Иоанн Мавропод

John Mavropod, metropolitan of the Euchaites, who flourished during the reign of the Byzantine emperor Constantine Monomakh (1042–1055), was one of the notable figures of Byzantine science and literature. From the words of praise written by Michael Psellus after 1063, it is clear that I.M. received an excellent education from his uncle, studied rhetoric, logic, metaphysics and ethics, and studied the natural sciences, mathematics, law and Latin. After completing his education, I.M. maintained a private school in Constantinople, where he taught Byzantine youth rhetoric and the philosophy of laws, then taught at a school that existed under the patriarchate, and finally Emperor Constantine Monomakh appointed him a professor at the University of Constantinople, which he restored. Between July 1054 and January 1055, I.M. received the metropolitan see in Euchaites (near Amasia), although he refused the see, citing physical ailments. In the diocese, he showed respectable activity in streamlining the church economy and in assigning to churches and monasteries the properties that belonged to them, which were subject to seizure by the authorities. It came to the point of complaints against the zealous metropolitan to the emperor, but I.M.’s court connections and eloquence paralyzed the success of his enemies. I.M. was a great lover and connoisseur of church music, increased the number of psalms in his church, took care of the organization of choirs in monasteries, and taught singing to the common people. He was also distinguished by his high ascetic life, guided the monks in achieving moral perfection, and ensured the strict observance of the monastic rules, which he himself compiled. But the literary works of I.M. were especially venerable. First of all, he owned many conversations, in particular on holidays in honor of the Mother of God, the Holy Archangels, St. George, three hierarchs: Basil V., Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom (the celebration of whose memory on January 30 was established with the participation of I.) and in honor of Saints Theodore. Conversations differ in depth of content and oratorical techniques. They are also important historically. Thus, the word of thanks, spoken on Christmas Day 1047, contains interesting details about the siege of Byzantium by the rebel Lev Tornik; in the word for St. George the Victorious describes the life of the Pechenegs, mentions their conversion to Christianity and reports on the situation of the Danube theme. The speech at the entrance to the Euchaite see contains indications of the state of the metropolitanate, and the speech regarding amazing signs also speaks of administrative abuses. Then, I.M. owns two lives - Dorotheus the New, the founder of the Hiliocom monastery in Pontus, his contemporary, and the monk Varus, who founded at the end of the century. Monastery of Petra in Constantinople. The first life contains interesting details from modern family and social life in Byzantium. AND. He also devoted his work to correcting liturgical books (Menaion) and wrote many canons (to the three saints for January 30 and the Hieromartyr Hippolytus, the Sweetest Jesus, the Mother of God, for the beheading of John the Baptist, St. Theodore Tyrone, etc.), but most of them are kept in manuscripts. Up to 79 letters are known with his name, including to Emperor Constantine Monomakh, Michael Psellus and Patriarch Michael Kirularius, which are of interest for the history of education and social life in Byzantium in the 11th century. Further, I. owns a significant number of epigrams written in iambic verse; Some of them were compiled for holidays (Transfiguration, Pentecost), others praise the fathers and teachers of the church, others are dedicated to praising members of the imperial family, relate to the life and work of the author himself, concern some of his contemporaries, etc. The epigrams are not only curious, like works of Byzantine poetry, but also have historical significance. An etymological lexicon is known for the name I., also written in iambic verse. Finally, there are indications of a chronograph that belonged to him. In old age, I. refused the Euchaitic see and settled in the monastery of John the Baptist in Constantinople, where he died.