Theoleptus II ( el, ), (? – after 1597) 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 1585 to 1586.

Life

Theoleptus was a nephew of Patriarch Metrophanes III. He became Metropolitan of Philippopolis and although he had been helped by Patriarch Jeremias II, he conspired against him, leaguing with Pachomius II. When Pachomius was deposed, Theoleptus was appointed Patriarch in his place, on 16 February 1585, and he was formally enthroned in March 1585 by the Patriarchs of

Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandri ...

and

Antioch Antioch on the Orontes (; grc-gre, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου, ''Antiókheia hē epì Oróntou'', Learned ; also Syrian Antioch) grc-koi, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου; or Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπ� ...

. In May 1586, while Theoleptus was travelling in

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 ...

and

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 ...

to raise funds, Nicephorus (died 1596), a

deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Chur ...

of the exiled Patriarch Jeremias, managed to dethrone him. Nicephorus became

locum tenens A locum, or locum tenens, is a person who temporarily fulfills the duties of another; the term is especially used for physicians or clergy. For example, a ''locum tenens physician'' is a physician who works in the place of the regular physician. ...

of the throne until April 1587, when Jeremias II was re-elected o the Patriarchate even though he was absent from Istanbul in a long travel to

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

and

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

. Jeremias was informed of his re-election only in 1589 in

Moldova Moldova ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Moldova ( ro, Republica Moldova), is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The unrecognised state of Transnistr ...

, when he was on the way back to Istanbul; he arrived there in 1590. In the meantime the deacon Nicephorus went on governing the Church in name of Jeremias. The term of Nicephorus was shortly interrupted for about ten days by the deacon Dionysios (later Metropolitan of Larissa, died 1611). After April 1587, a synodal decision pardoned Theoleptus and sent him to

Iberia The Iberian Peninsula (), ** * Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica'' ** ** * french: Péninsule Ibérique * mwl, Península Eibérica * eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, defi ...

to raise money for the indebted Church. In 1587 Theoleptus adopted a signet for the

Soumela Monastery Sumela Monastery ( el, Μονή Παναγίας Σουμελά, ''Moní Panagías Soumelá''; tr, Sümela Manastırı, lzz, სუმელა) is a Greek Orthodox Church, Greek Orthodox monastery dedicated to the Theotokos located at ''K ...

, but it is not known whether it was lawfully or unlawfully issued. Finally, it is known that Theoleptus was reconciled with Jeremias II and that he helped the government of the Church until 1590. His fate after that is unknown. Theoleptus was the last Patriarch who had the see in the

Pammakaristos Church The Pammakaristos Church, also known as the Church of Theotokos Pammakaristos ( el, , "All-Blessed Mother of God"), is one of the most famous Byzantine churches in Istanbul, Turkey, and was the last pre- Ottoman building to house the Ecumenical ...

, which was converted into a mosque in 1586. The Patriarchate moved on to the poor Church of Theotokos Paramythia (later in the precincts of the "Vlach Saray", the residence of the

Valachia 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 so ...

n ''

Hospodar Hospodar or gospodar is a term of Slavonic origin, meaning "lord" or " master". Etymology and Slavic usage In the Slavonic language, ''hospodar'' is usually applied to the master/owner of a house or other properties and also the head of a family. ...

'' in Constantinople), where it remained for eleven years, until 1597.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Theoleptus 02 Of Constantinople, Patriarch 16th-century Ecumenical Patriarchs of Constantinople 16th-century Greek people