Nicholas IV Mouzalon of Constantinople

His All-Holiness Nicholas IV Mouzalon of Constantinople was the Patriarch of the Church of Constantinople from 1147 to 1151. Earlier, he also was Archbishop of Cyprus, probably during the first decade of the twelfth century.

Life

Nicholas was born about the year 1070, and probably began his career as a teacher of the gospels. Emperor Alexius I Comnenus appointed him archbishop of Cyprus, probably during the first decade of the twelfth century. However, Abp. Nicholas abdicated the see about the year 1110. After abdicating, he spent the next 37 years in the Monastery of Ss. Cosmas and Damian in the Kosmidion suburb of Constantinople.

In December 1147, Nicholas was elected to the patriarchal throne of Constantinople, succeeding Patr. Cosmas II, who had been accused of the heresy of Bogomilism. However, the election of Nicholas as patriarch was questioned and caused considerable controversy. The question concerned the canonical validity of his election since he had voluntarily resigned from his previous see, as archbishop of Cyprus. Unable to dispose of the issue, Nicholas was forced to resign as patriarch in the Spring of 1151. He died the next year, in 1152.

Patr. Nicholas wrote a number of theological works, among them were a treatise addressed to emperor Alexius I that refuted the filioque and a vivid poetic defense of his first abdication from the see of Cyprus.

Succession box: Nicholas IV Mouzalon of Constantinople
Preceded by: ?	Archbishop of Cyprus ?-1110	Succeeded by: ?
Preceded by: Cosmas II Atticus	Patriarch of Constantinople 1147–1151	Succeeded by: Theodotus II

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Source

• Wikipedia: Patriarch Nicholas IV of Constantinople