Callinicus IV ( el, ), born Constantine Mavrikios ( el, ), (1713 – 1791) 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 th ...
for a few months in 1757 and a writer and scholar.
Callinicus IV is sometime numbered as Callinicus III because his predecessor
Callinicus Callinicus or Kallinikos ( el, Καλλίνικος) is a surname or male given name; the feminine form is Kalliniki, Callinice or Callinica ( el, Καλλινίκη). It is of Greek origin, meaning "beautiful victor".
People named Callinicus Seleu ...
, who was elected in 1726 but died before being enthroned, is sometimes not counted amongst the patriarchs.
Life
Constantine Mavrikios (Callinicus is his religious name) was born in
Zagora, Greece
Zagora ( el, Ζαγορά) is a village and a former municipality on the Pelion peninsula in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Zagora-Mouresi, of which it is the seat and a municipal ...
in 1713 and in 1728 he moved to
Istanbul
Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...
. In 1740, he was ordained 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 Churc ...
and on 28 August 1741 he was appointed Great
Protosyncellus
A protosyncellus or protosynkellos ( el, πρωτοσύγκελλος) is the principal deputy of the bishop of an eparchy for the exercise of administrative authority in an Eastern Orthodox or Eastern Catholic church. The equivalent position in t ...
of the Patriarchate. On 23 September 1743, he was appointed the
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 b ...
of Proilavo (i.e.
Brăila
Brăila (, also , ) is a city in Muntenia, eastern Romania, a port on the Danube and the capital of Brăila County. The ''Sud-Est'' Regional Development Agency is located in Brăila.
According to the 2011 Romanian census there were 180,302 pe ...
, in Romania), a position he kept till 1748 when he returned to Istanbul.
His years in Istanbul were marked by the polemic debate in the Orthodox community about whether converts the
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
and
Armenian Apostolic
, native_name_lang = hy
, icon = Armenian Apostolic Church logo.svg
, icon_width = 100px
, icon_alt =
, image = Էջմիածնի_Մայր_Տաճար.jpg
, imagewidth = 250px
, a ...
Churches needed to be re-
baptised
Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost inv ...
. These communities were particularly numerous after the
Ottoman–Venetian War wherein the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
reconquered the Venetian-ruled Peloponnese.
The supporters of the invalidity of Catholic and Armenian baptisms, and consequently of the need to re-baptize, were Patriarch
Cyril V supported by some scholars such as
Eugenios Voulgaris
Eugenios Voulgaris or Boulgaris ( gr, Εὐγένιος Βούλγαρης; russian: link=yes, Евгений Вулгарский, Евгений Вулгар; 1716–1806) was a Greek Orthodox cleric, author, educator, mathematician, astronome ...
and Eustratios Argenti, and a large portion of the populace, instigated by the demagogic monk Auxentios. The opposition to re-baptism was formed by the larger part of the Metropolitans led by Callinicus. Their position was not due to compliance with the
Latins
The Latins were originally an Italic tribe in ancient central Italy from Latium. As Roman power and colonization spread Latin culture during the Roman Republic.
Latins culturally "Romanized" or "Latinized" the rest of Italy, and the word Latin ...
, but rather that they considered the re-baptisms an innovation not envisaged by the ancient
canon
Canon or Canons may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base
* Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture
** Western can ...
s and contrary to the liturgical
praxis
Praxis may refer to:
Philosophy and religion
* Praxis (process), the process by which a theory, lesson, or skill is enacted, practised, embodied, or realised
* Praxis model, a way of doing theology
* Praxis (Byzantine Rite), the practice of fai ...
.
When the
Holy Synod
In several of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches and Eastern Catholic Churches, the patriarch or head bishop is elected by a group of bishops called the Holy Synod. For instance, the Holy Synod is a ruling body of the Georgian Orthodox C ...
voted on 28 April 1755 against the positions of Cyril V, the latter exiled the members of the Holy Synod who were contrary to his view. Callinicus was persecuted and had to escape. In 1755, Cyril V issued his formal "''
Oros (Tome) of the Holy Great Church of Christ''" which required re-baptism for all converts in any case.
In 1756, Callinicus took refuge in the
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
embassy
A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase usually deno ...
in Istanbul, and here he obtained a large amount of money which was given to the Sultan
Osman III
Osman III ( ota, عثمان ثالث ''Osmān-i sālis''; 2 January 1699 – 30 October 1757) was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1754 to 1757.
Early life
Osman III was born on 2 January 1699 in the Edirne Palace. His father was Mus ...
. This resulted in Cyril's deposition on 16 January 1757 and in the appointment of Callinicus to the Patriarchate. However, his appointment was strongly opposed by a mob, and his enthronement could be celebrated only with the presence of Ottoman soldiers. After the ceremony, the mob tried unsuccessfully to seize him. This opposition to Callinicus hindered any attempt of him to retire the ''Oros'', and his position was so difficult that he had to resign 22 July 1757, in favor of
Serapheim II who remained neutral on the issue.
After his resignation, Callinicus was exiled to
Limnos
Lemnos or Limnos ( el, Λήμνος; grc, Λῆμνος) is a Greek island in the northern Aegean Sea. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within the Lemnos regional unit, which is part of the North Aegean region. The p ...
and later to the
Sinai
Sinai commonly refers to:
* Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
* Mount Sinai, a mountain in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
* Biblical Mount Sinai, the site in the Bible where Moses received the Law of God
Sinai may also refer to:
* Sinai, South Dakota, a place ...
where he stayed in the
Saint Catherine's Monastery
Saint Catherine's Monastery ( ar, دير القدّيسة كاترين; grc-gre, Μονὴ τῆς Ἁγίας Αἰκατερίνης), officially the Sacred Autonomous Royal Monastery of Saint Katherine of the Holy and God-Trodden Mount Sinai, ...
. In this obligatory residence, he worked in the ancient library of the Monastery. In January 1761, he escaped and returned on the slay in Istanbul, where he obtained to be forgiven, and in October 1763 he returned to his birth town,
Zagora.
The last period of his life was passed in Zagora, where he founded the local library and devoted himself to
patristics
Patristics or patrology is the study of the early Christian writers who are designated Church Fathers. The names derive from the combined forms of Latin ''pater'' and Greek ''patḗr'' (father). The period is generally considered to run from ...
studies and to writing. He died in Zagora in 1791.
Notes
References
Sources
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Callinicus 04 Of Constantinople, Patriarch
1713 births
1791 deaths
People from Zagora, Greece
18th-century Greek people
18th-century Ecumenical Patriarchs of Constantinople
Metropolitans of Brăila