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Cyril Lucaris

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'''Cyrillos Lukaris''' or '''Cyril Lucaris''' or '''Cyril Lucar''' ([[November 13]], [[1572]] -[[June 163727]], [[1638]]) was a Greek prelate and theologian and a native of [[Crete]]. He later became the [[Patriarch of Alexandria ]] as '''Cyril III''' and [[Patriarch of Constantinople ]] as '''Cyril I'''. He was the first great name in the Orthodox Church since the [[fall of Constantinople ]] in [[1453]], and dominated its history in the 17th century.
Patriarch Cyril was born Konstantinos Loukaris in [[Heraklion]], [[Crete]] in [[1572]]. In his youth , he travelled through throughout Europe, studying at Venice and , Padua, and at Geneva where he came under the influence of the reformed faith as represented by of John Calvin. In 1602 he He was ordained a [[deacon]] in [[1583]], a little later [[priest]] and, in [[1601]], was elected [[Patriarch of Alexandria]] at age 29, succeeding his uncle [[Meletius I of Constantinople|Meletius Pegas]]. In [[1612]], and in 1621 he served as caretaker [[Patriarch of Constantinople]] and, on [[November 4]], [[1620]], was elected to the post.
Due to Turkish oppression combined with the proselitisation proselytism of the Orthodox faithful by Jesuit missionaries, there was a shortage of schools which taught the Orthodox faith and [[Greek language]]. Catholic schools were set up and Catholic churches were built next to Orthodox ones; since Orthodox priests [[priest]]s were in short demand something had to be done. Due to good relations with Lucaris fought the Anglicans, in 1677 Bishop Henry Compton influence of London built Roman Catholicism among his flock. He had a church for printing press established in Constantinople to publish books and enlighten the Greek Orthodox in London but in 1682 believers and also had the Bible translated into modern Greek Orthodox Church in London closed. But in 1694 renewed sympathy for the Greeks drew up plans for Worcester College, Oxford (then Gloucester Hall), to become a college for the Greeks, but these plans never came to fruitionby Maximus Kallipolitis.
In 1753 It is alleged that the great aim of Loukaris' life was to reform the Orthodox Church on Calvinistic lines, and to this end he sent many young Greek theologians to the Patriarch Cyril Lukaris opened a school universities of thought called Switzerland, the northern Netherlands and England. In [[Athoniada]] at [[Mount Athos1629]], he published his famous ''Confession'' which was basically Calvinistic in doctrine but , as far as possible, accommodated to the Orthodox language and Catholics insisted to creeds of the Turkish authorities that this should be closedOrthodox Church. In 1759 It appeared the Athos School was closed. The next option was to send students abroad to studysame year in two Latin editions, four French, as long as it was not Catholic thoughtone German and one English. The Calvinists were appealing because their beliefs were very similar to This started a controversy in the Orthodox onesChurch which culminated, in [[1691]], in a convocation of a synod, by Dositheos, [[Patriarch of Jerusalem]], which condemned the Confession and Calvinist doctrines.
It is alleged that the great aim of his life Cyril was to reform also particularly well disposed towards the Anglican Church on Calvinistic lines, and to this end he sent many young Greek theologians to his correspondence with the universities Archbishops of Switzerland, the northern Netherlands and EnglandCanterbury is extremely interesting. In 1629 he published It was in his famous ''Confessio'' time that Mitrophanis Kritopoulos — later to become [[Patriarch of Alexandria]] (Calvinistic in doctrine1636-1639), but as far as possible accommodated — was sent to England to the language study. Both Lucaris and creeds Kritopoulos were lovers of the Orthodox Church. It appeared the same year in two Latin editions, four French, one German books and one Englishmanuscripts, and in acquired manuscripts that today adorn the Eastern Church started a controversy which culminated in 1691 in the convocation by Dositheos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, of a synod by which the Calvinistic doctrines were condemnedPatriarchal Library.
Cyril was also particularly well disposed towards the Anglican Church, and his correspondence with the Archbishops of Canterbury is extremely interesting. It was in his time that Mitrophanis Kritopoulos—later to become Patriarch of Alexandria (1636-1639)—was sent to England to study. Both Lucaris and Kritopoulos were lovers of books and manuscripts, and acquired manuscripts that today adorn the Patriarchal Library.  Lucaris was several five times temporarily deposed and banished at the instigation of his orthodox Orthodox opponents and of the Jesuits, who were his bitter enemies. However, each time he was restored. Finally, when the Ottoman Sultan Murad III was about to set out for war against the Persian WarPersians, the patriarch was accused of a design designing to stir up the Cossacks, and to . To avoid trouble during his absence , the sultan had him killed by the Janissaries in on [[June 163727]], [[1638]]. His body was thrown into the sea, recovered and buried at a distance from the capital by his friends, and only brought back to [[Constantinople ]] after many years.
The orthodoxy of Lucaris himself continued to be a matter of debate in the Eastern Church, even Dositheos, in view of the reputation of the great patriarch, thinking it expedient to gloss over his heterodoxy in the interests of the Church.
==References==
This article incorporates text from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, which is in the public domain (see also entry in the latest online edition of Encyclopædia Britannica [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9049229]).
 
 
==External links==
*[http://www.gec.gr/history/KLoukaris.htm Cyril Lucaris - biography by Hadjiantoniou]
*[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/ca4_loukaris.aspx The Myth of the Calvinist Patriarch]
* http://www.nndb.com/people/008/000097714/ (Short bio with picture)
* http://theologytoday.ptsem.edu/oct1961/v18-3-bookreview10.htm (book review of "''Protestant Patriarch: The Life of Cyril Lucaris (1572-1638); Patriarch of Constantinople''")
* http://www.cresourcei.org/creedcyril.html (''The Confession of Cyril Lucaris'')
*[http://www.gec.gr/dig_lib/minima8.htm Η ομολογία του Κυρίλλου Λουκάρεως (ελληνικά)]
[[Category:Ecumenical Patriarchs]][[Category:1638 deaths]][[Category:1572 births]][[Category:Executed people]][[Category:Patriarchs of ConstantinopleAlexandria]]

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