Hierarch16th century

Jeremiah I Patriarch of Constantinople

15th century – 13 January 1546

Patriarch of Constantinople under Ottoman rule who strengthened the Church and restored its sacred places.

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Commemorated as

Our Father among the Saints Jeremiah, Patriarch of Constantinople

Life

Jeremiah I (Jeremias I) was a Greek hierarch from Zitsa in Epirus who served as Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1522 to 1546, with a brief interruption in 1524–1525. Known for his administrative ability rather than formal learning, he led the Church of Constantinople through the early decades of Ottoman rule under Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.

Before his elevation he served as Archbishop of Sofia from about 1513. Elected to the patriarchal throne on 31 December 1522, he was briefly deposed in 1524 while traveling in Jerusalem and was restored in 1525 by order of the Sultan. He is remembered for securing, in 1537, an Ottoman order halting the conversion of churches into mosques in Constantinople.

He died on 13 January 1546 at Vratsa, in present-day Bulgaria, while traveling toward Wallachia. On 10 January 2023 the Ecumenical Patriarchate formally canonized him, fixing his feast on 13 January.

Kontakion & Troparion2 hymnsReadHide

KontakionTone 2

(Podoben: “You sought the heights...”) O Hierarch Jeremiah, divine thunder, spiritual trumpet,
planter of faith, and pruner of heresies, great favorite of the Trinity,
as you stand before God with the Angels,
pray unceasingly for all of us.

Text used with permission of the Orthodox Church in America (oca.org).

TroparionTone 4

The truth of things revealed you to your flock as a rule of faith,
a model of meekness, and a teacher of temperance.
Therefore, through humility, you attained the heights;
and through poverty, riches.
O Hierarch Jeremiah, our Father, entreat Christ God that our souls may be saved.

Text used with permission of the Orthodox Church in America (oca.org).

Timeline8 momentsReadHide

15th centuryBirth in EpirusJeremiah was born in Zitsa, in the region of Epirus; the exact date is unknown. He was raised without formal instruction but developed strong administrative capabilities.
c. 1513Archbishop of SofiaHe became Archbishop of Sofia on or before 1513, holding the see until his elevation to Constantinople.
31 December 1522Elected Ecumenical PatriarchHe was elected Patriarch of Constantinople, succeeding Theoleptus I and beginning his first term. Shortly after his election he undertook a pastoral journey to Cyprus, Egypt, Sinai, and Palestine.
April/May 1524Deposition and synod at JerusalemWhile Jeremiah was in Jerusalem, clergy and notables in Constantinople deposed him and elected Joannicius I. In response he convened the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Antioch in a synod at Jerusalem that excommunicated Joannicius I.
24 September 1525Restoration to the throneBy order of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent he was restored to the patriarchal throne, beginning his second term.
1537Order protecting churchesHe obtained an order from Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent stopping the conversion of churches into mosques in Constantinople, though the protection was not confirmed by his successors and lapsed after Suleiman's death in 1566.
13 January 1546Repose at VratsaJeremiah died at Vratsa, in present-day Bulgaria, while traveling to Wallachia. He was succeeded by Dionysius II.
10 January 2023CanonizationThe Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate formally canonized him as a saint, setting his annual feast on 13 January.

Contributions & Legacy

3 contributionsReadHide

Patriarchal Tenure under Ottoman Rule

Jeremiah governed the Church of Constantinople during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, when the Ecumenical Patriarchate operated under Ottoman authority. Sources describe him as a man of great administrative skill who, despite a lack of formal education, strengthened the Church and worked to restore its sacred places.

Soon after his election in 1522 he traveled pastorally through Cyprus, Egypt, Sinai, and Palestine, a journey that took him away from the capital and into the territory of the other ancient patriarchates.

His most noted act of governance came in 1537, when he obtained a sultanial order halting the conversion of churches into mosques in Constantinople. The measure offered protection to the Church's buildings, but it was not confirmed by his successors and effectively ended after the death of Suleiman in 1566.

Deposition and Restoration

In the spring of 1524, while Jeremiah was in Jerusalem, clergy and notables in Constantinople deposed him and installed Joannicius I in his place. Jeremiah did not accept the move: he convened the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Antioch in a synod at Jerusalem that excommunicated Joannicius I.

He was restored to the patriarchal throne on 24 September 1525 by order of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, beginning a second and far longer term that lasted until his death in 1546.

Canonization

Jeremiah was recognized as a saint nearly five centuries after his repose. On 10 January 2023 the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate formally canonized him, conferring the recognition of Patriarch and Holy Hierarch and fixing his annual commemoration on 13 January, the day of his death.

He is commemorated on 13 January alongside the Martyrs Hermylus and Stratonicus of Belgrade, Venerable Irenarchus the Recluse of Rostov, Saint James, Bishop of Nisibis, and Saint Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers.

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Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Jan 13