View source for Photius of Alexandria

His Beatitude, '''Photius of Alexandria''' was the Patriarch of Alexandria of the [[Church of Alexandria]] from 1900 to 1925. Before his election to the [[see]] of Alexandria, Photius was among the leading candidates for the see of Jerusalem.

Patr. Photius was born Photios Peroglou in 1853 on the island of Tinos. At the repose of Patriarch [[Hierotheus of Jerusalem]] in 1882, Photius was elected to the see of Jerusalem by the [[Holy Synod]] of Jerusalem over the other candidates: Bishops [[Nicodemus of Jerusalem|Nicodemus]] and [[Gerasimus of Jerusalem|Gerasimus]]. However, Imperial Russia opposed his election and convinced the Turkish Sultan to not issue a [[Ottoman Turk Documents|Berât]] approving the election. After his rejection, Photius returned to his [[monastery]] at Sinai.

In 1890, the Patriarchate of Constantinople persuaded the Sultan to [[deposition|depose]] Nicodemus, the incumbent [[patriarch]] of Jerusalem, and assign the Berât to Photius. Once again Russia opposed Photius as Patriarch of Jerusalem, and he was once again not approved by the Sultan as [[patriarch]]. Photius was subsequently elected [[Metropolitan]] of Nazareth.

In 1899, Metr. Photius was elected to the see of Alexandria and [[enthronement|enthroned]] as Patriarch of Alexandria on [[January 22]], 1900. During his reign, Patr. Photius reorganized the entire administration of the Patriarchate into seven ecclesiastical Provinces. He re-established the Metropolis of Ptolemais, renovated the Monastery of St. George in Old Cairo and founded the Patriarchal Printing Press, which published two periodicals “Pantainos” and “Ecclesiastikos Pharos”. 

When, in the early 1920s, the Church of Greece contemplated a change to the use of the new calendar, Patr. Photius convened the [[Holy Synod]] of Alexandria which "''reject[ed] every addition or any change of the calendar before the convocation of an Ecumenical Synod, which alone is capable of discussing this question, concerning which [[Ecumenical Councils|Ecumenical Council]] we propose a speedy convocation''" as he reported in a telegram of [[January 15]], (os) 1924 to the Patriarch of Constantinople. Significant in Patr. Photius' telegram is that he considered the issue one that needed to be discussed at an Ecumenical Council, not a "Pan-Orthodox Council".  

Patr. Photius reposed in Zurich, Switzerland on [[September 4]], 1925.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Metropolitan of Nazareth|
years=1890-1899|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=[[Sophronius IV of Alexandria|Sophronius IV]]|
title=[[List of Patriarchs of Alexandria|Patriarch of Alexandria]]|
years=1900-1925|
after=[[Meletius IV (Metaxakis) of Constantinople|Meletios II (Metaxakis)]]}}
{{end box}}
 
==Sources==
*[http://www.patriarchateofalexandria.com/index.php?module=content&cid=001003&id=196&lang=en  Photius (1900-1925)]
*[http://rulers.org/relig.html Religious leaders] 

==External links==
*[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/cal_letter.aspx  Letter On The Calendar Issue]
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08364a.htm   Jerusalem (After 1291)]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Bishops of Nazareth]]
[[Category: Patriarchs of Alexandria]]
[[Category:19th-20th-century bishops]]