Difference between revisions of "Germanos of Patra"

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Metropolitan '''Germanos of Patra''' (Greek: Παλαιών Πατρών Γερμανός, ''Palaion Patron Germanos'', George Gotzias, 1771-1826) was a hero of the [[w:Greek War of Independence|Greek War of Independence]] that he blessed with the proclamation of independence on [[March 25]], 1821, at the Monastery of [[w:Agia Lavra|Agia Lavra]].  
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Metropolitan '''Germanos of Patra''' (Greek: Παλαιών Πατρών Γερμανός, ''Palaion Patron Germanos'', Georgios Ioannou Kozias, 1771-1826) was a hero of the [[w:Greek War of Independence|Greek War of Independence]] that he blessed with the proclamation of independence on [[March 25]], 1821, at the Monastery of [[w:Agia Lavra|Agia Lavra]].  
  
[[Image:Bishop-Germanos-1821.jpg|right|thumb|275px|Germanos proclaiming independence on [[March 25]], 1821, at the Monastery of [[w:Agia Lavra|Agia Lavra]]. Oil painting by [[w:Theodoros Vryzakis|Theodoros Vryzakis]], 1865.]]
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[[Image:Bishop-Germanos-1821.jpg|right|thumb|275px|Germanos proclaiming independence on [[March 25]], 1821, at the Monastery of [[Monastery of Holy Lavra (Kalavryta, Greece)|Agia Lavra]]. Oil painting by [[w:Theodoros Vryzakis|Theodoros Vryzakis]], 1865.]]
  
Like Patriarch [[Gregory V of Constantinople|Gregory V]], he was born in Dimitsana, Arcadia, on March 25, 1771. His name in the world was Georgios Gotzias, the son of jeweler Yiannis Gotzias. He entered the [[clergy]], becoming a [[deacon]], and left for theological studies in [[w:Smyrna|Smyrna]] in 1797. He became [[bishop]] of [[w:Patras|Patra]] in 1806 and in 1818 a member of the "Society of Friends" ([[w:Filiki Eteria|Filiki Eteria]]), which was seeking independence for the Greek nation from the Ottoman yoke.  
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==Background==
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Like Patriarch [[Gregory V of Constantinople|Gregory V]], he was born in Dimitsana, Arcadia, on March 25, 1771. His name in the world was Georgios Kozias, the son of jeweler Ioannis Kozias. He received his education at the school of his native village and then at Argos, where he became a [[clergy|clergyman]] and served as [[deacon]] of Metropolitan Iacovos. He then left for theological studies in [[w:Smyrna|Smyrna]] in 1797, where he was employed at the Bishopric by Metropolitan [[Gregory V of Constantinople|Grigorios]]. When Grigorios became Patriarch in 1797 he took Germanos with him and promoted him to [[Deacon|Archdeacon]] of the [[Church of Constantinople|Patriarchate]]. While in Constantinople Germanos completed his studies and his general education.  
  
On [[March 25]], 1821, he blessed the fighters at Agia Lavra in [[w:Achaea|Achaea]] and raised a banner of war. Tradition has it that as he had no flag, he used the curtain of the Holy Place of the church as a banner. The next day he led 500 men to attack the fortifications of Patra.  
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Germanos served as [[Deacon|Archdeacon]] (1800-1806) and then as [[Protosyngellos]] at the Metrolopis of Cyzicus, where he was serving when he was elected [[Bishop]] of [[w:Patras|Patrai]] in 1806. Thanks to his charisma, Germanos acquired a special glamour as Metropolitan of Patrai. He was appointed a Synod member in Constantinople where he stayed three years (1815-1818).
  
Germanos left Greece in 1822 for Italy hoping to obtain aid and support for the war effort from the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church but returned in 1824 without having seen him. He was accosted and robbed by [http://wiki.phantis.com/index.php/Yiannis_Gouras Yiannis Gouras]' men the following year, during the infighting that broke out among the Greeks.  
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==Proclamation of Independence==
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In 1818 upon returning to his see, he became a member of the "Society of Friends" ([[w:Filiki Eteria|Filiki Hetairia]]), which was seeking independence for the Greek nation from the Ottoman yoke.  
  
Bishop Germanos died in [[w:Nafplion|Nafplio]] on [[May 30]], 1826, after a short illness.  
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On [[March 13]] 1821, a Sunday, Germanos blessed the standard during the liturgy at [[Monastery of Holy Lavra (Kalavryta, Greece)|Agia Lavra]] Monastery in [[w:Achaea|Achaea]], and on [[March 25]] 1821, blessed the fighters at [[Monastery of Holy Lavra (Kalavryta, Greece)|Agia Lavra]] and hoisted the flag of the [[w:Greek War of Independence|Greek War of Independence]] in St. George's Square at [[w:Patras|Patrai]].  
  
He wrote memoirs of the first two years of the Greek War of Independence that are invaluable to Greek historians.
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Germanos left Greece in 1822 for Italy, in an abortive mission hoping to obtain aid and support for the war effort from the Pope and the [[w:Congress of Verona|European Congress at Verona]], but returned in 1824 without having seen him.
  
==Source==
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==Later Years==
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In the feuds among the Greeks he played a conciliatory role. Nevertheless he was arrested by the Government camp, on orders from [http://wiki.phantis.com/index.php/Yiannis_Gouras Gouras] and Kolettis, and sufferred greatly.
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Bishop Germanos died on the night of May 30-31, 1826, when he was a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Third National Assembly, and was buried with honours in [[w:Nafplion|Nauplion]]. Later his remains were transferred to Dimitsana, his native village.
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He wrote memoirs of the first two years of the [[w:Greek War of Independence|Greek War of Independence]] that are invaluable to Greek historians.
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==See also==
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*[[Labarum]]
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==Sources==
 
*[http://wiki.phantis.com/index.php/Bishop_Germanos_of_Patra Bishop Germanos of Patra] at Phantis-Wiki.
 
*[http://wiki.phantis.com/index.php/Bishop_Germanos_of_Patra Bishop Germanos of Patra] at Phantis-Wiki.
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*George Tsoulios and Tasos Hadjis. ''Historical Album of the Greek War of Independence 1821: An Illustrated Chronicle. Vol 1''. Transl. Kypros Psyllides and Patroclos Stavrou. Melissa, Athens, [197-].
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==External link==
 
==External link==
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[[Category:Bishops]]
 
[[Category:Bishops]]
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[[Category:19th-century bishops]]
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[[Category:Bishops of Patras]]
 
[[Category:Church History]]
 
[[Category:Church History]]

Latest revision as of 01:19, August 30, 2012

Metropolitan Germanos of Patra (Greek: Παλαιών Πατρών Γερμανός, Palaion Patron Germanos, Georgios Ioannou Kozias, 1771-1826) was a hero of the Greek War of Independence that he blessed with the proclamation of independence on March 25, 1821, at the Monastery of Agia Lavra.

Germanos proclaiming independence on March 25, 1821, at the Monastery of Agia Lavra. Oil painting by Theodoros Vryzakis, 1865.

Background

Like Patriarch Gregory V, he was born in Dimitsana, Arcadia, on March 25, 1771. His name in the world was Georgios Kozias, the son of jeweler Ioannis Kozias. He received his education at the school of his native village and then at Argos, where he became a clergyman and served as deacon of Metropolitan Iacovos. He then left for theological studies in Smyrna in 1797, where he was employed at the Bishopric by Metropolitan Grigorios. When Grigorios became Patriarch in 1797 he took Germanos with him and promoted him to Archdeacon of the Patriarchate. While in Constantinople Germanos completed his studies and his general education.

Germanos served as Archdeacon (1800-1806) and then as Protosyngellos at the Metrolopis of Cyzicus, where he was serving when he was elected Bishop of Patrai in 1806. Thanks to his charisma, Germanos acquired a special glamour as Metropolitan of Patrai. He was appointed a Synod member in Constantinople where he stayed three years (1815-1818).

Proclamation of Independence

In 1818 upon returning to his see, he became a member of the "Society of Friends" (Filiki Hetairia), which was seeking independence for the Greek nation from the Ottoman yoke.

On March 13 1821, a Sunday, Germanos blessed the standard during the liturgy at Agia Lavra Monastery in Achaea, and on March 25 1821, blessed the fighters at Agia Lavra and hoisted the flag of the Greek War of Independence in St. George's Square at Patrai.

Germanos left Greece in 1822 for Italy, in an abortive mission hoping to obtain aid and support for the war effort from the Pope and the European Congress at Verona, but returned in 1824 without having seen him.

Later Years

In the feuds among the Greeks he played a conciliatory role. Nevertheless he was arrested by the Government camp, on orders from Gouras and Kolettis, and sufferred greatly.

Bishop Germanos died on the night of May 30-31, 1826, when he was a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Third National Assembly, and was buried with honours in Nauplion. Later his remains were transferred to Dimitsana, his native village.

He wrote memoirs of the first two years of the Greek War of Independence that are invaluable to Greek historians.

See also

Sources

  • George Tsoulios and Tasos Hadjis. Historical Album of the Greek War of Independence 1821: An Illustrated Chronicle. Vol 1. Transl. Kypros Psyllides and Patroclos Stavrou. Melissa, Athens, [197-].


External link