Life of the holy martyr. Gregory, Patriarch of Constantinople

Contents First Patriarchate Second Patriarchate Third Patriarchate Among the cities and villages of Arcadia, Dimitsana is especially famous, a small city on one of the peaks of the so-called Aorani mountains, near the Luzia River, which flows into Alpheus. According to surviving historical legends, it is known that in the middle of the last century, two residents of Dimitsana, students of the famous school in Smyrna, on the model of it, and in their own fatherland, as the highest Peloponnesian educational institution, opened the still existing Dimitsana School, from which an abundant light of teaching has been poured out on the entire Greek peninsula and other places. Dimitsana is famous as the birthplace of many bishops, archbishops, patriarchs, teachers, doctors, civil officials, and other good and generally useful men. This small city was the place of birth and upbringing and this, by martyrdom, at the beginning of the holy war for independence, which glorified both the fatherland and the Church, Patriarch Gregory, whose biography is offered to us. He was born in 1745 from father John Angelopoulos and mother Asimina Papanagiotopoulou, and in St. At baptism he was named George. He studied the first principles of science and the beginnings of life about Christ in his homeland from his uncle and successor, Hieromonk Meletius, and from another Dimitsan teacher, Hieromonk Athanasius, nicknamed Rusopulo. And in 1765, being already twenty years old, and flaming with the desire to study the sacred sciences, with his teacher Rusopulo left Dimitsana and arrived in Athens, where he studied for almost two years with the Athenian mentor, Demetrius Voda, who was very learned at that time. Then, in 1767, George sailed to Smyrna, and his colleague and teacher Rusopulo, at the invitation of the Athenians, remained in Athens, where he served as a mentor at the school until his death; died in 1780. Upon arrival in Smyrna, George lived with his other uncle Meletius, who held the position of ecclesiarch at the church, served him, and, along with benefit, listened to lessons at the school; and having moved to the Strophadian Islands, he lived for a short time in one small monastery of those striving in a virtuous life, and there he clothed himself in a monastic image, renamed Gregory. From here he moved to Patmos, and listened to Daniel Keramevs, learning divine and human wisdom with unflagging diligence. After Gregory completed his entire course of study at the Patmos school, he was summoned to Smyrna by the then Metropolitan of Smyrna, the ever-memorable Procopius (born and educated also of the Peloponnesian); because he knew Gregory during his stay in Smyrna, and was confident in his good behavior and life according to God, adorned by true education. So, Smyrna again receives Gregory; and the Metropolitan appoints him as archdeacon. After some time, when, as a result of the social disasters that occurred in 1770, disorder in the Pelononeses intensified, Gregory summoned his elderly parents to Smyrna (whom he nourished and gave rest to their death), and with them his brother Panagiota and two sisters - Anna and Exacousta. Soon after his ordination, the Metropolitan sent him to his fatherland, since it was desirable for Gregory to see his native land and his relatives who remained there. Having arrived in Dimitsana, and the local school, under the supervision of Agapius Panaidopoulo the small, having found it in good order, at his own expense he built eight large chambers in it, in which poor students could live free of charge. From Dimitsana, but for a short stay there, Gregory returned to Smyrna. 2 In 1784, Metropolitan Procopius of Smyrna was called to the patriarchal throne. Even before his arrival in Constantinople, Prince Insilanti, as successor to Procopius in the Smyrna metropolitanate, had already proposed to the Council one learned hieromonk Nathanael, who was a teacher in his house. But Procopius, a month after his arrival from Smyrna and upon his accession to the patriarchal throne, although he approved of Nathanael, and determined to ordain him to the first dowager diocese, he nevertheless proposed Gregory to the Council as shepherd of Smyrna, testifying to his education and virtue, as well as to the great respect and love of the inhabitants of Smyrna for him. Therefore, the general verdict of the entire Council confirms the election of Gregory; he is summoned from Smyrna and ordained successor to Procopius. The inhabitants of Smyrna, hearing that Gregory had been elevated to the throne of the metropolis, were filled with joy, and soon the arrival of Gregory was publicly greeted. His thirteen-year pastorate in Smyrna not only justified, but even exceeded the hopes of the inhabitants of Smyrna, as evidenced by the very deeds. Firstly, he often did not stop preaching the word of God for the edification of his verbal flock. Grieving in my soul at the very beginning about the small number of churches of God in Smyrna and in the villages, I took care to eliminate this deficiency. There were many insurmountable obstacles that made it difficult for the inhabitants of Smyrna to build churches, but Gregory, filled with zeal, inspired them to this feat. And first, by virtue of the right given to the bishops by the Ottoman authorities, he builds small houses of prayer in two villages, and then, without great expense, with prudent preparations, he transforms them into large churches. In Smyrna itself there was only one well-appointed, but cramped, church, while the other, St. Photina, was dilapidated and mostly covered with oilcloth, which is why those who gathered there were wetted by rain during bad weather. Gregory and this church, with tireless labor, with the help of strong fellow tribesmen in Constantinople, built again from the very foundations in an extensive and magnificent form; why to this day it excites the surprise of spectators. Finding it unbearable to see how the Smirin clergy were dragged through the streets by tax collectors (Kharajs), he freed the clergy from this forced tax, agreeing to the whole society to pay a certain amount for the poll tax from all clergy. And since (which still happens today) many Orthodox Christians, during mutual quarrels among themselves, took their opponents to civil courts, and often suffered a loss from this; then the good shepherd looked at this with sorrow, and in order to prevent this, he often called those quarreling to himself, admonished, reconciled and agreed with them, giving everyone what justice required; and thus, through his convincing and meek voice, passions were tamed, and quarrels between the Orthodox ended. This act is also worthy of mention, showing in Gregory the features of evangelical morals. Once in Smyrna there was discord between Christians. The Metropolitan, trying to bring the quarrels to agreement, is carried away into deception and stands for the wrong side of the quarrels; but soon, seeing his mistake, he pronounces a word about unanimity in the church from his seat, then in the bishop’s vestments, with a humble look, with a contrite heart, with eyes full of tears, he leaves his place, confesses his sin, bows and asks everyone for forgiveness. And throughout Gregory’s thirteen-year pastorate in Smyrna he was filled with many good deeds and exemplary virtues. In 1798, under Patriarch Gerasim III, a native of Derk, Gregory was summoned to Constantinople and was present at the Synod. At this time he was entrusted with the consecration of the church of St. John at the school on the island of Halki, erected by the ever-memorable Prince of Ypsilanti, preserved to this day; this church is located near another church of the Dormition of the Mother of God, which was built by the penultimate autocrat of the reigning city, Paleologus, and is also preserved intact. But after a little time Gregory returned to his flock. When Gerasim, of blessed memory, renounced the patriarchate; then, according to the general verdict, the Shepherd of Smyrna, Gregory V, is summoned to the patriarchal throne by a council decision; and becomes a worthy successor to the great Gregory of his name and other saints. The fathers who adorned the patriarchal throne of Constantinople. But before we begin the story of his deeds during his patriarchate, let us depict here some of his physical and moral features. Gregory was tall and lean in body; his eyes were blue, and his pupil was circled like a crown; He had a lively, quick gaze, and this showed the liveliness and vigilance of his mind in the production and execution of church affairs, which we will talk about later. His lifestyle corresponded to his high virtue. He kept his clothes neat and simple; he strictly demanded the same simplicity from all clergy, speaking in the word of the Gospel; Behold, those who wear soft things are in kings' houses (Matthew 11:8). I was satisfied with little in food; and adhered to the ascetic rules when he ate food in private. When did he treat strangers or acquaintances? then he offered a rich meal, barely tasting the various dishes himself, so as not to appear fasting among those being treated. Filled with divine love, he was tireless in his feat of prayer. In the evening, after listening to Compline with everyone, he retired to his small resting room, and there, standing outside the world, and talking alone with the one God, he devoted a lot of time, mainly to mental prayer. Then, having rested his body a little, at midnight (according to the word of the Prophet) he again got up to confess to the name of the Lord (Ps. 119:62. 122:4). After a short sleep, he preceded Matins, repeating the words of God with his mind and lips, and gathered his household to perform the church service. Even during the day, when he was alone, he raised his eyes to Him who lives in heaven (Is. 122:1). In short, prayer was both food and delight to his God-loving soul, a guide in his activities, and an accomplice in enduring the patriarchal labors. Alien to pride and humble in heart, he was ready to console anyone who was grieving, even if he belonged to the lowest class. Whoever came to him was not left unattended as someone who was bothering him at the wrong time, and did not leave him unconsoled either in word or in deed, as soon as real help was possible. Meek and peace-loving in spirit, a patient doer of virtue, Gregory at the same time showed fiery zeal in matters and circumstances that required quick disposal. Unfeigned and gentle, like a dove, he was also wise, like a serpent, according to the word of the Gospel (Matthew 10:16). Unforgiving and ready to forgive, he was a strict judge of his own actions, but lenient and meek towards the misdeeds of his neighbor, and at the same time unyielding and unyielding to lawless demands and a fearless defender of the truth. Imitating, as far as possible, the Apostle, he coveted not a single silver, or gold, or vestment (Acts 20:33), Gregory not only never kept money with him and did not carry a wallet with him, but was not even skilled in counting coins. Although he knew the price of the coins in circulation, when it was necessary to determine the total complexity, he was confused in the ordinary calculation, and the result was always incorrect. So the blessed one despised the wealth sought after by many! The repository of the ordinary income collected in the patriarchate was in charge of his faithful archdeacon. And here there was something completely different from what the ancient sage Simonides used to say about his ark. He jokingly expressed himself like this: “I have two arks: one with money, the other with favors, and when I open the last one, I find it empty, but the ark with money is full.” The ever-memorable Patriarch had one ark, money was saved in it, and favors were in it. But it was always full of favors, and often there was no money in it. All income that was collected from time to time, except for the necessary expenses for food for those living in the patriarchate, the Patriarch divided among the poor and orphans. Those in need of all kinds, widows, elders, lame, blind, and crippled, often flocked to the patriarchate and received proportionate help from the archdeacon. Since the poor-loving ark often turned out to be full of heavenly gifts of mercy, but meager in money; then one day the archdeacon came and told the Patriarch about the impoverishment. And he answered: “Then go and borrow it, why hesitate?” And as the archdeacon did not move from his place, the Patriarch, shaking his head, continued: “Eh! You are obviously ashamed to take on debt in order to lend to God. For the poor give mercy to God in return” (Prov. 19:17). Another time, a poor widow came with her daughter-bride and said with tears that the groom was demanding a dowry; The Patriarch takes out an expensive belt, sent to him out of respect by one of the nobles, and gives it to the widow for her needs. And all such expensive gifts, brought to the patriarch as a sign of honor, were made the inheritance of the poor. He especially cared for young girls and widows, whom poverty often brings to the danger of plunging into the abyss of ignominy. But fulfilling, to the best of his ability, the Lord’s commandment: Give to everyone who asks you (Matthew 5:42), he also made the proper distinction, looking not at individuals, but at the needs and circumstances of each. The proof of this is the following: one day his cousin nephew informed the Patriarch about one poor relative; and the Patriarch ordered to give him as much money as they gave to others like him. The nephew began to remind us of the relationship; and the Patriarch said: “You forgot that the patriarch must be the father of the entire Christian family, not preferring relatives in the flesh to his other spiritual children when they need help. The Lord called all the poor, lowly and humiliated, brothers.” But in order not to continue the words with a description of particular examples, we will add the following beautiful, and as brief as complete, depiction of Grigoriev’s morals and church activities. “Honesty and severity of character, simple food, humble clothing, lack of silver, ardent zeal for the faith, impartial, insightful observation of the good behavior of the clergy, extraordinary activity, ardor and perseverance, contempt for danger, steadfastness in thought, an unyielding and undaunted conviction in goodness were the distinctive features of the venerable and strict Gregory.” 3 But let us pay attention to his more remarkable deeds during his threefold patriarchate. Gregory, as soon as he ascended the patriarchal throne, turned his penetrating gaze everywhere to see the real needs of the church entrusted to him. And first of all, his attention was drawn to the dilapidation of the patriarchy, built almost a hundred years ago (in 1716) by Patriarch Jeremiah of blessed memory, after the great fire that happened in 1707 or 1710. First, he instigated a competition to recreate the patriarchy, and proposed this to the Holy Council for a meeting. Since some of the bishops, although they recognized the matter as necessary, were nevertheless afraid of the burdensomeness of the required costs; then the Patriarch said: “You argue fairly, brethren, about what is necessary for the building. Even if he builds a pillar, he will first count what he has to spend (Luke 14:28). And I, like you, brothers, reasoned about this, and found ways that would not only be sufficient, but even in abundance.” Immediately taking the paper, he himself was the first to sign for a significant amount of money, and then each of the bishops present also signed. He sent district messages to those living in the dioceses, inviting bishops, priests, deacons and monasteries to help; and each one diligently contributed according to his strength. And thus, a sufficient amount of money was collected, and the patriarchate was rebuilt from the foundations with surrounding cells, as much as space allowed, extensive and in the form in which it is to this day. There was still money left, and the excess was used for other generally useful things. After the renewal of the Patriarchate, the second task of Grigoriev’s lofty mind was the establishment of a Hellenic printing house in the Patriarchate itself. But since he foresaw some difficulty in obtaining permission from the government for this, he presented to him the extreme need to establish a printing house under the supervision of the church, so that church service books would be printed there, and not in different countries of Europe (as had been the case until then), where they could be subject to damage, and thereby cause temptations and unrest among Christians submissive to the Ottoman power. The government agreed to this fair and reasonable request of the Patriarch, and the Hellenic printing press, which still exists today and is already in perfect condition, was established. The reigning city of Constantinople saw it again almost two hundred years after the destruction of the first printing house established there 4 . Church books began to be printed in the new printing house, and the Patriarch appointed special inspectors to supervise what was printed. A stamp was also made that is placed on published books; on it is a double-headed eagle and the initial letters of the name of the real Patriapxa, and around it there is an inscription: πατριαρχικον τυπογραφεῖον and the year of the patriarchate. After these acts, the Patriarch took measures to strengthen the strict observance and storage of sacred rules. For this purpose, he compiled a cathedral scroll, often published messages and district grammars to the bishops subordinate to the ecumenical throne, ordering to govern the Churches according to the rules; prohibited the ordination as bishops of those lacking legal age and dignity; limited unnecessary and arbitrary ordination to the priesthood, establishing that priests should be ordained only to churches, and not without preliminary testing, also with the obligation not to leave them their place without a reason approved by their own bishop; forbade local clergy to interfere in worldly affairs, as well as laymen in church affairs. With special district instructions, he convinced all bishops to strictly observe the sacred rules regarding the sacrament of marriage and not to allow divorce (except for a known reason that necessarily requires dissolution), and to try, as much as possible, to reconcile discordant spouses with frequent admonitions, and to admonish them, eliminating unfounded reasons for discord. Then he introduced strict order to all the monasteries under his jurisdiction, which, due to the circumstances of that time, were in great disorder; He distributed seals to them and wrote them down in order in a common book. Moreover, he established that the monasteries should annually contribute an amount of money commensurate with their condition to the general treasury of the great church. Gregory zealously took care of the restoration and renovation of local churches, with the permission of the government, with the assistance of his fellow tribesmen who were then in power. Such were Grigorieva’s concerns for the church clergy. And in 1798, the Patriarch saved the whole of Ambrakia from the death that threatened it. The Ionian islands were owned by the French at that time; They, by sending heralds of freedom to Preveza and to the seaside places of Arta, aroused the minds of the frivolous to the indignation of the serene, and some of them began to wear the sign of French democracy (cockade). The neighboring Pasha of Yanina Ali finds out about this, and notifies V. Porto, presenting this matter as a real postponement, and offering that he is voluntarily ready to bring some sense into the troublemakers. But the Ottoman government, knowing Ali’s ambitious intentions, ordered him to be left alone, and was preparing to send another pasha with a large army to Ambrakia to restore calm. Gregory, notified of this by some of his fellow tribesmen, writes a petition to the Porte, volunteering to be a mediator, and asking the Church to provide an end to the mentioned turmoil, for which, as he thinks, his fellow countrymen are accused more on one suspicion, because of the French neighborhood with them. The Porta favorably agreed to the mediation of the Patriarch. And Gregory, having immediately chosen a valiant man, known both for prudence and education, namely, his protosyncellus, Joannicius of Byzaitius, sends him to Arta, authorizing him with the appropriate grammes of the Church. Ioannikiy, having gone and arranged everything wisely, returned with a report from the mullah of Arta, testifying that perfect silence reigns in those places, and there is no reason to fear indignation, and at the same time he brought a petition from the inhabitants of Arta, certifying their loyal obedience to the Ottoman power. When the Patriarch presented this to the Porte; She made sure with the papers and words of the Grigorievs of the serenity of that country, and Aliyev’s slander dissipated like smoke; Ambrakia was freed from the danger that the Ottomans armed against it threatened, and from the disasters that would have followed. After this the following happened. One deacon Parthenius, a learned man and knowledgeable of European languages, comes with letters of approval to Elasson, as a traveler to the Hellenic countries, and, having settled in the metropolis, becomes archdeacon of the Elassonian Metropolitan Parthenius, with whom he lives for one year. Then he goes to Constantinople and, appearing before the Patriarch and at the Council, shows the (false) abdication of the throne of the Elassonian Metropolitan in favor of this Parthenius, sealed with the Metropolitan's seal. When I heard that such a renunciation in favor of another person is prohibited by Divine rules; leaves, leaving behind the paper of renunciation he brought. And almost a month later he comes to the Council again, and brings a report from the inhabitants of Elasson about the death of their elderly bishop, and along with this report comes an order from the Sultan’s sister, brought by one of the court servants, so that the Patriarch appoints none other than Parthenius as bishop in Elasson. The Patriarch, having accepted the order with due honor, and seated the one who brought it next to him, treated him kindly, as he should, and the deacon, after he gave the report, ordered to leave the chamber in which he was sitting for a while, and then said to the courtier: “there is guilt behind this man (meaning what was said: do not enter through doors, etc. (John 10:1), and according to our faith it is impossible for him to be bishop." Having said this and convinced the messenger, he released him, and the deacon followed him. But at the same time, the Patriarch notified the Vizier in writing, and fearing not to receive orders a second time, he convened a Council and the very next day ordained the above-mentioned proto-Syncellus Ioannikis in Elasson, because the report of the Elassonians was accepted as genuine and true. days, when a message came from the elder, Metropolitan of Elasson, in which he sent the usual offerings to the church. After this, the Venerable Ioannikios remained a bishop without a bishopric for three months. When the elder of Elasson really died, then Ioannikis went to the diocese, which had clearly been given to him from above, and the deceiver, not having time to carry out his machinations, disappeared. The Patriarch, seeing in Constantinople a gathering of many bishops coming there without need, sent them to their sacred flocks, so that each one would shepherd the faithful of the Church to which he was ordained. He even sent some of the bishops who deserved respect to their dioceses. That's why it seemed heavy; Some of the laity did not like it either. And, perhaps, as some thought, he should have somewhat moderated the severity and speed of his disposition in doing business, prudently agreeing to something less harmful, and using the time as an aid to correct what was in need of it; Meanwhile, out of jealousy, he wanted to make everyone like himself in a short time, which irritated a considerable number of people. At the same time, the Wallachian ruler, George Khandzheri, who greatly honored and respected him and patronized him, died. Finally, Gregory was slandered before the Porte as a tough man and unable to keep the people in obedience (as it was written in the Vizier’s order about him); and, having been patriarch for a year and six months, he was removed to Athos. But what did this mean for the unshakable worker of virtue? Did he grieve, did he fall from the heights of truly lofty wisdom? Not at all; on the contrary, rejoicing and rejoicing, he swam across the waves, following with thanksgiving where the finger of God led him; and again continued his spiritual exercise, praying for those who persecuted him and thinking about the blessedness with which the Lord blessed those persecuted for His sake and for the sake of the Gospel. Arriving at the holy mountain, he chose the Iveron monastery for residence, and from time to time he lived in the Lavra, everywhere enjoying the dear freedom of ascetic deeds. He often preached God's word in churches, and reconciled disagreements that sometimes arose in some monasteries, serving as a model and example of monastic life. The Svyatogorsk people to this day glorify, and will always glorify, the holiness of his life, for which they respected him as a common father and teacher. And the pilgrims who came from time to time looked at him as at a holy man of God. And that he was engaged in scientific affairs and writings, he himself will later show us. While staying, as stated above, in the Iveron monastery, he visited other Athos monasteries. Once a year, leaving the monastery, he wandered through these monasteries and visited monasteries. Together with the fathers, he philosophized, learning from heavenly wisdom, labored with them in spiritual deeds, prayed in the same church with them, stayed in vigils, shed sweet tears of tenderness. And if somewhere I noticed that something was not being done quite properly; then he reminded about correcting the deficiency. And for the maintenance of the poorest, he contributed all the money that remained from his meager maintenance and from what was annually sent to him, according to custom, by the great church (500 groschen per month) and from what the gratitude of those who had benefited him during his past patriarchate supplied him with. Such was the apparently six-year imprisonment of this Patriarch Gregory, but in fact the famous and joyful journey to Athos, and even, one might say, the glorious passage of the thrice victorious ascetic from triumph to triumph. When you are already six years old; in September 1806, the then Patriarch Kallinikos renounced the throne, and Gregory was called from Athos. And this common father, with tears, his former sons and companions gathered to accompany him, and the reigning city is demolished; and again he enters the disgrace of the patriarchal exploits, not yet cooled from the jealousy with which he went through them before. And firstly, he convinces the collaborators of his bishops to diligently come to the established meetings of the sacred Council; and if anyone is prevented by any necessary reason, send his opinion in writing for a unanimous decision on current church affairs. If one of the strong secular people persuaded him to do something that seemed unfair to him; then instead of answering, he pointed with a smile to the key that was with him to the cell in which he lived during his stay on Athos, jokingly letting those know that he was again ready for exile, preferring it to violating the sacred rules. Having then found a large and generally useful public school newly established in Xiro-krin (Kurutchesme), he often visited it, blessing and encouraging both teachers and students; and he wrote district messages to cities and regions, encouraging them to establish new schools and improve existing ones. And about other matters, especially about the monasteries of Athos and others, he sent district messages to local bishops and abbots, recalling the rules of St. decreed on monastic life. Soborov. He issued a conciliar ban on ordaining bishops with one name, without dioceses. He established the rules of supervision that local bishops should have over those who belong to their dioceses, but live outside them, electing for this people who would report to their Church about everything that deserves attention. And since some of the newly ordained bishops, going to their dioceses, borrowed money; then he decided: the Church should not take on such debts; and if one of the debtor bishops dies without paying his debts, then the lender, having accepted the loss, will not have the right to the property left after the deceased, as belonging to the Church in which he pastored. He also brought into greater order the management and disposal of the income of churches in Constantinople and its suburbs. He took great care of his beloved printing house, which he himself founded in the patriarchate. Since it is first proper for a laboring worker to partake of the fruit (2 Tim. 2:6); then the blessed one enjoyed some fruit from this product of his own cares, and in the second year of his second patriarchate, in the printing house of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, he published an explanation of the eleven conversations on the Sixth Day of Our God-Bearing Father Basil the Great. He was engaged in composing this explanation on the Sixth Day, as stated above, during his learned labors on Athos, which he himself testifies to in his short and melodious preface, saying that he worked on this explanation during his exile on Athos. 5 During this second Patriarchate of Gregory, the Danube Cossacks (stubborn schismatics) turned to the Church with a request to ordain as deacons and priests whom they themselves would choose from among their fellow tribesmen. The Patriarch answered: “I accept your request, but first I will send mentors and teachers who will first inform your entire tribe with the right teaching of piety, especially those whom you choose for ordination. Moreover, give a written confession of your conversion to Orthodoxy from the entire tribe.” Since they denied, not heeding many of his admonitions; then the Patriarch finally said to them: “Go, then, like sheep wandering outside the united flock of Christ.” And they returned back with displeasure. These schismatics turned to the Church on another occasion for the same purpose, but were exposed in hypocrisy, deception and lies. This was followed by such a political event. 6 February 20, 1807, the English fleet appears before Constantinople and threatens to turn the reigning city into ashes if the Ottoman government does not terminate the military alliance with the French (this threat was only in words). Then the local government began to prepare for resistance, and many proclamations were issued, inviting citizens to build loopholes near the palace. From all classes and tribes in the city, a great multitude of people flocked to work, and each class and tribe followed its leader. Then Patriarch Gregory (since he is revered as the spiritual leader of the Christian subjects of the Sultan), notified from the Porte by the then wise dragoman Alexander Khandzheri, himself goes out to general work, taking with him some bishops and priests; he is followed by about three thousand Greeks; everyone started working; The blessed one himself shared the labor with them, encouraging the workers, and two or three times he brought earth with his own hands in a small bag, and together with others he poured it onto the mentioned coastal loopholes. The Sultan, looking at the workers from the windows of the palace, was especially amazed at the elder Patriarch. Then he sent one of the dignitaries to declare the royal favor to him and invite him to dinner at court (it was then lunch time). The courtier, having arrived, conveys the order, and the Patriarch, humbly thanking for everything else, kept silent about dinner and the dignitary, guessing the reason for the silence, added: “maybe you don’t eat meat; but we also have lean food.” Then the Patriarch, having expressed his consent, went with the clergy, and after dinner he retired complacently. When this short-term fear passed and the fleet departed; Gregory calls to V. Porto on the Sunday of Cheese Week; there the Vizier receives him, expresses the Sultan’s favor to him, puts an expensive red sable fur coat on him, and honorably takes him on horseback to the Patriarchate. Gregory, always unproud and unchanging in his way of thinking, again continues his work, adhering to the rule he adopted; and some bishops are sent back to their own Churches, in need of their shepherding; because they lived in Constantinople for a long time. After this, a rebellion arises in Constantinople: the Janissaries overthrow Sultan Selim from the throne and elevate Mustafa, the son of Sultan Hamed. And the next year (1808), Mustafa Bayraktar, having entered Constantinople, reigned as Sultan Magmud (father of the now reigning), and Bayraktar himself became the Sultan’s viceroy (Vizir). Then, beyond his aspirations, Callinicus V, who had been patriarch before, again desired not exploits, but a high degree of patriarchy, at which (as at any highest degree of power) the virtues and vices of those ascending to it are more visible and noticeable. Finally, Callinicus ascends to the ecumenical throne without a general verdict, without correct election, without the knowledge of the Council, by the power of Bayraktar and on his orders, and Gregory, according to the vizier's order, is deposed, having served as patriarch for the second time for two years. Having given his renunciation with joy, he immediately leaves the reigning city, and with the permission of the government moves to the Princes' Island, where he spends several months in the monastery of Christ, silent and secluded, like a special bird here (Ps. 102:8); He receives only the poor, giving them from the small amount of money that he had. When the two poorest widows came to him and brought their daughters-brides with them, he tells them to wait, and he takes out the Sultan’s gift, an expensive sable fur coat, from the chest, tears it into two parts, and gives each widow half so that they can sell it and turn the proceeds into a dowry for their daughters. Meanwhile, Callinicus is deprived of his patriarchate (he served as patriarch for barely ten months); Jeremiah from Mytilene assumed the patriarchate (1809), and Gregory was again expelled by the government to Athos. And this illustrious man, having received the order of his exile, exclaimed in the psalm word: turn my soul to your rest (Psalm 115:6). And again he entered the Iveron monastery, in readiness having both the key to the cell, which (as stated above) significantly showed as a joke during his second patriarchate, and also the key to the understanding of the Divine Scriptures, with which, opening them, he often explained and taught the word of God with him to the ascetic and monastic Holy Mountain dwellers, loved and respected by them, as before. This time he lived on the holy mountain for a whole decade. At the end of 1818 (December 13), when the ever-memorable Cyril renounced the throne, Gregory was elected and called from Athos to the third and last patriarchate. He comes to Constantinople on January 1819; Until this time, the above-mentioned venerable Ioannikios (after a ten-year pastorate in Elasson, transferred to Philippopolis) ruled the patriarchate as a locum tenens. Gregory, having taken the reins of patriarchal power, again rules the helm of the Church, keeping in mind the common good. And first of all, he publishes a district message about the internal structure of schools, convincing everyone to study other sciences, and especially to study the Greek language; for I heard that in some schools in Greece, students are more willing to listen to the newly introduced teachings of modern philosophy, but neglect the accurate and diligent study of the Hellenic language. The Patriarch, forbidding this shameful negligence for the Greeks, urged everyone, both teachers and students, to study their native language in all its breadth, and for the sake of philosophy not to neglect the mother and nourisher of philosophy. He advised practicing philosophy itself wisely, borrowing from every knowledge the best and useful for life, and keeping the piety betrayed by the Fathers unharmed from any alien and soul-destructive teaching. Gregory was prompted to this district message not only by the great zeal for the true education characteristic of Orthodox Greeks, but also by the unfavorable false rumor spread by some government officials that the Greeks were studying military sciences in schools (this is how the study of the physical and mathematical sciences was reinterpreted). Then the vigilant gaze of the Patriarch's paternal benevolence turned to another philanthropic goal. In the vast city of Constantinople there are many beggars and poor people who suffer great poverty from the high cost of necessary needs, and often from fires. This number of those in need is increased by newcomers, who often flock to the reigning city from other countries and seek food there, not to mention widows and orphans and those in poverty for misdeeds in prison. Having paid attention to this, Gregory chooses as his assistants the great dragoman of that time, John Callimachus, and some other noble people, and starts a circle under the name of the circle of mercy, and for the initial filling of it, bishops, nobles, merchants and rich people from the same tribe, as well as the two principalities of Wallachia and Moldova, invest significant sums. It was also established that the great Church, including the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, should contribute a certain amount of money annually. And each of the ordained bishops was obliged to contribute a certain amount of alms to this sacred treasury. Trustees have also been established to oversee the collection of circle income and its distribution to the needy. Alms are distributed, as at other times, when a need arises, especially twice a year, at the onset of the holidays of the Nativity of Christ and Easter. Towards the end of 1820 there were vague rumors of war threatening from the north. And some of those close to the Patriarch began to say to him: “wouldn’t the Patriarchate also be in danger in such circumstances?” But he answered: “And before this there have been wars; but the Patriarch was not in danger. If something happens to me; then the will of the Lord be done.” And he added: “A hired hand, and not a shepherd, runs away; but the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11,12). When Ypsilanti entered Moldavia (February 10, 1821), the Turkish merchants who were there were killed in Galati, and a few days later the news of this came to Constantinople; then many Ottomans, up to two thousand or more, men and women, young and old, flocked to the Porte and begin to shout, demanding revenge for the blood of relatives killed by infidels (Christians), and the Vizier with difficulty persuades the crowd to disperse, promising revenge. At the beginning of March, on Wednesday of the second week of Lent, they first throw into prison the venerable Metropolitan of Ephesus Dionysius Kalliorkh (brother of one of the boyars of the Principality of Moldova), and the next day they cut off the heads in Constantinople of all those who, being of noble origin, had relatives in Moldova. During the third week of Lent, the other two Bishops, members of the Council, Afavasius of Nicomedia and Gregory of Derk, were taken to prison. The Patriarch intercedes for these three Hierarchs, testifying in his petition to the Porte of their innocence. But, while waiting for an answer, he learns that another Bishop, Eugene of Anchial, was brought bound from his diocese and imprisoned in the same prison! From that time on, the blessed one, noticing in the Government every day the increasing direction of anger towards the Church, already foresaw its consequences, and his own end. But he did not tremble, awaiting with thanksgiving the fulfillment of God’s will. On the second Sunday of Lent, around the evening, the Patriarch was called to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Porte, and in the hall he found the great dragoman, the blessed Constantine Muruzi, waiting in his hall, who was also called, and did not know what the reason was. Soon afterwards both of them entered the room; the minister received them with the usual kindness, and a few minutes later, turning his speech to the Patriarch, he said: “By a decree recently issued by the Sultan, the seven Serbian deputies staying in Constantinople were ordered to be under the strict supervision of you (the Patriarch), and you should observe their actions.” The Patriarch, with the usual presence of mind, answered the minister, expressing to him the impossibility, or difficulty, of fulfilling the order; because these deputies live far away and are separated by both land and sea. The minister, having listened to these comments, said that he would report this to the Sultan. And the Patriarch left. The very next day, a decree was issued regarding the Serbs: they should move to the Patriarchate and be in custody there, where they remained until the death of the Holy Martyr; and a few weeks later they were released and left. Some traitors, and especially the Peloponnesian Assimaki, had already reported rumors about Etheria. From the Peloponnese itself, the then Pasha of Morea wrote about some of his suspicions, according to which he summoned noble Peloponnesians and Bishops to him with the intention of detaining them hostages (which he did, imprisoning several noble persons and five Bishops who came to him). Finally, the Patriarch and the great dragoman were called to Porto, and the Vizier asked them: “Do they know from rumors about any society in one of the border places plotting against the general peace of their subjects?” This question was addressed to the Patriarch. “No, high-walled one,” they both answered; We have not heard and do not know anything like it.” The vizier, looking at the Patriarch, continued: “Will you be the guarantors for the general peace of the subjects?” - The elder answered: “The Patriarch, whom V. Porta recognizes him as the leader of the people, and without a doubt is also recognized as the guarantor of the peace of his Christian subjects, as much as this depends on his spiritual power; but there are local chiefs from the government who are vigilant over the general tranquility.” The vizier, having asked and listened to this, dismissed them kindly. A few days later, the former Hospodar, Alexander Khandzheri, with his entire family suddenly disappeared from Balta-estuary, a village near the Bosporus, where he lived. Then an order is issued for all the families of the Gospodars and boyars living near the Bosphorus to move to Fanari. And they moved. The tireless Gregory, trying to arrange what was unsettled, entered into a meeting with the noblest of his family to discuss what should be done. And in this meeting it was decided to present a petition to the Porte, stating in it that all noble families are pledged one after another in the desire to remain in Constantinople as loyal subjects of the kingdom and, as much as they can, contribute to the restoration of general peace. With this petition, the Patriarch, accompanied by three Bishops, went to Porto on March 10, Sunday of the Cross, to submit it to the Vizier. Not finding the dragoman there, who was then with the internunce, the Patriarch was forced to introduce himself to the minister’s locum tenens, named Zanip-Efendi, an evil enemy of Christians. This Muslim, at first receiving the Patriarch and Bishops kindly, then said to Gregory with severity: “Greek Patriarch! How did the news of your people’s uprising seem to you?” The Patriarch replied that he heard with great bewilderment and sorrow about the turmoil that had happened in places, which was contrary to the loyalty to which subjects are obliged, and to the obedience that should be shown to the sovereign royal authority, and also contradicted the very commandments of the Church and the Gospel, in which our God commands us: let every soul obey those in power (Rom. 13:1); and: Honor the King (1 Peter 2:17). At this time, the Patriarch is invited to enter the Grand Vizier, Ali Pasha; and he, having entered there with the Bishops (among whom was the one from Thessalonica), submitted a petition. The Grand Vizier received them kindly; Having seated the Patriarch, he read the petition, and looking at it favorably, said: “very good”; then, among other insignificant speeches, he added that he was once a pasha in the Peloponnese, and remembers this country, and after this he asked the Patriarch: “Where is your fatherland?” He answered directly: both in the Peloponnese and my homeland is called Dimitsana.” The vizier, looking at the Thessalonian, said: “it is true that the elder Patriarch has not seen his homeland for a long time.” “Yes, high-ranking,” answered the Thessalonian; He left there as a child." The Vizier smiled; then, after a little hesitation and, apparently, after thinking, he says to the undaunted Gregory: “Greek Patriarch! have you heard that the clergy also took part in the turmoil that occurred in Moldova? But Gregory answered in a firm and calm voice: “Whoever of our clergy resists, a high-ranking one, and is indignant against the sovereign royal power, our faith (aini) deprives him of his church rank, and the government punishes him, like any other apostate. I hope, high-ranking one, that the sovereign gift of power will soon calm this unauthorized turmoil in places with its invincible weapons, and with its usual philanthropy towards the guilty, when they turn around and repent of their reckless misconduct.” - “God will help!” answered the Vizier, and soon said goodbye to the Patriarch and those who were with him; and they left. Around the middle of the fourth week of Lent, the Patriarch came to the decree to send three Bishops to Porto: Thessaloniki, Adrianople and Ternov, so that, together with others, they would remain hostages of security there. The Patriarch invited them to his place; They came to dinner, and Gregory, having dined with them, after a sorrowful conversation about real disasters, stands up and in a contrite voice says to them: “The Lord is pleased to show us, brothers, many serious things. He feeds us with the bread of sickness and waters us with the wine of tenderness. This decree calls for the three of you to go straight to Porto today, and there to remain hostages under guard with the other brothers. What will happen to you and to me, the Lord knows. If this ends in martyrdom for you; then, of course, I will not hesitate to follow you.” Having said this, he wept bitterly; Those who were to come shed tears along with the Bishops. And the Bishops, approaching, shared with the Patriarch the last kiss on earth for Christ and, bowing their heads, went to their lot. Around the evening of Lazarus Saturday (March 31), news of the Peloponnese uprising arrives in Porto. Since the Porte suspected that in Constantinople itself there were many etherists ready for an uprising; Then, having prepared the fleet and the army of the Janissaries standing in the pier, thirsting for Christian blood, she wanted to give a reason for the discovery of the intended enterprise of the Eterists. And early in the morning on Palm Sunday (April 1), having left the schools, crowds of students (softs), as if moved by themselves, rush with screams to the Church of the Life-Receiving Source, which was then small, burn and destroy it, and then return home. The Patriarch at this time, according to custom, distributed vayas to Christians in the great church; and no one came and secretly informed him in his ear about what had happened. But he, without saying a word, continued to calmly distribute the wai. At the end of the Divine Liturgy, having entered the Patriarchate together with the Bishops who had come together with him, he informs them what has been done with the Church of the Life-Receiving Source. When they asked in horror: “What does this mean?” Gregory tells them: “this is the beginning of illness, and maybe the end is near.” Soon after, an order came to him to send to Porto a list of the Greek families of boyars and others living in Fanari, with an exact indication of the number of persons, name and fatherland of each. The Patriarch replied that there was no such list in the Patriarchate. Then the second order comes, to give two priests, who will be accompanied by three Janissaries (and two of them are native Cretans who know Greek), and the priests will indicate houses to the Janissaries and, entering with them, call all members of the family together and with the servants, and the Turks will write down. The Patriarch gave priests, and the scribes went to carry out the work entrusted to them. On the morning of Great Monday (April 2), near the palace of the great Porte (at Bab-Gumayut), the ever-memorable, most devoted to his fellow tribesmen and the last great dragoman chosen from the princely families, Constantine Muruzi, was beheaded. As soon as the Patriarch found out about this, he began to cry and ordered the usual funeral singing to be performed in the church, and then to commemorate the deceased, ordering, in addition, to buy a corpse from the executor and bury it at night, where possible. On the same day, several other noble persons were strangled or hanged, mostly those who came from the Peloponnese; and others were killed in passing, encountered on the way. But none of the spiritual ones were touched anywhere. These murders were determined to be carried out little by little after the Archpastor had first been sacrificed; for they assumed that if the sword touched the spiritual, the Patriarch, fearing this, would hide and flee. But he calmly went to church and listened to the regular vigils of Great Week (they were held in the morning, because none of the Christians dared to go out at night), and the glorified one often repeated to himself the beginning of this troparion: “Behold, the bridegroom is coming at midnight.” On Great Wednesday, an order was sent to the Patriarch to keep in custody the family of the ever-memorable Demetrius Muruzi, uncle of Constantine Muruzi, living in Fanari, who was also a great dragoman and was beheaded in Shumla in 1812. Since the Patriarch replied that he had no guards, except for the two usually appointed janissaries guarding the patriarchy; then the one who brought the command said: “There are monks for that.” Therefore, two priests were sent as guards to the above-mentioned family of Demetrius Muruzi. The mother of the family, as soon as she heard what they had come for, met them with tears and gave them rooms to rest in. On Maundy Thursday a meal was offered to the guards; They ate, drank and, dozing off, fell asleep. Then the family, taking time and changing clothes, escaped in a Turkish boat, which was at the door of a house leading to the sea; The fugitives, not recognized by anyone, crossed over to Galata, and from there, on a ship departing for Odessa, reached this city with great dangers. But barely some time had passed after they left the house, when armed soldiers came to take the mother of the family into custody, and her sons to execution, and finding no one in the house except two sleeping guards - priests, they took them and dragged them to the authorities; and they were sent to the galleys. On Great Saturday, an order was sent to the Patriarch to announce to Christians that on Easter Day they would gather in church to pray according to the rites of their faith, and then everyone would quietly go home, but not go to each other for the usual congratulations; and so it was done. Only the Patriarch, turning to one of the Bishops who were with him, said: “The prophetic word is also being fulfilled on us: and their feasts will turn into mourning” (Amos.8:10). On Saturday evening, since he had spent the previous two days fasting and was extremely weak, Gregory ate some poor food. Some of those close to him were sitting with him. When the conversation touched upon the ever-memorable Constantine Muruzi, whose head was cut off; Then, sighing, he asked: “Which death is more venerated? when will they cut off the head, or when will they strangle them?” Since no one answered; then, after hesitating a little, he repeated the same question again. Someone said: “I don’t know, because I have not experienced either death.” “You answer reasonably,” said the Patriarch. “But if you bring to your mind that the martyrs of Christ suffered beheading and countless types of violent deaths; then you will not be too afraid of such death, as some great evil (if only you are subjected to death unrighteously and lawlessly). In the same way, since we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, let us persevere with patience for the fight that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author of our faith and finisher” (Heb. 12:1,2). From this it is clear that the blessed one foresaw his death. He predicted about it soon afterwards, talking with the Serbs who were in custody in the Patriarchate, to whom he came to console them. When night fell, he went alone into his upper room and spent almost the entire night awake in prayer. On the same evening of Holy Saturday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, calling in Porto, determined by the beheading of Muruzi by the great dragoman, Aristarchus Stavraki, gave him the order to report to the minister early the next morning to receive the necessary orders. On the morning (April 10), after the arrival of the holy and great Easter, on the day of the resurrection of Christ the Savior, the Patriarch came to church; The patriarchy was surrounded by guards of up to three thousand soldiers. The ever-memorable Gregory, having donned sacred clothes, began the divine liturgy. When he performed the proskomedia, it was noticed that the Patriarch slowed down much longer than usual, and this slowness occurred because at the holy proskomedia he remembered all the deceased whom he knew, both friends and foes, whose names he kept in his memory, unfaded by old age, as well as those who had recently died in the faith, and to whom he himself soon went. He also remembered the living faithful, those in distress in sorrows and all kinds of misfortunes, praying for their deliverance. When the faces sang: I will love You, Lord, my fortress, the Patriarch with tears gave his last kiss to the Bishops. After the liturgy, he entered the Patriarchate together with the Bishops who served with him, and with them he resolved the fast, tasting the brew served according to custom. After several minutes of silence, the Bishops left in sorrow, and he, in the same frame of mind, went into his small upper room. Then one of the household came and told him, as something he had known for certain, that the rumor that had recently spread about the Peloponnesian uprising was true, and this was confirmed by the Ionian ship that arrived from the Peloponnese yesterday. “Will something happen now?” he said. But the Patriarch, not at all embarrassed, answered him: “And now, as always, the will of the Lord be done!” and, laying his head on the pillow, calmed down. After this, at 10 o’clock in the morning, when the meal was prepared and the Patriarch was already sitting down, one of the deacons, seeing that the great dragoman was entering the porch, announced: “the great dragoman is coming.” The Patriarch, thinking that he was coming to visit him, waited for him standing. At this time, another deacon came and announced that the dragoman had gone up another staircase into the large cathedral chamber, and the elder went there, hastening there after the archdeacon, who was walking forward, to announce this to the great dragoman. But the dragoman, hiding a tear, says to the deacon: “Hurry to tell His Holiness that I ask him to wait a little; I’ll come and talk to him soon.” (He spoke this way only in words; for what good could he say to him?) The elder, having heard this, stopped. And the dragoman, having hastily sent to one of the Bishops living nearby, ordered to take with him the other Bishops living in Phanari and gather as quickly as possible; and they came. Soon after this, the kessedar of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chaushlar-Emin came to the patriarchate. The latter went to where the great dragoman was, and the first went to the Patriarch. And the elder, when instead of the dragoman he was waiting for, saw the kessedar, his face changed. But he immediately ordered the usual treats to be brought; the Muslim refused to accept anything, saying that he was waiting for the Patriarch to go with him where he was ordered. The Ever-Memorable One, having heard this, immediately gets ready to set off, puts on a cassock and kamilavka, and taking a staff, follows the Muslim. Kessedar took the blessed one to a seaside place called Exostegon, and from there inside the palace, where a room was reserved for Bostanji Pasha. This, seeing the elder going to martyrdom, consoled him in his overthrow from the patriarchal throne, saying that the Sultan, having elevated him to the patriarchate three times, would soon raise him again. Gregory remained here as long as was considered necessary for the election of a new Patriarch. Meanwhile, some approached the Patriarch and asked him in detail who were the leaders of the uprising? The old man was silent. Others tormented him and suggested that he renounce his faith. But the Hieromartyr said: “Work in vain; The Christian patriarch dies a Christian.” Soon afterwards the chief of the guard appeared to the blessed one and told him that he had orders to take him to the patriarchate. Through Exostegon they went ashore, where a large number of three-oared boats were prepared, each of which included 4 or 5 guards. Then an order was given that his household who followed the Patriarch should move away from him; and they, shedding tears, kissed the right hand of the Father, and he blessed them, and immediately took them to the boat appointed for him. Kochim Pasha entered the same boat with him, and immediately other boats with guards surrounded their prey, some of them sailed forward, and among them was the one in which the chief of the guards was. So they take the Patriarch to a certain place of torment. When he saw many Ottomans gathered in the square where the heads of condemned people are often cut off; then he said something, perhaps the words of Scripture: they will soon shed blood (Proverbs 1:6). "What are you saying?" asked one of those sailing together. The Patriarch pointed to the crowd. And he, afraid that Gregory would not die of fear before execution, says: “They did not gather for you.” Coming out of the boat, and taking a few steps, he bowed his knees and his head, ready to be cut off; and Kochim Pasha, kicking him, said: “Get up and go”; and, holding out his hand, helped him get up. When they walked a few more steps and entered the Phanar Gate, where the chief of the guard, who had already gone ahead, stood; news was received from the Patriarchate, which was not far away, that the election of a new Patriarch was not yet over, and the execution should be delayed somewhat. Here they stopped the great ascetic of piety for a short time, and then they moved on. When they reached the stone-paved rise on the street leading to the patriarchy, the elder was unable to walk; two of the accompanying guards took him from the right and left sides, and led him to the entrance, where there were three doors - some on the right side, which lead to the patriarch's cells, others on the left, leading to the vast courtyard of the great church, and the middle ones to the cells where the clergy are located. Before them, it was planned to sacrifice the great Bishop, to the dishonor and shame on the one hand of the subsequent Patriarchs, and on the other, the Christians who were going to church, as the murderers thought, not knowing that they could not choose a more decent and glorious place for the ever-memorable death of the Patriarch. Outside the gates of the patriarchy and outside the gates of the church fence, it was fitting for the Patriarch to suffer, both for the glory of the faith, and for the unforgettable and ever-memorable example of martyrdom for the patriarchs and for other Christians. Here, as a sacrifice before the altar, they first placed for a short time the one they wanted to hang, since he was a disciple of the One Nailed to the Tree. But while the executioners were preparing what was necessary to carry it out, they took the martyr to the staff-bearers’ quarters nearby, and soon brought him out and handed him over to the torturers, who dragged him to the gallows. At this time, the veil falls from his sacred head, as if giving way to an unfading martyr’s crown, and the chief of the guard orders the kamilavka to be placed on him again, perhaps with the thought of putting this hanged man to shame in full robes. So the perfect sacrifice, perfect in appearance, is brought to a rope, which was hung on thick logs, firmly fixed into the wall cornice above the middle doors. And the Patriarch, stretching out his hands to bless the Orthodox, and raising his eyes to heaven, exclaimed: “Lord Jesus Christ, receive my spirit”; and, having accepted the strangulation, soared victorious into the Church of the Firstborn, triumphant in heaven, having lived on earth for seventy-six years. When the dead man has not yet stopped trembling; The chief of the guard approaches, and on his chest hangs an inscription that showed the reason for the condemnation, and it was as follows: “this apostate and instigator of the uprising was both an accomplice and compatriot of the rebels.” 7 Having done this, the murderer departed arrogantly; The large crowd of Ottomans also dispersed, shaking their heads, blaspheming and cursing, but the Lord bless him (Num. 23:5). At the same time, this sad event took place, and as soon as the election of a new Patriarch, Eugene of Pisidia, was completed at the top of the Patriarchate, who agreed to the election against his will and with tears, when the bishops present, and clergy, and those who came there from the secular began to congratulate him, they suddenly heard that the Patriarch had been hanged, and everyone stood up, asked with trepidation, scouted, came to horror; and the crying and sobbing began. But they did not yet know about the other victims, about those Bishops who on the same day in other parts of Constantinople made the same path of martyrdom as the Patriarch. 8 The body of the holy martyr Patriarch remained hanged for three whole days under the protection of guards. Although the successor to the patriarchate, Eugene of blessed memory, tried by all means to redeem this body for burial at a great price: but his labors were in vain; because the Turks had orders to throw the body into the sea, and thus destroy it. But they did not know that by doing this they were fulfilling the will of God, which decided that these dishonored remains should be transferred by sea to another prosperous and Christian country for a glorious and sacred burial there. While the body was still hanging, many Ottomans came to see this spectacle, and there was almost not a single one left in the city who did not come to see the dead man with his own eyes; many, reading the inscription, said that if what was said in it was true, then he suffered justly; and if not, then woe to those who condemned him, who will repay the word on the day of judgment. Of the Turkish women who came, some old women, having rods in their possession because of their old age, came up and beat the dead man with the rods. And the Sultan himself, as they say, having changed his clothes, walked at a distance to take a casual look. And the then Grand Vizier, Venterlis Ali Pasha, openly arrived on horseback and looked sadly at the dead man, shook his head, saying: “What a lie!” Of the Christians, especially those living inside the wall, not one showed up on the street; but each one remained in his own house out of fear, locking the doors. Only the Roman Catholics living in Galata rejoiced at such a disaster for the Church. On the third day after the strangulation, the executioners came to the sacred dead man, accompanied by 20 Jews who were ready to diligently carry out everything that was ordered. The first, having removed the sacred corpse from the gallows, stripped off his clothes, leaving only the sap, and then said to the Jews: “Go, take this vile dog and throw it into the depths of the sea.” The Jews, grabbing the rope on which the Holy Martyr was hanged, dragged him to the Phanar Gathering, shouting: “This is what happens to apostates, enemies of the Sultan!” Here, having tied a larger stone to a rope, the body of many ascetics is thrown into a boat, and having driven away from the shore, it is thrown into the middle of the Kerati Gulf, then returned back. Patriarch Eugene, shedding tears, came to the church, and with the bishops and clergy who were there, performed the funeral service. The body of the Holy Martyr, as soon as it was thrown into the sea, became invisible; but then it appeared from the water, along with the rope trailing behind it, the ships were carried there along the waves, until in the evening (April 16) it stuck to the side of the only Greek ship standing in the pier under the Russian flag (all the other ships in the pier belonged to other European nations) and was preparing to sail to Odessa. The captain of the ship was called Marinus, nicknamed Sklavos, a Cephalonian by birth. On this very ship the protosyncellus of the Holy Martyr found refuge and, after the terrible day of strangulation, immediately escaped danger. The captain, seeing from the deck a dead body, priestly in appearance, with a gray head and a small beard, looked with respect at this blessed stranger and unburied dead, seeking refuge for himself. Seeing the rope, he thought that it was one of the elevated Bishops, or the Patriarch himself (whom he had not seen up close). And he immediately calls the protosyncellus to him and asks: “Doesn’t he recognize the dead one?” Protosinkel, barely looking, exclaimed: “My Patriarch, Patriarch!” and cried bitterly. But the pious captain tells him: “Be quiet, don’t cry; and we will take him as a companion.” When night fell, he lifted the sacred remains onto the ship, wrapped them in linen, lowered them into the lower part of the ship onto ballast, and the next day early in the morning, having the papers necessary for navigation ready, he sailed immediately to Odessa. However, due to strong contrary winds, barely after a 24-day voyage the good Sklavos arrived at the Odessa pier with the mortal remains of the Patriarch, which remained undecayed, whole and undamaged, as Sklavos received them, and as they remained for three days on the gallows. The pious and Greek-loving Count Alexander Fedorovich Langeron (who was at that time the military governor of Novorossiysk) was immediately notified of the arrival of the sacred remains; and he, soon arriving at the pier, summoned all the noblest Greeks who had escaped to Odessa from Constantinople and other places and who had closely known Patriarch Gregory during his lifetime, as well as some of the more famous Roman Catholics from Stavrodromium, so that they could examine the body. Those gathered, as soon as they saw the dead man lying on the shore, began to cry out with tears to the common father of the Orthodox, and everyone unanimously confirmed that these were indeed his remains. At the same time, a record of the examination was drawn up with the handwritten signatures of all those who testified; and Langeron sent this paper on the same day with a special message to St. Petersburg, notifying the Government of this matter. The remains of the Patriarch were transferred from the pier (according to custom) to quarantine, and placed in a clean ark, placed in a visible place, where candles burned day and night, and two priests alternately read the Gospel. The venerable Autocrat, having received the news, shed tears, and immediately ordered the burial of the common father of the Orthodox with magnificence and dignity, and honored his remains with royal gifts, sending a gold-woven sacred patriarchal vestment, a valuable miter and a panagia strewn with diamonds; all this was delivered by express, and the priests entrusted it to the deceased; then the body was transferred to a valuable shrine, prepared for removal for burial, which took place as follows: On the morning of June 17 (1821) the gospel began at churches. Soon Count Langeron and all the civil and military officials arrived at the outer courtyard of the quarantine, where the shrine with the body stood elevated, surrounded by priests, and candles, and incense. Then the sacred clergy entered there with three Bishops: Kirill of Dristre, Gregory of Irinople, and also Gregory of Bendery and Akkerman. On the Trisagion, the priests placed the shrine on the chariot, and immediately the bells began ringing in all the city churches. At the same time, all the Imperial and merchant ships in the Odessa pier, having waved their flags, as happens in sad cases, began firing from cannons. And the Imperial ships, as well as the military guards on land, fired 101 shots each, and the merchant ships 51 each. Meanwhile, the procession and removal took place in the following order: Preceded by a larger silver-gilded cross, in front of which the clerics in surplices carried tall lanterns with lit candles; they were followed by church banners; then four deacons carried the roof of the shrine; behind them the deacon carried the hierarch's staff, while the other two deacons carried on gilded pillows - one the sacred mantle, and the other the bishop's panagia; followed by the face of church singers, chanting funeral verses; then a silver candlestick with a tall candle was carried, and behind that walked the sacred clergy - first the monks, then the hierodeacons, priests, archimandrites; and after them three Bishops, preceded by deacons, carrying dikiria and trikiria and censers, and after the Bishops followed a shrine with sacred remains on a chariot, which was carried by six horses under black covers, and they were held by six grooms also in worm clothes. At the four corners of the chariot stood four deacons with censers, six priests, three on each side of the chariot, holding a canopy of red velvet with gold fringe over the shrine, and twelve of the noblest Odessa citizens carried large lighted candles. Behind the chariot walked the Count Governor and all the civil and military officials with noble Greek princes and other noble persons who had then taken refuge in Odessa from Constantinople and Moldova; Finally, a great multitude of people followed, both men, wives, and children - all with a sign of sadness on their right hands. From the quarantine gates to the doors of the cathedral church, a distance of an hour's journey, rows of soldiers stood on both sides of the road, and Cossacks and local guards on horseback watched the deanery during the procession. Spectators of all classes and religions (except for the Jews, who were ordered not to leave their homes), flocking from everywhere, crowded the path. The procession stopped in three different parts of the city, and while standing, each of the three Bishops read one Gospel. With such solemn accompaniment, the body of the Patriarch was carried by priests into the Greek-Russian Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Lord, and placed on an elevated gilded hearse, arranged by the dependents of the ever-memorable Empress Maria Feodorovna. Four deacons, placed at the four pillars of the hearse, continually burned incense; Near the remains, tall candles were burning in 12 large candlesticks, and the whole church was illuminated. When the sacred remains were placed on a hearse; The Divine Liturgy immediately began, which was performed by the cathedral archpriest with other concelebrating priests. At the end of it, the entire sequence of burial was completed, and the Bishops, standing near the holy martyr Patriarch, read, each in turn, the Gospels prescribed by the statute. At the end of the sequence, the Bishops and all the clergy, kissing the sacred remains, left; but the body remained for three days in the middle of the church, where many Orthodox Christians constantly flocked, deliberately coming to Odessa from everywhere, from Little Russia, and from Moscow, and from Bessarabia, and from Taurida, and from Moldova; and everyone kissed the long-suffering body with tears of reverence and sadness. And in general, rumor produced a confluence of all kinds of tribes. Greeks, Russians, Cossacks, Georgians, Wallachians, Tatars (Christians), having gathered in many thousands, crowded inside the city, and outside it settled in tents. During all these three days, the priests and deacons read the Holy Gospel night and day, alternately. And on June 19, at eight o’clock in the morning, the gospel began in churches. And when the Bishops and all the clergy and the multitude of people gathered; The Divine Liturgy was celebrated (at about 10 o'clock), and then a memorial service. The preacher Constantine Ikonomos delivered the funeral oration. Then, in a similar previous order, the sacred remains from the Transfiguration Church were transferred to the Greek Holy Trinity Church, and buried in a prepared crypt, in the church itself, opposite the royal doors of the southern chapel in the name of St. Spiridon. A rectangular high monolith was placed above the crypt, and above it there was a gilded canopy, which has been preserved to this day. On the church wall near the tombstone, three inscriptions were carved on a gilded metal board, written by the same preacher Constantine Ikonomos. According to the proposal of His Eminence Archbishop Innocent, the Holy Governing All-Russian Synod established the conciliar commemoration of the Hieromartyr Patriarch on June 19 every year. This has been happening since 1848; then for the first time the Hierarch himself officiated; He performs sacred ceremonies every year, if only he happens to be in Odessa. May the pious and powerful patron of Orthodoxy, Russia, prosper and prosper forever! Βίος καὶ πολιτεία τοῦ ἱερομάρτυρος Γρηγορ́ου Π Κ. Αθήνησι. 1855 At this time, being a proto-Sinkel, he translated into modern Greek the Words of Chrysostom on the priesthood, which he published in Venice in 1782. See Μαθα καταλογ. Πατριαρχ, page 265. Patriarch Cyril 1st Lucaris was the first to establish a printing house in Constantinople in 1624 under the supervision of one monk, Gregory Metaxa of Cortir, and published the necessary books of Orthodox teaching, putting out of use those non-Orthodox books that were distributed and distributed in abundance by the Jesuits. And they, seeing in the Patriarch a strong opponent, slandered him before the government, as if he was blaspheming the Mohammedan faith; as proof of which they presented the Catechism of Patriarch Kirill, published by him in London even before his patriarchate. The Jesuits said about this book that it was recently printed by the Patriarch in the Constantinople printing house. The government was irritated with Cyril, and sent military people, who razed the printing house to the ground, and turned the letters into dust; the printer Metax barely escaped with his life, and the Patriarch himself took refuge in the house of the Dutch ambassador, and only through his mediation remained on the throne again. After this, the printing house appeared in Constantinople under the patriarchate of Cyril V. But this printing house mainly served the Armenians for publishing Armenian books under the supervision of a certain Boazi; however, it also contained Hellenic letters, which were preserved until 1788, when the decrees of Iri Samuel (1767) Λιαταγαὶ Γαμων were published (by Panagiot Kyriakides the Byzantine, without indicating the place of printing). In the same year, he published an abbreviation of the doctrine of virtues and vices from Aristotle’s Iphica. It is worthy of note that each accession of this ever-memorable Patriarch to the patriarchal throne was at the same time as some important political event in the Ottoman Empire. His first patriarchate coincided with the occupation of Egypt by the French, with the second the appearance of the English fleet, which is mentioned here (in which he himself is a character), with the third, finally, the Greek uprising, of which he became the perfect sacrifice and immaculate offering. 4 days before Easter, the Vizier demanded from Sheikh-ul-Islam a charter (fatfa) for the legal condemnation of the Patriarch as an accomplice and culprit in the uprising of his compatriots, the Peloponnesians. The conscientious Turk demanded evidence of the accusation; and since they were not there, he refused to fulfill what was required, saying that the law does not punish the innocent for the guilty of their fellow tribesmen. For this he was sent into exile and, sent on the road at night, was killed near Chalcedon. The sentence was immediately given by those who became his successor. And the latter, after three months, seeing the danger threatening him, asked permission to go to Mecca and Medina to worship. But when he sailed past Chios, the ship met the Greek fleet, and the Greeks, having taken Sheikh-ul-Islam, and not yet knowing that he had given a sentence to strangle the Patriarch, hanged him in the ship's area. Both this and other similar signs of God’s judgment are presented to us by the history of the Greek uprising (see Μαθᾶ Καταλογ. Πατρ. page 285.). On the same day of Easter, three Metropolitans of Ephesus, Nicomedia and Anchiale, who were kept in custody, were strangled after various tortures, which forced them to renounce the faith. And Derk, Thessalonica, Adrianople and Ternovsky were strangled subsequently around June, when the burial of the sacred remains of the Patriarch took place in Odessa. All these murders, as well as the murder of the blessed Bishop of Theodoropol and some other clergy, were committed in Constantinople. And outside the reigning city, as if by common consent, others were put to death: so the wise, educated and virtuous, former Patriarch of Constantinople, Cyril VI was strangled in his fatherland, Adrianople, and others in other places, for example, Paisius of Sozopol, Gerasim of Ghana, Neophyte Myriophyte, the most blessed Archbishop of Cyprus with his subordinates Bishops and other clergy and many others. You might be interested in: