Theoleptus II of Constantinople (; died after 1597) was

Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople The ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople () is the List of ecumenical patriarchs of Constantinople, archbishop of Constantinople and (first among equals) among the heads of the several autocephalous churches that comprise the Eastern Orthodox ...

from 1585 to 1586.

Life

Theoleptus was a nephew of Patriarch Metrophanes III of Constantinople. He became Metropolitan of Philippopolis and although he had been helped by Patriarch

Jeremias II of Constantinople Jeremias II of Constantinople (; 1530 – 4 September 1595) was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople three times between 1572 and 1595. Life Jeremias Tranos was born in Anchialos, from an influential Greek family. The year of his birth i ...

, he conspired against him, leaguing with

Pachomius II of Constantinople Pachomius II of Constantinople (; died after 1585) was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1584 to 1585. He is sometimes considered an usurper. Life Sixteenth-century Greek sources show an extended bias against Pachomius II, he is lab ...

. When Pachomius II 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 ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...

and

Antioch Antioch on the Orontes (; , ) "Antioch on Daphne"; or "Antioch the Great"; ; ; ; ; ; ; . was a Hellenistic Greek city founded by Seleucus I Nicator in 300 BC. One of the most important Greek cities of the Hellenistic period, it served as ...

. In May 1586, while Theoleptus II was travelling in

Moldavia Moldavia (, or ; in Romanian Cyrillic alphabet, Romanian Cyrillic: or ) is a historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester River. An initially in ...

and

Wallachia Wallachia or Walachia (; ; : , : ) is a historical and geographical region of modern-day Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians. Wallachia was traditionally divided into two sections, Munteni ...

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 denominations, such as the Cathol ...

of the exiled Patriarch Jeremias II, 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 of the Patriarchate even though he was absent from Constantinople in a long travel to Ukraine and Russia. Jeremias II was informed of his re-election only in 1589 in Moldova when he was on the way back to Constantinople; he arrived there in 1590. In the meantime the deacon Nicephorus went on governing the Church in name of Jeremias II. The term of Nicephorus was shortly interrupted for about ten days by the deacon Dionysios Skylosophos (later Metropolitan of Larissa, died 1611). After April 1587, a

synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word '' synod'' comes from the Ancient Greek () ; the term is analogous with the Latin word . Originally, ...

al decision pardoned Theoleptus II and sent him to

Iberia The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, compri ...

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

Soumela Monastery Sumela Monastery (, ''Moní Panagías Soumelá''; ) is a museum and former Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, Greek Orthodox monastery in the Pontic Mountains, in the Maçka district of Trabzon Province in modern Turkey. Nestled in a ...

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

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

, 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 Valachian ''

Hospodar ''Gospodar'' or ''hospodar'', also ''gospodin'' as a diminutive, is a term of Slavic origin, meaning "lord" or " master". The compound (, , , sh-Latn-Cyrl, gospodar, господар, ) is a derivative of ''gospod'' / ''gospodin'', , or when spe ...

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

Notes and references

{{DEFAULTSORT:Theoleptus 02 Of Constantinople, Patriarch 16th-century ecumenical patriarchs of Constantinople 16th-century Greek clergy