LE SYMPOSIUM INTERNATIONAL LE LIVRE. LA ROUMANIE. L ...

402 VIcTOR GODEAnU
already mentioned, the man who sponsored his studies abroad, and whose
influence weight very substantially in the decision of his appointment on
the patriarchal throne of Jerusalem after the death of Dositheos. 21 Since
Simon I of trebizond, the fourth patriarch after the fall of Constantinople
(three times at the head of the orthodox Church), inaugurated the custom
of buying patriarchal thrones, bidding for a high hierarchical appointment
became immediately an unwritten rule – that is in total contradiction with
the apostolic teaching and the canonical (Church law) provisions concerning
that matter. 22 therefore, a financial sponsorship became necessary for
every candidate to a top position in clerical hierarchy. In order to receive
his assigning letter (firman) to the patriarchal throne of Jerusalem from
the sultan, Chrysanthos was apparently financed by Brancoveanu to pay
the peshkesh (the turkish term for the customary bribe to the high-ranking
officials). 23 But, arguably the greatest friend of Chrysanthos, for life time
and much closer to him, his true intellectual pair, was the already mentioned,
extremely influent phanariot, nikolaou Mavrokordatos.
Chrysanthos notaras’ ecclesiastic carrier begins about 1680, when
he becomes Archdeacon. then, probably in 1695, he is promoted to
Archimandrite and exarch of the holy Sepulcher, nominated and supported
by his uncle Dositheos, then the patriarch of Jerusalem. By that time, the
prince Brancoveanu grants him with his scholarship to padua. later, on
April 5 th , 1702, Chrysanthos is ordained Metropolitan of Caesarea of
palestine, delivering on the occasion a eulogy in Jerusalem. the same year,
this inauguration speech is printed in Bucharest. 24
these brief historical data conceal a lifetime of aspirations and
accomplishments, of ambitions and deeds. It is clearly noticeable from all
financially his cultural vision and political ambition. his policy however was hindered by
his dual loyalty toward Austria and the rival ottoman empire. his failure to achieve the
protection of Austria disclosed his betrayal toward the high port, and finally cost him and
his four sons their heads, and brought Walachia to the phanariot rule.
21 the primary source of this assertion, a common place in romanian bibliography,
is a letter of Bracoveanu mentioned in the historical collection hurmuzaki-Iorga, n. 424:
386-388.
22 G.M. IoneSCu 1900: 43.
23 A documented precedent on this matter exists, regarding a relative of Brâncoveanu,
the patriarch Dionysus, banished from his seat by the ottomans and reinstituted by
the influence and money of the Walachian prince in 1693; a previous similar display
of influential financial power is shown by Brancoveanu in December 1690, when he
intervenes in favour of the monks from the St. Katherine Monastery in Sinai by the
patriarch of Jerusalem Dositheos, who intended to absorb them under his jurisdiction, and
wins their cause.
24 C. erBICeAnu 1903: 53.