Metrophanes of Byzantium

Saint

Metrophanes
Saint; Metrophanes
Bishop of Byzantium
Installed	306
Term ended	314
Predecessor	Probus of Byzantium
Successor	Alexander of Constantinople
Personal details
Denomination	Early Christianity

Saint

Metrophanes of Byzantium
Saint; Metrophanes of Byzantium
Bishop of Byzantium
Died	314
Venerated in	Eastern Orthodox Church; Catholic Church
Feast	4 June

Metrophanes of Byzantium (Greek: Μητροφάνης; died 314) was the 26th bishop of Byzantium according to tradition, holding the office from c. 306 to 314.^[1] He is the first bishop supported by historical sources.^[2] In fact, there is no mention of any organized Christian community in Byzantium before him.^[3]

There is a tradition that the Roman emperor Constantine the Great bestowed upon him the honorary title of Patriarch; however, Byzantium did not become the capital of the Empire until 330 (when it was renamed Constantinople), and the see was not elevated to a patriarchate until 451. According to Gelasius of Cyzicus, Metrophanes was alive during the First Council of Nicaea (325), but could not partake due to his age and ill health, so he sent instead Alexander of Constantinople, whom he destined as his successor.^[1] Metrophanes was most likely already dead by then.^[4]^[5] Socrates of Constantinople writes that Alexander succeeded Metrophanes sometime before 319.^[6]

Metrophanes has been canonized a saint, and is revered in both the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church. His feast day is 4 June.

His father was Dometius of Byzantium, his uncle was Roman emperor Probus, and his brother Probus of Byzantium. Both were also appointed Bishops of Byzantium before him.^[7]

Notes and references

^ ^a ^b "Κατάλογος Οικουμενικών Πατριαρχών - Οικουμενικό Πατριαρχείο" [List of Ecumenical Patriarchs] (in Greek). 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
^ Dvornik, Francis (1958). The Idea of Apostolicity in Byzantium and the Legend of the Apostle Andrew (PDF). Harvard University Press. p. 157ff. ISBN 978-0-88402-004-2.
^ Limberis, Vasiliki (2002). Divine Heiress: The Virgin Mary and the Making of Christian Constantinople. Routledge. pp. 10–15. ISBN 978-1-134-86279-5.
^ Walter, Christopher (1970). "The Names of the Council Fathers at Saint Sozomenus, Cyprus (planches)". Revue des études byzantines. 28 (1): 189–206. doi:10.3406/rebyz.1970.1435.
^ Graindor, Paul; Grégoire, Henri (1944). Byzantion - Revue des études byzantines. Vol. 16. Fondation Byzantine. p. 25.
^ Socrates of Constantinople, Historia Ecclesiastica, I, 37 "The thirtieth year of Constantine's reign was completed... At that time that Alexander, who had some time before succeeded Metrophanes, presided over the church at Constantinople".
^ Bishops/Patriarchs of Constantinople Byzantine Studies Page, Fordham University

External links

St Metrophanes the first Patriarch of Constantinople

Titles of the Great Christian Church
Preceded by Probus	Bishop of Byzantium 306 – 314	Succeeded by Alexander

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[:0-1] "Κατάλογος Οικουμενικών Πατριαρχών - Οικουμενικό Πατριαρχείο" [List of Ecumenical Patriarchs] (in Greek). 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2024.

[2] Dvornik, Francis (1958). The Idea of Apostolicity in Byzantium and the Legend of the Apostle Andrew (PDF). Harvard University Press. p. 157ff. ISBN 978-0-88402-004-2.

[3] Limberis, Vasiliki (2002). Divine Heiress: The Virgin Mary and the Making of Christian Constantinople. Routledge. pp. 10–15. ISBN 978-1-134-86279-5.

[4] Walter, Christopher (1970). "The Names of the Council Fathers at Saint Sozomenus, Cyprus (planches)". Revue des études byzantines. 28 (1): 189–206. doi:10.3406/rebyz.1970.1435.

[5] Graindor, Paul; Grégoire, Henri (1944). Byzantion - Revue des études byzantines. Vol. 16. Fondation Byzantine. p. 25.

[6] Socrates of Constantinople, Historia Ecclesiastica, I, 37 "The thirtieth year of Constantine's reign was completed... At that time that Alexander, who had some time before succeeded Metrophanes, presided over the church at Constantinople".

[7] Bishops/Patriarchs of Constantinople Byzantine Studies Page, Fordham University

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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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