 meters above sea level. The Municipality of Patmos, which includes the offshore islands of Arkoi ,...
and Yanina. Subsequently, another 40 schools opened across Greece and Asia Minor: in Skopje, Philipopolis, Andrianople, Sozopolis, Anchialos, Constantinople, Aenos, Serres, Giannitsa, Korytsa, Vlachokleisoura, Veria, Thessaloniki, Kalipolis, Kozani, Hieromerio, Tirnavo, Trikala, Paramytha, Agrafa, Arta, Karpenisi, Varnakova, Aetoliko, Thebes, Chalkida, Argos, Nafplio, Koroni, Monemvasia, Methoni, Kythera, Kerkyra, Zakynthos, Chandax (Heraklion in Crete), Rodes, Kos, Patmos, S. Lemonias and Myrtinisiotisses (Lesvos), Mykonos, Naxos. (See "Holy David and School Master Monks of Varnakova during Turkish Rule" by Holy Metropolis of Phocis, page 89.)