Metropolis of Chalcedon

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
PrimateElder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon (Adamakis)
Language
Greek
HeadquartersChalcedon/Kadıköy
Independence451 AD. (to metropolis)
RecognitionOrthodox
Official websitehttp://www.ec-patr.org/dioceses.php?lang=&id=89

The Metropolis of Chalcedon (

Asia Minor (Anatolia).[1] As of 2024, it is numbered as the senior of nine active Metropolises that are active in Türkiye, after the Archdiocese of Constantinople-New Rome.[2]

History

Early Christianity and Council of Chalcedon

Christianity spread in the region of Chalcedon, on the Asian shore opposite Byzantium (later Constantinople) already from the 2nd century AD. Among the first bishops, Hadrian was martyred during the 2nd (or 4th) century and is venerated by the Orthodox Church.[3] Chalcedon was also the place of martyrdom of saint Euphemia.[3]

The city of Chalcedon enjoyed considerable prestige thanks to the

Virgin Mary as Mother of God (Theotokos). According to the 28th canon of the Council, the Church of Constantinople gained privileges equal to those of Rome, which however were not clearly defined. The same canon clarified that the bishop of Constantinople held the prerogative of honors right after the bishop of Rome.[3]

Byzantine era

In 451, the year that the local Ecumenical Council took place, the bishopric of Chalcedon was promoted to a metropolis. It was the third oldest metropolis in the region of

Asia Minor, after Nicaea and Nicomedia,[3] while its prelate officially styled as Exarch of all Bithynia.[1]

A number of metropolitans and bishops of Chalcedon participated in the

Ignatios, Basil returned to the metropolitan throne where he remained until 877.[3]

Later, ca. 1100, Metropolitan Leo was involved in ecclesiastical issues and was accused of heresy.[4] He also accused Emperor Alexios I Komnenos of sacrilege and iconoclasm, because he allowed the melting of religious gold and silver objects in order to sustain his war effort.[5]

Greek-Orthodox metropolises in Asia Minor, ca. 1880.

Due to the long tradition of

Saint Euphemia and its association with the area of Chalcedon, the local metropolitans claimed and occasionally succeeded in controlling a number of churches and shrines dedicated to her in the region of Constantinople.[1]

Ottoman period

During the 14th century, the metropolitan see remained vacant, due to the

Stauropegic.[1]

The metropolitan of Chalcedon was one of the five Senior metropolitans from the wider region of Constantinople, the other being those of nearby

Herakleia, Cyzicus, Nicaea, and Nicomedia. Following an Ottoman decree of 1757 they had to be always present in the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and had direct access to the Ottoman Sultan, to whom they announced the election of the new Ecumenical Patriarch.[1]

From the mid-19th century, the local metropolis prospered thanks to the significant population increase and economic development of the local Orthodox population. In 1855 the see of the metropolitan returned to Chalcedon during the primateship of Metropolitan Gerasimos. Moreover, the newly erected church of Saint Euphemia became the new cathedral. The metropolitan mansion was built near the cathedral in 1902.[1]

The small church of St Euphemia that serves as the cathedral of Chalcedon.

20th century

In 1923, after the

Istanbul Pogrom of September 1955, eleven churches under the jurisdiction of the Metropolis of Chalcedon were destroyed, while the remaining three church buildings were saved. Moreover, the fanatical mob attacked the metropolitan mansion and humiliated metropolitan bishop Thomas, dragging him through the streets half naked for hours.[6]

The subsequent decline of the Greek element of Constantinople, especially from 1964 on, has left the metropolitan area of Chalcedon with a small community today.

Roman Catholic Church. He was strongly expected to succeed Athenagoras in 1972, but the Turkish Government, in an effort to keep the Patriarchate under its control, had Meliton's name removed from the list of acceptable candidates.[7]

Geography and demographics

During the Byzantine era, the metropolis of Chalcedon was always recorded in the lists of the

Propontis to Zonguldak
.

Until 1922-1923, the metropolis comprised from 38 Greek Orthodox communities, most of them being found in the region

Mesothynia. From 1923 the Greek Orthodox population witnessed a dramatic decrease, as part of the population exchange between Greece and Turkey, while throughout the 20th century its number continued to decline, especially after 1964. Today only a few Christians remain in the diocese of Chalcedon.[1] The Princes' Islands form their own metropolis since 1924.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Terezakis, 2005
  2. ^ "Metropolitan Sees in Turkey". Ecumenical Patriarchate. Ecumenical Patriarchate. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Giourgali, 2003
  4. ISBN 9780226042152.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  5. ISBN 9780801424328
    .
  6. hdl:10442/hedi/26210. Retrieved 1 April 2014. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help
    )
  7. New York Times
    . Retrieved 25 July 2019.

Sources

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