Neilos, Metropolitan of Pentapolis and his Role in Greek-Russian Church Relations in the 2nd half of the 19th c.
Abstract
Despite the fact that Metropolitan Neilos of Pentapolis (1809–1887) was an important Church fi gure known as one of the most educated clergymen of his epoch, his life and work have not been studied yet. This paper reconstructs Neilos’ biography drawing on previously unknown sources from Russian archives as well as on fragments of information from printed letters and other documents. It analyses main periods of Neilos’ biography as a church and public fi gure and evaluates them in the context of Greek-Russian relations. In the 1840–1860s, Neilos was in charge of Athos property in Moldavia. In his resistance to multiple attempts of local authorities to expropriate church properties in Moldavia and Walachia, Neilos collaborated closely with Russian diplomats and public fi gures. In the late 1860s, he took part in the struggle for the Patriarchal Throne in Alexandria. He was elected Locum Tenens of Alexandrian Throne, became Metropolitan of Pentapolis and then Patriarch of Alexandria. However, despite Russian diplomatic support, he failed to stop political struggle in Alexandrian Church and had to leave the Throne. Afterwards, he resided on Mount Athos being an active participant in church life and a proponent of Russian monastic community. Neilos’ longstanding collaboration with Russians was motivated by his conviction that Russia was the only genuine and effi cient defender of the Oecumenic Orthodoxy.
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