Saint Maximus III of Constantinople | |
|---|---|
| Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople | |
| Church | Church of Constantinople |
| Appointed | 1476 – 3 April 1482 |
| Predecessor | Raphael I of Constantinople |
| Successor | Symeon I of Constantinople |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Manuel Christonymos |
| Died | (1482-04-03)3 April 1482 |
| Sainthood | |
| Feast day | 17 November |
| Venerated in | Eastern Orthodox Church |
Maximus III of Constantinople (Greek:Μάξιμος), bornManuel Christonymos (Μανουὴλ Χριστώνυμος; died 3 April 1482), wasEcumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1476 to his death in 1482, and a scholar. He is honoured as asaint in theEastern Orthodox Church and hisfeast day is 17 November.[1]
Manuel Christonymos was probably a native of thePeloponnese in Greece. He became Grand Ecclesiarch (i.e. HeadSacristan) of thePatriarchate of Constantinople. This ministry soon after theFall of Constantinople to theOttoman Empire (1453) took the functions also of theskeuophylax,[2]: 176 taking care of the holy treasures andrelics of the Patriarchate, and in this position Manuel clashed with PatriarchGennadius II of Constantinople on economical issues.[2] Under the patronage of the secretary of theOttoman Sultan, Demetrios Kyritzes, Manuel, together with theGreat ChartophylaxGeorge Galesiotes, influenced the life of the Church of Constantinople for more than twenty years.[3]: 255
In 1463 he sided withJoasaph I of Constantinople against the request of the politicianGeorge Amiroutzes, a Greek nobleman from the formerEmpire of Trebizond, to marry a second wife because it was a case ofbigamy under Christiancanon law. As punishment for his support of Joasaph I, Manuel had his nose cut by order ofSultanMehmed II.[4]
In autumn 1465 (or early 1466) Manuel sponsored the election to the Patriarchate ofMark II of Constantinople, and later he opposed the patriarchs supported by other factions, such asSymeon I of Constantinople andDionysius I of Constantinople, who on 15 January 1467 stripped him and George Galesiotes of their posts in the administration of the church.[5]
However they soon regained their influence. Manuel was successful in recovering the esteem of sultan Mehmed II,[2] and in 1476 he himself was elected as Patriarch of Constantinople. He was still alay person, so he first became amonk taking thereligious name of Maximus, and the next day he receivedconsecration as abishop and he was enthroned as Patriarch by theMetropolitan bishop ofHeraclea.[6] His reign ended a period of troubles for the Church in the region and was marked by peace and consensus.[3]: 260
Maximus III died on 3 April 1482.[7]
His main literary work is the "Monody on theCapture of Constantinople".
| Eastern Orthodox Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople 1476 – 1482 | Succeeded by |