Polykarpos Bithikoukis, surnamed Dardaios ( sq, Polikarp Boçi (Vithëkuqi) Dardhari, el, Πολύκαρπος Μπιθικούκης ο Δαρδαίος), was the

Metropolitan of Larissa The Metropolis of Larissa and Tyrnavos ( el, Ιερά Μητρόπολις Λαρίσης και Τυρνάβου) is a Greek Orthodox metropolitan see in Thessaly, Greece. History Christianity penetrated early to Larissa, though its first bishop ...

in 1811–18 and 1820–21. An

Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: ** Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the countr ...

from

Dardhë Dardhë (; sq-definite, Dardha, literally "pear") is a community in the former municipality of Drenovë in Korçë County, Albania. After local government reform in 2015, it became part of the municipality Korçë. It is a well known ski area of A ...

, he was elevated to the metropolis of Larissa through the favour of his compatriot, the powerful

Ali Pasha of Ioannina Ali Pasha of Ioannina (1740 – 24 January 1822), was an Albanian ruler who served as pasha of a large part of western Rumelia, the Ottoman Empire's European territories, which was referred to as the Pashalik of Yanina. His court was in Ioannina, ...

, and was, according to his own account, the only metropolitan of Albanian birth in his time. Prior to that, he was Bishop of the

Troad The Troad ( or ; el, Τρωάδα, ''Troáda'') or Troas (; grc, Τρῳάς, ''Trōiás'' or , ''Trōïás'') is a historical region in northwestern Anatolia. It corresponds with the Biga Peninsula (Turkish: ''Biga Yarımadası'') in the Ça ...

. When the British traveller Sir Henry Holland visited Larissa in 1812, he was hosted at the metropolitan residence in Larissa. Holland describes Polykarpos as "not having yet reached his fortieth year", "naturally tall and well formed", with a long black beard. In 1818 he was forced to abandon his see after repeated complaints from his flock over his oppressiveness and exactions. He returned in 1820, on the heels of

Mahmud Dramali Pasha Dramalı Mahmud Pasha, ( Turkish: ''Dramalı Mahmut Paşa''; c. 1770 in Istanbul – 26 October 1822, in Corinth) was an Ottoman Albanian statesman and military leader, and a pasha, and served as governor (''wali'') of Larissa, Drama, and the M ...

's campaign against Ali Pasha. Following the outbreak of the

Greek War of Independence The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Revolution of 1821, was a successful war of independence by Greek revolutionaries against the Ottoman Empire between 1821 and 1829. The Greeks were later assisted ...

in early 1821, and the rebellion of the Greeks of

Mount Pelion Pelion or Pelium (Modern el, Πήλιο, ''Pílio''; Ancient Greek/Katharevousa: Πήλιον, ''Pēlion'') is a mountain at the southeastern part of Thessaly in northern Greece, forming a hook-like peninsula between the Pagasetic Gulf and the ...

, however, the mistrustful Dramali suspected the bishop of collusion with the rebels, and had him executed. As a result, he is considered a

martyr A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an external ...

in modern Greece.

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bithikoukis, Polykarpos Year of birth missing 1821 deaths 19th-century Eastern Orthodox martyrs Bishops of Larissa 19th-century executions by the Ottoman Empire 19th-century Albanian clergy 1770s births 19th-century Eastern Orthodox bishops Eastern Orthodox Christians from Albania Ottoman Thessaly Albanian Eastern Orthodox priests