Gregory V of Constantinople

Saint

Gregory V of Constantinople
Saint; Gregory V of Constantinople
Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
Church	Church of Constantinople
In office	1797–1798; 1806–1808; 1818–1821;
Predecessor	Gerasimus III of Constantinople,; Callinicus V of Constantinople,; Cyril VI of Constantinople;
Successor	Neophytus VII of Constantinople,; Callinicus V of Constantinople,; Eugenius II of Constantinople;

Saint

Gregory V of Constantinople
Saint; Gregory V of Constantinople
	Gregory shortly before his execution, as depicted by Nikiphoros Lytras
Ecumenical Patriarch, Hieromartyr
Born	Georgios Angelopoulos; 1746; Dimitsana, Ottoman Empire
Died	22 April 1821 (aged 74–75); Constantinople, Ottoman Empire
Venerated in	Eastern Orthodox Church
Major shrine	Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens
Feast	10 April
Controversy	elected in 1797 but deported to Mount Athos, Ottoman Empire in 1798, reelected 1806 and exiled to Prince Islands then Mount Athos in 1810, reelected 1818

Gregory V (Greek: Γρηγόριος; 1746 – 22 April 1821), born Georgios Angelopoulos (Γεώργιος Αγγελόπουλος), was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1797 to 1798, from 1806 to 1808, and from 1818 to 1821. He was responsible for much restoration work to the Patriarchal Cathedral of St George, which had been badly damaged by fire in 1738.

Biography

Born in Dimitsana, he studied in Athens for two years beginning in 1756, then moved to Smyrna for five more years of study. Tonsured as a monk with the name "Gregory" at the monastery in Strofades, he then studied at Patmiada School. Returning to Smyrna, he was ordained to the diaconate by Metropolitan Procopius of Smyrna.

In 1785, when Procopius was elected Patriarch of Constantinople, Gregory was consecrated as Metropolitan of Smyrna. In 1797, the Holy Synod elected Gregory as Patriarch of Constantinople upon the resignation of Gerasimus III.^[1]

The following year Gregory was deposed as patriarch. He was sent to the Monastery of Iviron on Mount Athos. On 23 September 1806 the Holy Synod elected him as patriarch for a second time. He was deposed again in 1810. This time he was sent first to the Princes' Islands, and then later to Mount Athos.

On 15 December 1818 the Holy Synod elected Gregory patriarch for a third time. At the onset of the Greek War of Independence, as Ethnarch of the Orthodox Millet, Gregory V was blamed by Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II for his inability to suppress the Greek uprising. This was in spite of the fact that Gregory had condemned the Greek revolutionary activities in order to protect the Greeks of Constantinople from such reprisals by the Ottoman Turks. After the Greek rebels scored several successes against the Ottoman forces in the Peloponnese, these reprisals came.

Death

At the onset of the Greek War of Independence, as Ethnarch of the Orthodox Millet, Gregory V was blamed by Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II for his inability to suppress the Greek uprising. This was in spite of the fact that Gregory had condemned the Greek revolutionary activities in order to protect the Greeks of Constantinople from such reprisals by the Ottoman Turks. After the Greek rebels scored several successes against the Ottoman forces in the Peloponnese, these reprisals came.

Directly after celebrating the solemn Easter Liturgy on 22 April 1821 (10 April Old Style), Gregory was accosted by the Ottomans and, still in full liturgical vestments, was taken out of the Patriarchal Cathedral. He was then lynched, his corpse being left for two days on the main gate of the Patriarchate compound, all by order of the Sultan.^[2]

According to several accounts, after Gregory's death, his body, along with those of other executed prelates, was turned over to the city's Jews, who dragged it through the streets and threw it into the sea.^[3]^[4] This led to several bloody reprisal attacks in southern Greece by the Greek rebels, who regarded the Jews as collaborators of the Turks. This in turn led to the Jews joining the Turks in confrontations with Christians in some locations in northern Greece, which fueled a new wave of anti-Jewish attacks in the south.^[4] During the night, Gregory's corpse was recovered by Greek sailors, who brought it to Odessa.^[3] After the funeral, some Greek sailors attacked Jewish shops which had remained open during the ceremony.^[5]

In Odessa, then part of the Russian Empire, local Greeks committed what some sources consider the first Russian pogrom killing 14 Jews. This was fueled by the rumor that Jews had taken part in Gregory's lynching.^[6]

Gregory's body was eventually interred in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens. He is commemorated by the Greek Orthodox Church as an Ethnomartyr (Greek: Εθνομάρτυρας). In his memory, the Saint Peter Gate, once the main gate of the Patriarchate compound, was welded shut in 1821 and has remained shut ever since.

The execution of Gregory V, especially on the day of Pascha, was said to have shocked and infuriated the Greeks, and Orthodox Russia. It also caused protests in the rest of Europe and reinforced the movement of Philhellenism. There are references that during the Greek War of Independence, many revolutionaries engraved on their swords the name of Gregory, seeking revenge.

Dionysios Solomos, in his "Hymn to Liberty", which later became the Greek national anthem, also mentions the hanging of the patriarch in some stanzas.

Gallery

Saint Peter's Gate at the Patriarchate. Gregory V was lynched here. Since then the Gate has never been opened again.
Painting by Peter von Hess depicting the casting of the corpse of Patriarch Gregory V of Constantinople into the Bosphorus.
Statue of Grigorios (University of Athens) by Georgios Fytalis
The shrine of Patriarch Grigorios (Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens)

References

^ Metallinos, George (2019-09-03). "Γρηγόριος Ε´ (α) [10 Ἀπρ.]" [Gregory V (1) [10 Apr.]]. Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (in Greek). Archived from the original on 2022-04-11. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
^ Mazower, Mark (2021). The Greek Revolution: 1821 and the Making of Modern Europe. New York City: Penguin Books. pp. 33–34. ISBN 9781591847335. OCLC 1246726205.
^ ^a ^b Fortescue, Adrian (1908) [1907]. The Orthodox Eastern Church (2nd ed.). Catholic Truth Society. p. 341 – via Internet Archive.
^ ^a ^b Fleming, Katherine Elizabeth (2008). Greece--a Jewish History. Princeton University Press. p. 16. ISBN 978-0-691-10272-6. OCLC 778036922. OL 22769720M.
^ Orbach, Alexander (1980). New Voices of Russian Jewry: A Study of the Russian-Jewish Press of Odessa in the Era of the Great Reforms, 1860-1871. Studies in Judaism in modern times. Vol. 4. Brill Publishers. pp. 16–17. ISBN 9789004061750. LCCN 81106901. OCLC 929831506. OL 3802339M.
^ Parkansky, Ariel. "Anti-Semitism and Pogroms". JewishGen. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06.

Eastern Orthodox Church titles
Preceded by Gerasimus III Callinicus V Cyril VI	Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople 1797–1798 1806–1808 1818–1821	Succeeded by Neophytus VII Callinicus V Eugenius II

[1] Metallinos, George (2019-09-03). "Γρηγόριος Ε´ (α) [10 Ἀπρ.]" [Gregory V (1) [10 Apr.]]. Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (in Greek). Archived from the original on 2022-04-11. Retrieved 2022-04-11.

[2] Mazower, Mark (2021). The Greek Revolution: 1821 and the Making of Modern Europe. New York City: Penguin Books. pp. 33–34. ISBN 9781591847335. OCLC 1246726205.

[Fortescue341-3] Fortescue, Adrian (1908) [1907]. The Orthodox Eastern Church (2nd ed.). Catholic Truth Society. p. 341 – via Internet Archive.

[Fleming-4] Fleming, Katherine Elizabeth (2008). Greece--a Jewish History. Princeton University Press. p. 16. ISBN 978-0-691-10272-6. OCLC 778036922. OL 22769720M.

[Orbach1980-5] Orbach, Alexander (1980). New Voices of Russian Jewry: A Study of the Russian-Jewish Press of Odessa in the Era of the Great Reforms, 1860-1871. Studies in Judaism in modern times. Vol. 4. Brill Publishers. pp. 16–17. ISBN 9789004061750. LCCN 81106901. OCLC 929831506. OL 3802339M.

[6] Parkansky, Ariel. "Anti-Semitism and Pogroms". JewishGen. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06.

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v t e Bishops of Byzantium and Patriarchs of Constantinople
Bishops of Byzantium (Roman period, 38–330 AD)	Andrew Stachys Onesimus Polycarpus I Plutarch Sedecion Diogenes Eleutherius Felix Polycarpus II Athenodorus Euzois Laurence Alypius Pertinax Olympianus Marcus I Philadelphus Cyriacus I Castinus Eugenius I Titus Dometius Rufinus Probus Metrophanes Alexander
Archbishops of Constantinople (Roman period, 330–451 AD)	Alexander Paul I Eusebius Macedonius I Eudoxius Evagrius Demophilus Maximus I Gregory I Nectarius John I Chrysostom Arsacius Atticus Sisinnius I Nestorius Maximianus Proclus Flavian Anatolius
Patriarchs of Constantinople (Byzantine period, 451–1453 AD)	Anatolius Gennadius I Acacius Fravitta Euphemius Macedonius II Timothy I John II Epiphanius Anthimus I Menas Eutychius John III John IV Cyriacus II Thomas I Sergius I Pyrrhus Paul II Peter Thomas II John V Constantine I Theodore I George I Paul III Callinicus I Cyrus John VI Germanus I Anastasius Constantine II Nicetas I Paul IV Tarasius Nicephorus I Theodotus I Antony I John VII Methodius I Ignatios Photios I Stephen I Antony II Nicholas I Εuthymius I Stephen II Tryphon Theophylact Polyeuctus Βasil I Αntony III Nicholas II Sisinnius II Sergius II Eustathius Alexius Michael I Constantine III John VIII Cosmas I Eustratius Nicholas III John IX Leo Michael II Cosmas II Nicholas IV Theodotus II Neophytus I Constantine IV Luke Michael III Chariton Theodosius I Basil II Nicetas II Leontius Dositheus George II John X Michael IV^† Theodore II^† Maximus II^† Μanuel I^† Germanus II^† Methodius II^† Manuel II^† Arsenius^† Nicephorus II^† Germanus III Joseph I John XI Gregory II Athanasius I John XII Nephon I John XIII Gerasimus I Isaias John XIV Isidore I Callistus I Philotheus Macarius Nilus Antony IV Callistus II Matthew I Euthymius II Joseph II Metrophanes II Gregory III Athanasius II
Patriarchs of Constantinople (Ottoman period, 1453–1923 AD)	Gennadius II Isidore II Joasaph I Sophronius I Mark II Symeon I Dionysius I Raphael I Maximus III Nephon II Maximus IV Joachim I Pachomius I Theoleptus I Jeremias I Joannicius I Dionysius II Joasaph II Metrophanes III Jeremias II Pachomius II Theoleptus II Matthew II Gabriel I Theophanes I Meletius I Neophytus II Raphael II Cyril I Timothy II Gregory IV Anthimus II Cyril II Athanasius III Neophytus III Parthenius I Parthenius II Joannicius II Cyril III Paisius I Parthenius III Gabriel II Parthenius IV Dionysius III Clement Methodius III Dionysius IV Gerasimus II Athanasius IV James Callinicus II Neophytus IV Gabriel III Neophytus V Cyprianus Athanasius V Cyril IV Cosmas III Jeremias III (Callinicus III) Paisius II Seraphim I Neophytus VI Cyril V Callinicus IV (III) Seraphim II Joannicius III Samuel Meletius II Theodosius II Sophronius II Gabriel IV Procopius Neophytus VII Gerasimus III Gregory V Callinicus V (IV) Jeremias IV Cyril VI Eugenius II Anthimus III Chrysanthus Agathangelus Constantius I Constantius II Gregory VI Anthimus IV Anthimus V Germanus IV Meletius III Anthimus VI Cyril VII Joachim II Sophronius III Joachim III Joachim IV Dionysius V Neophytus VIII Anthimus VII Constantine V Germanus V Meletius IV
Patriarchs of Constantinople (Turkish period, since 1923 AD)	Gregory VII Constantine VI Basil III Photius II Benjamin Maximus V Athenagoras Demetrius Bartholomew
^† in exile at Nicaea Christianity portal

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