Metropolis of Thessaloniki

The Metropolis of Thessaloniki (Greek: Ιερά Μητρόπολις Θεσσαλονίκης) is a Greek Orthodox metropolitan see based in the city of Thessaloniki in Central Macedonia, Greece. It is part of the so-called "New Lands", belonging to the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople but being administered by the Church of Greece. The see traces its history to its foundation by the Apostle Paul in the 1st century. Since 2023, the incumbent metropolitan is Filotheos Theocharis [el].

Metropolis of Thessaloniki

Ιερά Μητρόπολις Θεσσαλονίκης
Saint Gregory Palamas Metropolitan Cathedral
Location
Ecclesiastical provinceThessaloniki
Statistics
Parishes43
Information
CathedralSaint Gregory Palamas Metropolitan Cathedral
Current leadership
BishopFilotheos Theocharis [el]
Website
https://www.imth.gr

History edit

In its early centuries, the see of Thessaloniki became the metropolitan diocese of the Roman province of Macedonia. After the creation of major ecclesiastical jurisdictions, the see of Thessalonica was subordinated to the Patriarch of Rome, rising to become the archbishopric of the Eastern Illyricum.[1] Roman control—and the use of Latin as a liturgical language—continued until c. 733, when the see was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople.[1] Under Constantinople, it was reduced in status to a "simple" metropolitan see, with 5 to 12 suffragan sees, although the metropolitans continued to use the title of "archbishop" as well.[1]

List of bishops edit

Name Name in Greek Tenure Notes Refs
Gaius Γάιος Saint
Nicholas I Νικόλαος Α΄ 160 Saint
Artemius Ἀρτέμιος Saint
Alexander I Ἀλέξανδρος Α΄ 305–335 Saint
John I Ἰωάννης Α΄
Aetius Ἀέτιος 342–347
Irenius Εἰρήνιος 355
Paulinus Παυλῖνος
Acholius or Ascholius Ἀχόλιος, Ἀσχόλιος 379–384 Saint
Anysius Ἀνύσιος 384–407 Saint; Division of the Roman Empire in 395
Rufus Ῥοῦφος 407–434 Saint
Anastasius I Ἀναστάσιος Α΄ 434–451 Saint
Auxitheus, Eudoxius Αὐξίθεος, Εὐδόξιος 451–458 Saint
Andrew Ἀνδρέας 481–494 Saint
Dorotheus I Δωρόθεος Α΄ 494–520 Saint
Aristides Ἀριστείδης 520–535
Elias Ἠλίας 553 Saint, Participant in the Second Council of Constantinople
Thalaleus Θαλαλεὺς
Theodosius I Θεοδόσιος Α΄ 585
Eusebius Εὐσέβιος 585–603 [2]
John II Ἰωάννης Β΄ 603–610 Saint, author of Book I of the Miracles of Saint Demetrius [2]
Plotinus Πλωτῖνος 616
John II Ἰωάννης Β΄ 617–626 Saint
Paul I Παῦλος Α΄ 649
John III Ἰωάννης Γ΄ 680 Participant in the Third Council of Constantinople [3]
Sergius Σέργιος 690 Participant in the Quinisext Council
Constantine I Κωνσταντῖνος Α΄
Peter Πέτρος before 754 [4]
Anastasius Ἀναστάσιος after 754 [4]
Basil I Βασίλειος Α΄ 772
Theophilus Θεόφιλος 787 Saint; Participant in the Second Council of Nicaea [4]
Thomas Θωμᾶς Saint
Joseph I the Studite Ἰωσὴφ Α΄, ὁ στουδίτης 807–809 Saint; brother of Theodore the Studite
Unknown 809–811
Joseph I the Studite Ἰωσὴφ Α΄, ὁ στουδίτης 811–821 Saint; brother of Theodore the Studite
Leo the Philosopher Λέων, ὁ φιλόσοφος 839/840–843
Anthony the Confessor Ἀντώνιος, ὁ ὁμολογητὴς 843 Saint
Basil II Βασίλειος Β΄ 843–865
Theodore Θεόδωρος 866–869
Paul II Παῦλος Β΄ 880–882
Gregory I Γρηγόριος Α΄ 882
Methodius Μεθόδιος 889
John IV the Thessalian Ἰωάννης Δ΄, ὁ Θεσσαλὸς 892–904 [3]
Basil III the Confessor Βασίλειος Γ΄, ὁ ὁμολογητὴς 904–? Saint
Anatolius Ἀνατόλιος
Isidore I Ἰσίδωρος Α΄ 1016
Nicetas I Νικήτας Α΄
Theophanes I Θεοφάνης Α΄ 1031–1038
Prometheus Προμηθεὺς 1038
Unknown 1063
Theodulus Θεόδουλος 1086–1107
Constantine II Κωνσταντῖνος Β΄ 1110
Michael I Μιχαὴλ Α΄ 1122
Nicetas II Νικήτας Β΄ 1133 [2]
Constantine Κωνσταντῖνος after 1133 [2]
Leo Λέων [2]
Romanus Ρωμανός [2]
Basil IV of Ohrid Βασίλειος Δ΄, ὁ Ἀχρίδος 1145–1168
Eustathius Εὐστάθιος, ὁ Κατάφλωρος 1175–1197 ή 1198 Saint
Constantine III Mesopotamites Κωνσταντῖνος Γ΄, ὁ Μεσοποταμίτης 1198–1199
Chrysanthus Χρύσανθος 1199–1202
Constantine III Mesopotamites Κωνσταντῖνος Γ΄,ὁ Μεσοποταμίτης 1204–1224 in exile; Thessaloniki under Latin control
Nicetas III Νικήτας Γ΄
Joseph II Ἰωσὴφ Β΄ 1232–1235
Michael II Palatanos Μιχαὴλ Β΄, ὁ Παλατάνος 1235
Manuel Μανουὴλ 1258–1261
Joannicius Kydones Ἰωαννίκιος, ὁ Κυδώνης 1261
Demetrius Δημήτριος 1282–1285
Ignatius I Ἰγνάτιος Α΄ 1285–?
James I Ἰάκωβος Α΄ 1299
Jeremy Ἱερεμίας 1315–1322
Euphemianus Εὐφημιανὸς 1322
John V Kalekas Ἰωάννης Ε΄, ὁ Καλέκας 1322–1334 Patriarch of Constantinople
Gregory II Γρηγόριος Β’ 1334
Glabas Γλαβᾶς 1336–1341
Macarius I Μακάριος Α΄ 1342–1346
Gregory III Palamas Γρηγόριος Γ΄, ὁ Παλαμᾶς 1347–1359 Saint
Neilos Kabasilas Νεῖλος, ὁ Καβάσιλας 1360–1361 Saint
Nicholas II Kabasilas Νικόλαος Β΄, ὁ Καβάσιλας 1361–1363 Saint
Unknown 1363–1371
Dorotheus II Δωρόθεος Β΄ 1371–1379
Isidore II Glabas Ἰσίδωρος Β΄, ὁ Γλαβᾶς 1379–1393 Saint; Thessaloniki under Ottoman control
Gabriel I Γαβριὴλ Α΄ 1393–1410 Saint; Thessaloniki returns to Byzantine control
Symeon the Mystic Συμεών, ὁ μυσταγωγός 1410–1429 Saint
Gregory III Γρηγόριος Γ΄ 1430 Thessaloniki finally under Ottoman control
Nephon Νήφων 1450–1484 Saint, Patriarch of Constantinople
Macarius II Μακάριος Β΄ 1517–1536
Theonas Θεωνᾶς, ὁ ἀπὸ Ἡγουμένων 1539 Saint
Theophanes II Θεοφάνης Β΄ 1544
Gregory-David Γρηγόριος–Δαβὶδ
Joasaph I Ἰωάσαφ Α΄ 1560–1578
Metrophanes Μητροφάνης 1585
Gabriel II Γαβριὴλ Β΄ 1594 Patriarch of Constantinople
Matthew I Ματθαῖος Α΄ 1596
Joasaph II Argyropoulos Ἰωάσαφ Β΄, ὁ Ἀργυρόπουλος 1596
Sophronius I Σωφρόνιος Α΄ 1606
Zosimas Ζωσιμᾶς 1607
Parthenius Παρθένιος 1611
Athanasios I Ἀθανάσιος Α΄ 1622–1634 Saint, Patriarch of Constantinople
Damascenus I Δαμασκηνὸς Α΄ 1634–1636
Callinicus I Καλλίνικος Α΄ 1636–1639
Theocletus Θεόκλητος 1645–1651
Joachim I Ἰωακεὶμ Α΄ 1651–1666
Dionysius Διονύσιος 1666–1671 Patriarch of Constantinople
Anastasius II Ἀναστάσιος Β 1671
Meletius I Μελέτιος Α΄ 1672–1684
Methodius Μεθόδιος 1687–1696
Ignatius II Ἰγνάτιος Β΄ 1698–1712
James II Ἰάκωβος Β΄ 1712
Ignatius II Ἰγνάτιος Β΄ 1723
Ananias Ἀνανίας 1728
Joachim II Ἰωακεὶμ Β΄ 1734–1744
Gabriel III Γαβριὴλ Γ΄ 1745–1752
Spyridon Σπυρίδων 1760–1761
Neophytus I Νεόφυτος Α΄ 1767
Theodosius II Θεοδόσιος Β΄ 1767–1769 Patriarch of Constantinople
Damascenus II Δαμασκηνὸς Β΄ 1769–1780
James III Ἰάκωβος Γ΄ 1780
Gerasimus Γεράσιμος 1788–1815
Joseph III the Hieromartyr Ἰωσὴφ Γ΄, ὁ Ἱερομάρτυς 1815–1821 Saint
Matthew II Ματθαῖος Β΄ 1821–1824
Macarius III Μακάριος Γ΄ 1824–1830
Meletius II Μελέτιος Β΄ 1830–1841 Patriarch of Constantinople
Hieronymus Ἱερώνυμος 1841–1853
Callinicus II Καλλίνικος Β΄ 1853–1861 Patriarch of Alexandria
Neophytus II Νεόφυτος Β΄ 1861–1874
Joachim III Ἰωακεὶμ Γ΄ 1874–1878 Patriarch of Constantinople
Callinicus III Fotiadis Καλλίνικος Γ΄, ὁ Φωτιάδης 1878–1884
Gregory IV Kallidis Γρηγόριος Δ΄, ὁ Καλλίδης 1885–1889 Saint
Sophronius II Σωφρόνιος Β΄ 1889–1893
Athanasius II Megaklis Ἀθανάσιος Β΄, ὁ Μεγακλῆς 1893–1903
Alexander II Rigopoulos Ἀλέξανδρος Β΄, ὁ Ῥηγόπουλος 1903–1910
Joachim IV Sgouros Ἰωακεὶμ Δ΄, ὁ Σγουρὸς 1910–1912
Gennadios Alexiadis Γεννάδιος, ὁ Ἀλεξιάδης 1912–1951 Thessaloniki comes under Greek control
Panteleimon I Papageorgiou Παντελεήμων Α΄, ὁ Παπαγεωργίου 1951–1968
Leonidas Paraskevopoulos Λεωνίδας, ὁ Παρασκευόπουλος 1968–1974
Panteleimon II Chrysofakis Παντελεήμων Β΄, ὁ Χρυσοφάκης 1974–2003
Anthimos Rousas Ἄνθιμος, ὁ Ῥούσας 2004–2023
Filotheos Theocharis [el] Φιλόθεος, ὁ Θεοχάρης 2023 -

References edit

Sources edit

  • Nesbitt, John; Oikonomides, Nicolas, eds. (1991). Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 1: Italy, North of the Balkans, North of the Black Sea. Washington, DC: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection. ISBN 0-88402-194-7.
  • Gouillard, J. (1967). "Le Synodikon de L'orthodoxie: Édition et Commentaire". Travaux et Mémoires 2. pp. 1–316.
  • Kiminas, Demetrius (2009). The Ecumenical Patriarchate: A History of Its Metropolitanates with Annotated Hierarch Catalogs. Wildside Press LLC. ISBN 9781434458766.