Symeon of Thessaloniki

Symeon was born in Constantinople, most likely between 1381 and 1387. He was archbishop of Thessaloniki from 1416 or 1417 until his death in 1429.

Contents

Life

A native of Constantinople, Symeon became a monk in one of the monasteries there, possibly the Xanthopouloi monastery.

The city of Thessaloniki was surrounded by Ottoman forces when he arrived as archbishop in 1416-17. He slipped quietly out of the city in June 1422 to go to Constantinople and persuade the emperor to send more forces to protect Thessaloniki. He got only as far at Mount Athos, narrowly escaping capture by the Ottoman forces beginning their siege. On Mt. Athos he was convinced to return to Thessaloniki. From this point onward, he presided over the city at a particularly difficult time with the city under siege by the Ottoman sultan Murad II (1421–1451). Receiving no help from the Byzantine emperor in Constantinople, the city's governor or despot, Andronicus Palaiologos, took the decision to hand Thessaloniki over to Venice in the hope that the maritime republic would keep it out of Ottoman hands.

Venetians

Venetian rule, however, could prevent the Ottomans from maintaining their siege and conditions in the city remained desperate. Symeon describes these events in his Logos Historikos.

Works

Symeon also wrote numerous hymns and liturgical works and a discourse on the priesthood. His death, probably in September 1429, came shortly before Thessaloniki finally fell to the Ottomans in March 1430. He was canonized by the Greek Orthodox Church in 1981.

Further reading

Works

Secondary literature