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chrysanthos notaras the Patriarch of Jerusalem... 403
commentaries and historical sources that his relative Dositheos carefully
guided and protected Chrysanthos’ glorious evolution throughout the
hierarchy of the Church. After his uncle and protector died, Chrysanthos
notaras followed him on the patriarchal throne of Jerusalem, on February
8 th , 1707. Despite the canonical provisions stipulating that a hierarchic
position will not be inherited 25 , Dositheos named his nephew Chrysanthos
as heir of the patriarchal throne of Jerusalem, on the account of being “most
learned and worthy of administrating the holy Sepulcher” – moreover, the
full benefice from his uncle position was something generally expected for
Chrysanthos. 26
Chrysanthos the politician-cleric
Chrysanthos was very skillful in politics, his abilities being put to use
for the benefit of the ottoman empire’ exterior policy. he was in fact a
turning point of all parties involved in the very complex diplomacy of
the Balkans (the empires of russia, Austria and, of course, the ottoman,
Walachia and Moldavia). he went constantly in diplomatic missions, being
promptly informed about any political conspiracy in the area. he served
as trusted emissary to Moscow for his uncle Dositheos, a friend both of
walachian and moldavian princes and of the tsar peter the Great, together
with a Greek professor from Iasi and the interior minister of Brancoveanu,
transmitting encoded information about the turks. 27
A much-praised romanian historian reassures us that, in his clerical
career, “following the example of his uncle Dositheos, Chrysanthos
notaras had done only the good in the name of Christian faith”. 28 Certainly,
Chrysanthos’ activity unfolded all within the frame of militant orthodoxy,
deeply involved in state affairs in the Byzantine political tradition.
The conflict with Anthimos the Ivirian 29
Because Jerusalem’ See had under its jurisdiction and administration
a number of entrusted monasteries Walachia and Moldavia, Chrysanthos,
25 According to the 76 Apostolic Cannon, 14 of the 4th ecumenical and 15 of
laodicaea.
26 radu Greceanu 1970: 235. Because the phanariotes, beside ottoman exterior
affairs, also dominated the administration of the eastern Church, they frequently intervened
in the selection of its hierarchy.
27 I. GeorGeSCu 1956: 28-29.
28 n. IorGA 1969, vol. I: 39-40.
29 originating in the region of Iviria, today’s Georgia, the adopted walachian
metropolitan got the name of his birthplace.