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[German Version] (c. 1360, Constantinople – Jun 26, 1452, Mistra, Pelepponese), the last Byzantine philosopher (Neoplatonist; Neoplatonism) and social reformer. He studied Judaism and Zoroastrianism (Zarathustra) in Bursa; some time before 1414 he moved (banished?) to Mistra, where his students included Bessarion, Mark of Ephesus, and Laonicus Chalcocondyles. He participated in the Council of Ferrara-Florence (1437–1441; Basel), where he translated his original name Gemistos (“filled”) as Plethon, with deliberate echoes of Plato. He influenced the Italian Rena…

[German Version] (Markos Eugenikos, baptismal name Manuel; born Constantinople, 1391, died Constantinople, Jun 23, 1444/1445), conciliar theologian and ecclesiastical politician. He received a humanistic education in rhetoric from John Chortasmenos (Metropolitan Ignatius of Selymbria) and in philosophy from G.G. Plethon, but he was not an original thinker. His temperament led him in the direction of the monastic theology of G. Palamas. After becoming archbishop of Ephesus in 1437, as a delegate at the Council of Ferrara-Florence, he led the debate on the Filioque …

[German Version] (c. 1225, Nicea? – 1297, in the fortress of St. George near Nicomedia). After ordination to the diaconate, Beccus served as chartophylax (archivist) and chief sacristan of the Hagia Sophia; ultimately he became patriarch following the Second Council of Lyon (1274), which approved reunion with the Western Church. Beccus initially opposed the un…

[German Version] (c. 1290, Seminara, Calabria – 1348, Avignon) came to Constantinople as a monk in 1325, where he conducted a debate over philosophy and astronomy in 1330. He discussed theological issues with legates from Pope John XXI in 1334/1335 and wrote a series of treatises directed against the Filioque and papal primacy. He used a political mission to Avignon (1339) as an opportunity for unification discussions (Unions with …

[German Version] (1197/1198, Constantinople – 1271/1273) studied trivium/quadrivium at different places (Smyrna, Skamandros, Ephesus, Nymphaion, Nikaia), studied theology at Latros (1233). Blemmydes defended Greek interests position in union negotiations in 1234 and 1250. He made many journeys, including to Palestine (1237). In 1248 Blemmydes founded a monastery …

[German Version] (born 1300, Prilep, died before May, 1348, in exile) studied in Pelagonia (Bitola) and Thessalonica; he was acquainted with Palamas and NicephorusGregoras. After meeting with Barlaam of Calabria, he mediated between Barlaam and Palamas (1336) with regard to the former's anti-Latin writings concerning the indemonstrability of revelation. In 1337, after the start of the Palamite controversy, he engaged in another attempt at mediation; the final break came after the synod of 1341, which condemned Akindynos ( RAPC 2212). He was ord…

[German Version] (1669, Lixuri, island of Kefalonia – Aug 1, 1714, Patras), Greek preacher and controversial theologian, at first in the city of Venice, where he was studying (theology, Gk, Lat.); he officiated as bishop of Kernitza (Kalavryta, Peloponnese) from 1711 onward. His sermons, which became famous, were influenced by the great pulpit orators of France and Italy (Paolo Segneri the Elder SJ, J.-B. Bossuet, Louis Bourdaloue SJ, Jean-Baptiste Massillon), and were regarded as models by succee…

[German Version] (Neilos, also Nilus the Younger; c. 910 Rossano, province of Cosenza, Calabria – Sep 26, 1004, abbey of Sant’Agata, on the Via Latina). Probably married in his youth, he became a Basilian monk in 940, initially as a hermit. Later he founded a monastery in Rossano, but Saracen raids induced him to leave Calabria. After a period in the monastery of Vallelucio (from 979), in 994 he founded the monastery of Serperi near Gaëta, where in 999 he received Emperor Otto III after Otto’s pil…

[German Version] (before 1540, Monemvasia, Greece – Oct 21, 1616, Venice) was the most important metropolitan of Philadelphia (see: Venice). In 1572, he came to Venice as a monk and became the pastor of the Greek parish there. Gabriel corresponded with many scholars, including Martin Crusius, and advocated the Gregorian calendar reform and the common celebration of Easter (Paschal/Easter calendrical controversies) with the Latins (1589/90). He became entangled in a long polemic with Maximus Margunius over the egression of the Holy Spirit ( Filioque ). Signifi…

[German Version] 1. Johannes (1498, Nauplion, Peloponnesus – 1580, Constantinople). After studying in Padua, Zygomalas worked as a notary in his native town; after 1555 he served at the patriarchal academy in Constantinople as rhetor and didaskalos. His theological work was insignificant (an attack on the use of unleavened bread); he was only marginally involved in the correspondence with the Tübingen theologians. At the behest of the patriarch, in 1576/1577 he pursued the totally unrealistic plan of trying to persuade the German …

[German Version] 1. Neilos Metropolitan of Thessalonica 1361–1363 (baptismal name: Nikolaos; end of the 13th cent., Thessalonica – 1363, Thessalonica), was the uncle of the more famous theologian Nikolaos Kabasilas (2.). After the synod of 1341, he changed from a fervent admirer of Thomas Aquinas ( Summa theologica; Summa contra Gentiles, in the translation by his student D. Cydones) to a polemical adherent of Palamism which radically rejected the scholastic method (on the major points: filioque , papal primacy), and, consequently, was also elected…