Isaiah (Patriarch of Constantinople)

The future Patriarch was born around 1250, in the region of Epirus of the Kingdom of Epirus and from his youth fell on the Holy Mount Athos . He was tonsured a monk, spent most of his life on Athos, but did not receive an education. Around 1320, at the age of almost 70, he arrived in Constantinople, where he was admitted to the retinue of the Byzantine emperor Andronicus II Paleolog . In 1321, the actions of the centralized Andronik government provoked resistance from the feudal nobility, who advanced his grandson to the throne, and a civil war broke out in Byzantium . 2.5 years after the abdication of the patriarch Gerasim I , in 1323, ascended the Patriarchal throne. There is an opinion that as a patriarch he organized the ruling circles of Byzantium: he was most likely considered incapable of independent political activity and easily controlled. ^[one]

In 1326, Emperor Andronicus II tried to renew contacts between the Constantinople and Roman Catholic Churches . To this end, he sent messages to Pope John XXII and King Charles IV of France with a proposal to resume negotiations on a union . Isaiah opposed the implementation of such plans, which soon led to a freeze in relations. ^[one]

For several years, Andronic II and his grandson Emperor Andronic III waged a civil war for the Byzantine throne. In 1327, Andronicus III besieged Constantinople and Andronicus II, who led the besieged party, ordered Isaiah to stop commemorating the name of Andronicus III in the liturgy as a rebel. Isaiah refused to obey this order, trying to avoid a church schism from drawing the Church into civil strife, and with a large crowd of people announced the excommunication of anyone who would not remember Andronicus III. As a result, the order of Andronicus II was valid only in the palace temples of the capital, while all the other churches continued to commemorate both Andronicus. Isaiah contributed to the reconciliation of the parties and persuaded Andronicus II to arrange a personal meeting with his grandson and thereby begin peace negotiations, but to no avail. ^[one]

In December 1327, another attempt to negotiate failed and Andronicus II sent Isaiah from the Patriarchal residence and to the capital’s monastery of Mangany, some of the supporters and close associates of the patriarch were taken into custody. In May 1328, Andronicus III won a number of victories in the internecine war, took Constantinople and Isaiah was solemnly returned to the Patriarchal throne. There is an opinion that Isaiah forced the ousted Andronicus II to accept monastic tonsure and swore that he would not try to return to power, after 1328 Patriarch Isaiah erupted from the dignity of the supporters of Andronicus II - clergy of the Church of Constantinople. ^[one]

In 1328, Patriarch Isaiah consecrated the Metropolitan of Kiev and All Russia Theognost .

After this, Isaiah turned his forces to overcome the split with the Armenian Apostolic Church , receiving a message from Cilician Armenia. In 1330 or 1331, in response, he sent a letter to King Levon IV and Catholicos Hakob II Anavarzetsi . To achieve church unity, he demanded that the Armenians recognize the creed of the Chalcedon IV Ecumenical Council and subordinate the jurisdiction of the Church of Constantinople on its territory. Such categorical demands went against the opinion of the recipients and the correspondence did not bring any result. ^[one]

In 1331 or 1332, Isaiah elevated the Galich bishop Theodore to the status of Metropolitan .

The Byzantine Empire was moving towards sunset and church affairs also fell into decay. Once the most important departments, apparently, had long remained unoccupied and actually disbanded. The Patriarch died on May 13, 1332, Isaiah was buried in the monastery of the Great Lavra of Mount Athos. ^[one]

• Popov I.N. Isaiah // Orthodox Encyclopedia . - M .: Church Scientific Center “Orthodox Encyclopedia” , 2011. - T. XXVII: “ Isaac the Syrian - Historical Books ”. - S. 124-125. - 752 s. - 39,000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-89572-050-9 .