Portrait of Anthimos III Chorianopoulos from the time he was Metropolitan of Smyrna.
A MOST EXALTED UNKNOWN SAINT OF THE CHURCH, CONFESSOR ANTHIMOS III, PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE 1822–1824
HE WAS THREATENED, IMPRISONED TWICE, TORTURED, AND EXILED BY THE TURKS, WITH THE COLLUSION OF UNWORTHY FELLOW BISHOPS. NEVERTHELESS, HE DID NOT CONSENT TO LOWER THE BANNER OF THE ORTHODOX FAITH.
A SACRED EXAMPLE TO THOSE OF TODAY WHO, ESPECIALLY WITHOUT SERIOUS REASON OR CAUSE, REJECT THE MOST HOLY ORTHODOXY, ADVOCATING, CAUSING TURMOIL, AND TEACHING OTHER BELIEFS!!! MAY THEY BE GRANTED TO FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE!!! AMEN.
Article by Nikolaos Levogiannis
Anthimos III, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople (1822–1824)
- Anthimos III, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople (1822–1824), is a revered yet lesser-known figure in the Orthodox Church, recognized for his steadfast commitment to Orthodoxy during a turbulent period.
- Despite facing imprisonment, torture, and exile by Ottoman authorities, he refused to compromise his faith or support actions against the Greek Revolution.
- His life serves as an inspiring example of resilience and fidelity to Orthodox principles, particularly for contemporary clergy and believers.
- Efforts have been made to honor his legacy, including calls for his canonization, with commemorations and a bust in his hometown of Komiaki, Naxos.
Anthimos III, born Sakeilarios Chorianopoulos in 1762 or 1763 in Komiaki, Naxos, rose from humble origins to become a significant figure in the Orthodox Church. His family, originally from the Peloponnese, settled in Naxos to escape Ottoman persecution. Guided by his spiritual mentor, Metropolitan Anthimos Vardis of Paronaxia, he pursued ecclesiastical studies and was ordained a deacon in 1789 under Patriarch Neophytos VII. His rapid rise through the church hierarchy saw him become Great Archdeacon, Porter, and Great Protosyncellus before being elected Metropolitan of Smyrna in 1797. During his 24-year tenure in Smyrna, he revitalized churches, supported education, and strengthened the Orthodox community.
Amid the Greek Revolution of 1821, Anthimos faced severe persecution. He was imprisoned twice—first in Smyrna and later in Constantinople’s harsh Bostancıbaşı prison—for seven months. Despite these trials, he was elected Ecumenical Patriarch in 1822 while still imprisoned, a testament to his revered status. As Patriarch, he navigated the Church through a period of Ottoman hostility and the Greek uprising. Notably, he refused to comply with the Sultan’s demands to appoint leadership for the Church of Cyprus contrary to tradition and resisted cooperation against the Greek Revolution. His decisions, including prohibiting the translation of the Holy Scriptures into vernacular Greek, reflected his commitment to preserving Orthodox tradition.
In 1824, Anthimos was deposed by the Sultan for his refusal to betray the Greek cause and for allegedly supporting Serbian ecclesiastical independence. He was exiled to the Monastery of St. John the Forerunner in Caesarea, Cappadocia, where he endured seven years of confinement under harsh conditions that deteriorated his health. Released in 1830, he returned to Smyrna, serving as locum tenens of the Metropolis in 1831 and 1833. He died in 1842 at the Greek Hospital in Smyrna, leaving his wealth to local churches and institutions. His funeral was a grand affair, and his legacy endured until the Asia Minor Catastrophe of 1922, when his icon in the Church of St. John the Theologian was lost.
Anthimos III’s steadfast faith and sacrifices have inspired calls for his canonization. In 2016, a commemorative event in Komiaki highlighted his life as a confessor and saintly figure, with a poem and hymns composed in his honor by theologian Eirini Polykrati. A bust of Anthimos was unveiled in Komiaki in 2006, and streets in Naxos bear his name, reflecting his enduring legacy.
Anthimos III Chorianopoulos (1762/3–1842), a towering yet underrecognized figure in the Orthodox Church, served as Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1822 to 1824 during one of the most challenging periods in Ottoman and Greek history. His life, marked by unwavering commitment to Orthodoxy, resilience in the face of persecution, and contributions to ecclesiastical and educational institutions, positions him as a model for clergy and laity alike.
Early Life and Ecclesiastical Career
Born in Komiaki, Naxos, as Sakeilarios Chorianopoulos, Anthimos was the youngest of eight children of Father Ioannis Chorianopoulos, a priest, and Maria. His family, originally from Sparta in the Peloponnese, fled to Naxos around 1740 to escape Ottoman persecution. His father, intending him for the Church, named him Sakeilarios, a name of ecclesiastical origin. Under the guidance of Metropolitan Anthimos Vardis of Paronaxia, a mentor to St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite, young Sakeilarios pursued his education in Komiaki and briefly at the School of St. George Grotta in Chora, Naxos, under Chrysanthos of Aetolia.
By 1775, Anthimos became a disciple of Metropolitan Grigorios of Drama, later a synod member at the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Ordained a deacon in 1789 under Patriarch Neophytos VII, he quickly ascended the ecclesiastical ranks, becoming Great Archdeacon and Porter in 1791, Great Protosyncellus in 1797, and Metropolitan of Smyrna later that year. As Metropolitan, he served for 24 years (1797–1821), restoring churches like St. Photini after the 1797 riots and rebuilding St. John the Theologian. He also supported key educational institutions, such as the Evangelical School and the Philological Gymnasium in Smyrna, and served as a trustee for the School of St. Eleftherios in Sangri, Naxos.
Persecution and Patriarchate
The outbreak of the Greek Revolution in 1821 brought severe trials. Anthimos was arrested in Smyrna alongside prominent Greeks and briefly imprisoned before being released through the intervention of influential Ottoman figures. Transferred to the prestigious Metropolis of Chalcedon in October 1821, he was arrested again in January 1822 and imprisoned for seven months in Constantinople’s notorious Bostancıbaşı prison. Despite these hardships, he was elected Ecumenical Patriarch on July 30, 1822, following the death of Patriarch Eugenios II.
As Patriarch, Anthimos led the Church during a period of intense Ottoman repression and the escalating Greek Revolution. He steadfastly refused to comply with the Sultan’s demands to appoint leadership for the Church of Cyprus in violation of tradition or to act against the Greek uprising. His decision in 1823 to prohibit the translation of the Holy Scriptures into vernacular Greek, proposed by Protestant missionary Lives, underscored his commitment to preserving Orthodox liturgical tradition. He was also accused of supporting the emancipation of the Serbian Metropolises of Belgrade and Užice, laying the groundwork for the Serbian Church’s independence, which aligned with Serbian political aspirations.
Deposition, Exile, and Final Years
In July 1824, Anthimos was deposed by the Sultan for his refusal to betray the Greek cause and his alleged support for Serbian independence. His deposition sparked protests among Christians and some Muslims in the Phanar, which were violently suppressed. Exiled to the Monastery of St. John the Forerunner in Caesarea, Cappadocia, he endured seven years of confinement in harsh conditions that severely impacted his health. Released in 1830, he returned to Smyrna, where he lived with his brother Nikolaos and served as locum tenens of the Metropolis in 1831 and 1833. Anthimos died on August 13, 1842, at the Greek Hospital in Smyrna. His funeral, presided over by the Metropolitan of Ephesus, was a grand event, and he was buried in the Church of St. John the Theologian, where his icon remained until the 1922 Asia Minor Catastrophe. His estate was bequeathed to Smyrna’s churches and charitable institutions.
Legacy and Calls for Canonization
Anthimos III’s life of sacrifice and fidelity to Orthodoxy has earned him recognition as a confessor of the faith. His legacy is preserved in Komiaki, Naxos, where a bust was unveiled in 2006, and streets in Naxos bear his name. A 2016 commemorative event in Komiaki, featuring a presentation by theologian Eirini Polykrati and hymns in his honor, highlighted his saintly qualities. Former Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I reportedly intended to propose his canonization, and in 2017, a petition was sent to Patriarch Bartholomew for his inclusion in the Church’s hagiologion. Anthimos’s example of unwavering faith amidst persecution continues to inspire calls for his formal recognition as a saint.
| 1762/3 | Born Sakeilarios Chorianopoulos in Komiaki, Naxos. |
| 1789 | Ordained deacon under Patriarch Neophytos VII. |
| 1797 | Elected Metropolitan of Smyrna; served for 24 years. |
| 1821 | Imprisoned in Smyrna during Greek Revolution; transferred to Chalcedon. |
| 1822 | Imprisoned in Constantinople; elected Ecumenical Patriarch. |
| 1823 | Prohibited translation of Holy Scriptures into vernacular Greek. |
| 1824 | Deposed and exiled to Caesarea, Cappadocia. |
| 1830 | Released and returned to Smyrna. |
| 1842 | Died in Smyrna; buried in Church of St. John the Theologian. |
| 2006 | Bust unveiled in Komiaki, Naxos. |
- Anthimos III the Naxian, Komiaki, Vol. A (1996), pp. 415–429.
- Chr. Sok. Solomonidis, The Church of Smyrna (Athens, 1960), p. 192.
- N. Kefalliniadis, The Monastery of St. Eleftherios in Sangri (1978).
- G. Lampakis, The Seven Stars of the Apocalypse (1903), p. 225.
- Ieros Polykarpos (Smyrna, 1913), Issue 139.