Neophytus II ( el, Νεόφυτος Β΄) was bishop of
Stagoi and then
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
Larissa
Larissa (; el, Λάρισα, , ) is the capital and largest city of the Thessaly region in Greece. It is the fifth-most populous city in Greece with a population of 144,651 according to the 2011 census. It is also capital of the Larissa regiona ...
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 followed in their footsteps, rising to become
Bishop of Stagoi. He served there until June 1550, when he became Metropolitan of Larissa after the resignation of his predecessor (and successor of Bessarion), who was also named Neophytus; this led earlier scholars to confuse the two men and regard them as the same person.
Neophytus served as Metropolitan of Larissa (although based in
Trikala) until 1569, and his tenure was regarded as equally successful to that of his uncle, who was known for his charitable work. Neophytus also built a new—and still surviving—''
katholikon
A ''katholikon'' or catholicon ( gr, καθολικόν) or ''sobor'' ( Slavonic: съборъ) refers to one of three things in the Eastern Orthodox Church:
* The cathedral of a diocese.
* The major church building (temple) of a monastery corre ...
'' for the
Dousikou Monastery, originally built by his uncle, becoming thus its second ''
ktetor
''Ktetor'' ( el, κτήτωρ) or ''ktitor'' (; ka, ქტიტორი ''kt’it’ori''; ro, ctitor), meaning "founder", is a title given in the Middle Ages to the provider of funds for construction or reconstruction of an Eastern Orthodox ch ...
''. He was also responsible for the construction of cells for its monks and for the decoration of the ''katholikon'' with
fresco
Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaste ...
es in 1557.
References
{{authority control
16th-century deaths
Bishops of Larissa
16th-century Greek people
16th-century Eastern Orthodox bishops
Founders of Christian monasteries
People from Trikala (regional unit)
Ottoman Thessaly