Saint Athanasios III of Constantinople

Athanasius III of Constantinople (Greek: Ἀθανάσιος; born Alexios Patellarios, Ἀλέξιος Πατελλάριος; Russian: Алексий Пателла́рий; 1597 – 5 April 1654) was the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople in 1634 and 1652. Before his patriarchate, Athanasius was metropolitan of Thessaloniki. He participated at Patriarch Nikon of Moscow's book editing reforms in 1653. Athanasius III was canonised as an Enlightener into the Synaxis of Athonite Venerables by the Russian Church in the 1670s. His feast date is on 2 (15) May, the 2nd Week after Pentecost, canonised alongside Athanasius of Alexandria. Alexios was born to an imperial noble family with roots dating back to the Palaiologos. His father Georgios was a scientist and publisher, and his elder brother Eustaphios was a physician. For 26 years he lived in Crete in the Arkadi Monastery, which was then under Venetian rule and received there his education. Alexios knew well philosophy, Ancient Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Arabic and Italian. In 1631, Alexios was consecrated as metropolitan bishop of Thessaloniki; he was under the patronage of Ecumenical Patriarch Cyril I of Constantinople. In early 1634, a third opposition against Cyril I regarding the publication of Eastern Confession of the Christian faith in March 1629 was formed in Fanari, as the document had Calvinist theological lines. On 25 February 1634, Athanasius III became Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople and was enthroned on 25 March. After several days he was dethroned by Cyril I, who returned from prison. Athanasius III then escaped to the Mount Athos, where he built the skete (where in 1849 the Russian St. Andrew skete was founded), which kept the icon Consolation in Sorrow and Grief (В скорбех и печалех Утешение). After his second deposition in 1635, Athanasius III went to Italy, staying in Ancona and Venice. Peter Rietbergen relates, "Landing in Ancona, he was received by the famous Orientalist scholar Father Orazio Giustiniani.