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Theodosius II (Greek: Θεοδόσιος), lay surname Christianopoulos (Χριστιανόπουλος), served as the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople between 1769 and 1773.

Biography

He was born in Crete, where he was father superior. He served as chief of the Church of St. George in Istanbul. Later he was elected bishop of Ierissos and Mount Athos, and in 1767 metropolitan bishop of Thessaloniki. He was elected Patriarch on 11 April 1769, at a time when Christians were persecuted after the withdrawal of the Russian forces following the Orlov Revolt. Many Christians had helped the Russians, following the exhortations of the former Patriarch Seraphim II and other clerics. Theodosius made efforts to save the monasteries of Mount Athos from demolition, he freed prisoners, he supported schools and monasteries and, with cooperation with the Patriarch of Jerusalem Sophronius V, he managed to keep the Holy Land under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Lastly, he tried to give a conciliatory solution to the issue of the Kollyvades of Mount Athos.

He was forced to resign on 16 November 1773, following the machinations of the Metropolitan of Prussa, Meletius. He retired to the Kamariotissa Monastery in Heybeliada. In 1776, having completely lost his sight, he returned to Istanbul, where he resided until his death.

References

1. "οἱ μὲν ἐν Σαββάτῳ τελοῦντες τα τῶν ἀποιχομένων μνημόσυνα καλῶς ποιούσιν, ὡς τὴν ἀρχαίαν παράδοσιν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας φυλάσσοντες, οἱ δὲ ἐν Κυριακῇ οὐχ ὑπόκεινται κρίματι Περὶ δὲ τοῦ πυκνότερον ἢ βραδύτερον προσέρχεσθαι τὴ μεταλήψει τῶν ἀχράντων μυστηρίων, φαμέν, ὅτι χρόνος μὲν οὐχ ἄριστοι, ἀναγκαῖα δὲ πάντως ἡ διὰ τῆς θείας μετανοίας καὶ ἐξομολογήσεως προετοιμασία. Καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐν τῇ ἀρχῇ τοῦ κηρύγματος χριστιανοὶ προσήρχοντό τη τῶν θείων μυστηρίων μεταλήψει καθ ἐκάστην Κυριακήν, οἱ δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐν τεσσαράκοντᾳ ἠμέραις προευτρεπιζόμενοι διὰ τῆς μετανοίας, οὕτω προσήρχοντο. Διὸ ἕκαστος, εἰ ἄξιος, παραβαλλέττω ἑαυτὸν ἐν τοὶς πρώτοις, εἰ δὲ μή, τοὶς δευτέροις, καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ μακαριστὸν Κατὰ γοῦν τὸν θεῖον Ἀπόστολον, δοκιμαζέτω ἄνθρωπος ἑαυτὸν καὶ οὕτως ἐκ τοῦ ἄρτου ἐσθιέτω καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ποτηρίου πινέτω"

Sources

• Οικουμενικό Πατριαρχείο

Bibliography

• Διονύσιος Δ. Βαλαής (D. D. Valais), Ο Μητροπολίτης Θεσσαλονίκης Θεοδόσιος Β΄ (Theodosius II of Constantinople) (1762-1769), Επιστημονική Επετηρίδα της Θεολογικής Σχολής του Α.Π.Θ., Νέα Σειρά, Τμήμα Θεολογίας, Τιμητικό Αφιέρωμα στον ομότιμο καθηγητή Ιωάννη Χρ. Ταρνανίδη (Scientific Annals of the Theological School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, New Series, Theology Department, Honorary Tribute to Professor Emeritus J. C. Tarnanidis), 17 (2007-8), p. 15-46

• Bishops of Thessaloniki
• 18th-century Ecumenical Patriarchs of Constantinople
• Religious leaders from Crete
• 18th-century Greek people