Saint Gregory V Patriarch of Constantinople
Celebration date: 10/04
Saint Gregory, born George Angelopoulos, was born in Dimitsana in the year 1745 AD, to pious and virtuous parents, John and Asimina. In 1767 AD he went to Smyrna, near his uncle Meletios, attending classes at the Evangelical School. He then attended philosophy courses in Patmos from Daniel Kerameas. After his studies, he came to the Imperial Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Strophad Islands, where he became a monk, taking the name Grigorios. From there the Metropolitan of Smyrna Prokopios called him and ordained him as his archdeacon. When he was later ordained an elder, he returned to Dimitsana and gave 1,500 grosci for the housing of needy students.
Agios Grigorios was initiated into the Friendly Society by Ioannis Farmakis around the middle of the year 1818 AD. on Mount Athos. “He immediately showed the most lively enthusiasm for her spirit” and “prayed from the heart” for the success of her purpose.
On August 19, 1785 AD he is elected ecumenical Patriarch and remains on the patriarchal throne until December 1798 AD. In that year he is deposed from the Gate, because he was considered incapable of maintaining the subjugation of the Christian peoples under the Turkish yoke and is exiled to Mount Athos. In 1818 AD he was called for the third time to the Ecumenical throne, where he remained until the day of his martyrdom.
Konstantinos Koumas reports that Saint Gregory was not only “modest in morals, frugal in his diet, humble in his dress, zealous in his faith, very active in all his works”, but he was also “rigid in his ideas and did not leave him for no one against, when he decided anything”. And Grigorios decided. He made it his goal in life to faithfully serve the slave Genos and to help with all his strength and his life in the liberation from the Turkish yoke. For the realization of his purpose he used all his diplomatic skill.
In his attempt to save the Greek population from the massacre and at the same time to mislead the Sultan and give the fighters the opportunity to work undisturbed, the National Martyr was forced to excommunicate the revolutionaries.
Alexander Ypsilantis will give an overwhelming answer to Gregory’s accusers with the instructions he sent from Kisnobio in Bessarabia to the leaders of the Peloponnese: “The Patriarch, hurrying past the Gate, sends you excommunication and exhortations, urging you to unite with the Gate. However, you should consider these as invalid since they were done by force and force and without the will of the Patriarch”. “Let us not forget that there are circumstances in which greater sacrifices are required, even the sacrifice of life, and that sometimes a martyr’s life is more bitter but more an imposed duty and this martyr’s death. And this supreme sacrifice was offered by the venerable Patriarch, who became accustomed to a feeling more bitter than that of death, when he always sacrifices selfishness and overlooks the true interest, he was forced to sign the following document condemning the movement, for the success of which he wholeheartedly it was working. Signatories, remove the suspicions of the Gate regarding participation in the movement of official circles, non-signatories, I will confirm the suspicions, if the tyrant’s punishment falls on the slanderers, I will veto the movement before it explodes. Otherwise, the venerable Patriarch suffered the martyrdom with wonderful endurance, when the martyrdom fell, when the time came, even though it was impossible for him to be saved by fleeing.
The letter sent by Saint Gregory on December 26, 1820 AD is typical. to the Bishop of Salona Isaias and valuable from a historical point of view, because it proves that the National Martyr was following everything that was happening in Greece, in all its details and preparations for the revolution: in these honorable and pure reasons. Ehemethias, brother, is the greatest duty and caution in every way, because the times are wicked and in the patriots there is also the dough of the wicked, so beware of them as from a scaly sheep. Because many are doing evil because of the crime of affluence. For the sake of the good portion, I have chosen patriots entrusted to me by the communiques, given to secrecy. The Galaxides, therefore, you write to me constantly, diligently active, and from where I do the impossible instead of everything honorable, not the least reason the oath of the teeth will go away. Not only yours, but also the letters of the brothers in Morea are bothering me. Papandrea’s act of patriotism is appreciated by those who know, but those who do not criticize the man. Secretly defend him, but in open ignorance you hypocrite, and do not even criticize God-fearing brothers and the opposite sex. Behold, the Vizier is tempted by words and promises, but do not be delivered into the lion’s mouth. Aspason who blessed us brave brothers, exhorting them to hide for fear of the Jews. They became manly like lions and the Lord’s blessing keeps them, near the Savior’s Easter. Oh, the blessing of my modesty on your head, my brother Ἠasaia. May the Most High give you unyielding crops and olvia georgia”.
Saint Gregory recommended the struggle for freedom and strengthened it by every means. He was determined to sacrifice himself for the Motherland. “We have a duty”, he said, “to shepherd our flocks well and we need to pray, as Jesus did for us in order to save us…”.
In a letter he sent to Old Patras Germanos, he wrote: “Co-worker in Christ and dear brother. I received your letter of April 20. My decision about the studied correction of the “school” of the philatelic homeland is the same as yours. As you want to learn even in spite of yourself. The box of mercy must be animated. And the Lord’s will cannot be changed by human forces. May His will be done.”
Under the word “school” they implied the Greek Revolution. The Friends even named the Ecumenical Patriarch Gregory and the Patriarch of Jerusalem Polykarpos as supervisors of the school.
When, at a meeting of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Metropolitan Gregory of Derkons urged the Patriarch to move to the Peloponnese to lead the Revolt, Gregory V replied: “And I as the head of the Nation and you as a Synod must die for common salvation. Our death will give Christianity the right to defend the Nation against the tyrant. But if we refrain from encouraging the Revolution, then we will justify the Sultan by deciding to exterminate the entire Nation”.
When some tried to persuade him to leave Constantinople and save himself, the good shepherd replied: “You urge me to flee. Machira will pass through the currents of Constantinople and other cities of the Christian provinces. You wish, as I do, to take refuge in a ship in disguise, or shut myself up in the house of any benevolent ambassador of yours, and hear from there how the executioners are slandering the widowed people. No! This is why I am Patriarch, as I save my nation, not as they will consider indifferently how their faith was slandered in my face. The Greeks, the men of battle, will fight with greater fury, because victory is often given. I am convinced of this. You see with patience that even if it happens to me. Today (Sunday of Palms) we will eat fish, but after ten days and maybe even this week the fish will eat us… Yes, let me not become a mockery of the living. I will not tolerate that in the streets of Odessa, Corfu and Aggonos, passing through the midst of the saints, they point their fingers at me saying: “Here comes the murderous Patriarch”. If my Nation is saved and triumphs, then I believe that it will give me incense of praise and honor, because I have fulfilled my debt… I go where my mind calls me, the great destiny of the Nation and the Heavenly Father, the witness of human actions”.
Gregory V, that fiery Hierarch, followed his path. He fleshed out the entire subservient Genos. He shouldered his cross. His Golgotha ascended. He received beatings, mockery, impaling and finally death by hanging. In front of the Patriarchate, on Easter day 1821, the Turks hanged the Patriarch.
In the document of his condemnation (Turkish: “yaftas”), the reason for his hanging is mentioned: “…But the unfaithful patriarch of the Greeks… because of the corruption of his heart, not only did he not notify or educate the betrayed, but every From all appearances he was also, as a leader, a secret participant in the Revolution… instead of taming the apostates and setting the first example of returning them to their duties, this unbeliever became the first of all the rising riots.
We have been informed that he was born in the Peloponnese and that he is complicit in all the misdeeds committed by the seduced rogues in the province of Kalavryta…
Because everywhere we were convinced of his treachery, not only to the detriment of the High Gate, but also to the destruction of his nation, it was necessary for this man to disappear from the face of the earth and for this he was hanged for the punishment of others”.
One year after the hanging and the transfer of his honorable remains by the captain M. Slavos to Odessa, Russia, the Zakynthian priest Economos Nikolaos Kokkinis, later Archbishop of Zakynthos, vicar at the time of the ancient church of Odegetria and an ardent Friend, sensitized by his sacrifice Patriarch, he composes a Service in honor of the new Hieromartyr, which clearly proves that Saint Gregory in the consciousness of the Genus immediately acquired the position of Saint with his honest blood.
In 1871 AD the Church of Greece considered it imperative to move his holy relic from Odessa to free Athens. For this purpose, a Committee was set up, in which the Archbishop of Zakynthos Nikolaos II Katramis and Archimandrite Averkios L. Lampiris, First Secretary of the Holy Synod, participated. In Odesa, the members of the Committee and the local Orthodox Saints honored the holy relic of Saint Gregory. In fact, according to the Panichida, which was held there on the day of his memory, “the Most Reverend Archbishop of Zakynthos delivered a eulogy from the pulpit, at the insistence of his fellow citizens.” The holy relic arrived in Athens on April 25, 1871 AD, where the Athenians gave it a universal welcome. With exultation and rejoicing, it was buried in the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Virgin, where it is kept to this day in a guarded urn.
On April 10, 1921 AD was declared a Saint by the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece.