Pachomius I ( el, ), (? – 1513) was

Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople The ecumenical patriarch ( el, Οἰκουμενικός Πατριάρχης, translit=Oikoumenikós Patriárchēs) is the archbishop of Constantinople ( Istanbul), New Rome and '' primus inter pares'' (first among equals) among the heads of ...

from 1503 to 1513, except for a short period in 1504.

Life

Before his election as Patriarch of Constantinople, Pachomius was Metropolitan of Zichna. When Patriarch Joachim I was deposed in 1502, the rulers of Wallachia, quite influential on the affairs of the Church of Constantinople, sponsored the election of the old Nephon II, who refused. Thus they transferred their support to Pachomius, who was elected in early 1503. His first reign lasted only about one year, because in early 1504 Joachim I returned to the throne after a payment of 3500 gold pieces to the Sultan. Joachim died shortly later during a travel in

Wallachia Wallachia or Walachia (; ro, Țara Românească, lit=The Romanian Land' or 'The Romanian Country, ; archaic: ', Romanian Cyrillic alphabet: ) is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and s ...

and so in autumn 1504 Pachomius, always supported by the rulers of Wallachia, returned to the throne. The second reign of Pachomius lasted about nine years, a long period in comparison with the reigns of the patriarchs in the 15th century. The main issue during Pachomius' patriarchate was the case of the

Cretan Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, an ...

scholar

Arsenius Apostolius Arsenius Apostolius ( el, Ἀρσένιος Ἀποστόλιος or Ἀρσένιος Ἀποστόλης; c. 1468 – 1538) was a Greek scholar who lived for a long time in Venice. He was also bishop of Monemvasia in the Peloponnese. Life Arsen ...

. In 1506 the Roman Curia appointed Arsenius as Eastern Rite bishop of

Monemvasia Monemvasia ( el, Μονεμβασιά, Μονεμβασία, or ) is a town and municipality in Laconia, Greece. The town is located on a small island off the east coast of the Peloponnese, surrounded by the Myrtoan Sea. The island is connected t ...

, at that time part of the overseas domains of the

Venetian Republic The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia ...

. Arsenius declared himself in communion both with the Patriarch of Constantinople and with the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

. This position was untenable for the Church of Constantinople and Pachomius invited Arsenius to abdicate. The issue went on for more than two years until June 1509 when Pachomius

excommunicate Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to end or at least regulate the Koinonia, communion of a member of a congregation with other members of the religious institution who are in normal communion with each other. The ...

d Arsenius, who retired to Venice. During the last year of his patriarchate, Pachomius visited

and

Moldavia Moldavia ( ro, Moldova, or , literally "The Country of Moldavia"; in Romanian Cyrillic alphabet, Romanian Cyrillic: or ; chu, Землѧ Молдавскаѧ; el, Ἡγεμονία τῆς Μολδαβίας) is a historical region and for ...

. On the way back, already in

Selymbria Selymbria ( gr, Σηλυμβρία),Demosthenes, '' de Rhod. lib.'', p. 198, ed. Reiske. or Selybria (Σηλυβρία), or Selybrie (Σηλυβρίη), was a town of ancient Thrace on the Propontis, 22 Roman miles east from Perinthus, and 44 Rom ...

, Pachomius was poisoned by Theodolus, a monk at his service. Pachomius died immediately, in early 1513.

Notes

External links

''Historia politica et patriarchica Constantinopoleos'', Cap XV: P. Pachomius, (trans. Martin Crusius, 1584)
Primary source. {{DEFAULTSORT:Pachomius 01 Of Constantinople, Patriarch 16th-century Eastern Orthodox bishops 16th-century Ecumenical Patriarchs of Constantinople Assassinated religious leaders Deaths by poisoning 15th-century births 1513 deaths 16th-century Greek people