Cyril VI of Constantinople
Our father among the saints Cyril VI of Constantinople was the Patriarch of Constantinople from 1813 to 1818. He was martyred during the time Greeks of the Ottoman Empire began asserting their desires for freedom from the Empire. His feast day is April 18.
Life
Patriarch Cyril was born in Adrianople in Thrace about 1769. Little is known of his early life. After entering the Holy Orders, Cyril was enthroned as Metropolitan of Iconium. He then became Metropolitan of Andrionople before he was elected to the see of Constantinople in 1813.
In 1814, Patr. Cyril presided over the adoption by the Holy Synod of the Church of Constantinople of the New Method of teaching and learning Byzantine music that had been developed by the "Three Teachers", Gregory Protopsaltes the Byzantios, Chrysanthos, and Chourmouzios Chartophylax.
In 1818, as tensions with the Ottoman Turks increased, Patr. Cyril was deposed by the Turkish Sultan and exiled to his home in Thrace. There, on April 18, 1821, the Monday of St. Thomas, he was martyred by hanging. Nine days earlier Patr. Gregory V, Cyril's successor, had been also martyred by the Ottomans.
After Cyril died, his body was thrown into the Ebro (Iberus) River. Later his body was found by a tree on the river bank and was buried in the village Pythio near what became the border with Turkish Thrace. A church was erected there in his honor.
Cyril's relics
A portion of his holy relics was preserved and venerated at the Skete of St. Demetrios, a dependency of Vatopaidi Monastery on Mount Athos, but later was moved to the monastery, where it was placed in a small silver reliquary with an old manuscript that relates that St. Cyril suffered martyrdom in April 18, 1821.
On May 11, 1989, his tomb was opened at which time his relics began to give off myrrh that gave off a fragrance throughout the village of Pythio. On September 8, 1991, a church in remembrance of Patr, Cyril was dedicated. Then, on July 8, 1993 the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece added the Holy New Hieromartyr Cyril VI, Patriarch of Constantinople, to the List of Saints of the Church.
| Cyril VI of Constantinople | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: ? |
Metropolitan of Iconium 1xxx-1xxx |
Succeeded by: ? |
| Preceded by: ? |
Metropolitan of Andrionople 1xxx-1813 |
Succeeded by: ? |
| Preceded by: Jeremias IV |
Patriarch of Constantinople 1813-1818 |
Succeeded by: Gregory V |