Bessarion II ( el, Βησσαρίων Β΄, ) was a

metropolitan bishop In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan (alternative obsolete form: metropolite), pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis. Originally, the term referred to the ...

of Larissa and a saint of the

Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, also called the Orthodox Church, is the second-largest Christian church, with approximately 220 million baptized members. It operates as a communion of autocephalous churches, each governed by its bishops vi ...

. He was born Vasileios Tsigaridas (Βασίλειος Τσιγαρίδας) or Ganas (Γκανάς), in the village of Porta. His family had a tradition of monasticism, and at the age of 10 he became a novice monk to 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 ...

Mark Mark may refer to: Currency * Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina * East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic * Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927 * F ...

. He advanced rapidly, being consecrated 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 ...

, a

presbyter Presbyter () is an honorific title for Christian clergy. The word derives from the Greek ''presbyteros,'' which means elder or senior, although many in the Christian antiquity would understand ''presbyteros'' to refer to the bishop functioning a ...

, and at age 20 he was appointed bishop of

Domeniko Domeniko ( el, Δομένικο, ) is a village and a community of the Elassona municipality. Before the 2011 local government reform it was a part of the municipality of Potamia, of which it was a municipal district. The 2011 census recorded 627 ...

and

Elassona Elassona ( el, Ελασσόνα; Katharevousa: gr, Ἐλασσών, Elasson) is a town and a municipality in the Larissa regional unit in Greece. During antiquity Elassona was called Oloosson (Ὀλοοσσών) and was a town of the Perrhaebi ...

. However, his very youth caused the local inhabitants to reject him, so that he returned to serve alongside Metropolitan Mark for four more years, before being appointed exarch of the bishopric of Stagoi. Finally, in 1526/7, when Mark died, he succeeded him as Metropolitan of Larissa with the support of both the local clergy and the people. For two years, he remained as

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 Stagoi as well. His tenure was marked by important social and charitable work, particularly with the construction of the Korakou and Portaikos bridges. Along with his brother Ignatius, who was the Bishop of Kappoua and Fanari, he re-founded the Dousikou Monastery. The '' katholikon'' founded by Bessarion was later replaced by another, still surviving one, by his nephew, Metropolitan

Neophytus II of Larissa Neophytus II ( el, Νεόφυτος Β΄) was bishop of Stagoi and then metropolitan bishop of Larissa in 1550–68. He was a nephew of Bessarion II, Metropolitan of Larissa in 1526/7–40. His parents were wealthy, but became monks, and he follo ...

. He died on 13 September 1540 and was buried in the Church of St. Nicholas in the village of

Agios Vissarion ''Agios'' ( el, Άγιος), plural ''Agioi'' (), transcribes masculine gender Greek words meaning 'sacred' or 'saint' (for example Agios Dimitrios, Agioi Anargyroi). It is frequently shortened in colloquial language to ''Ai'' (for example Ai Str ...

, which now bears his name. His head is preserved in the Dousikou Monastery as a relic.

References

{{authority control 1490 births 1540 deaths Greek saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church Bishops of Larissa 16th-century Greek people 16th-century Eastern Orthodox bishops Founders of Christian monasteries Saints of Ottoman Greece Ottoman Thessaly People from Trikala (regional unit)