Raphael II of Constantinople

Raphael II (Greek: Ραφαήλ, Rafail; died after 1607) was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1603 to 1607.[1]

Raphael II
Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
ChurchChurch of Constantinople
InstalledMarch 1603
Term endedOctober 1607
PredecessorMatthew II
SuccessorNeophytus II
Previous post(s)Bishop of Mithymna
Personal details
Bornunknown
Diedafter 1607

Life

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Raphael was Bishop of Mithymna when, in March 1603, he was elected Ecumenical Patriarch.[2] During his patriarchate, he addressed the regulation of many ecclesiastical matters and issued a number of standard provisions. The clashes with the previous Patriarch Neophytus II caused many problems in the Church, to the point that Cyril Lucaris, in a letter to the Bishop of Heraclea Dionysius, wrote that "... Raphael ruled the Patriarchate as a tyrant for more than four years ...".

Raphael showed interest in a possible union with the Western Church and he began a secret correspondence with the Pope.[3] He remained Patriarch until October 1607, when he was forcibly deposed by Sultan Ahmed I and suffered a violent death in exile.

Notes

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  1. ^ Kiminas, Demetrius (2009). The Ecumenical Patriarchate. Wildside Press LLC. p. 39. ISBN 978-1-4344-5876-6.
  2. ^ "Ραφαὴλ Β´". Ecumenical Patriarchate. Retrieved 16 Sep 2011.(in Greek)
  3. ^ Runciman, Steven (1985). The Great Church in captivity. Cambridge University Press. pp. 270. ISBN 978-0-521-31310-0.