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His quest for a good education in rhectorics carried him to the mainland, to Ephesus in Asia Minor, then to Nicea, and finally to Constantinople to study under George Acropolites. In 1261, the Latin forces occupying Constantinople were ejected from the city, and the court then returned. Gregory joined the intellectual life of the city and became a teacher and a participant in the Paleologian renaissance. Among his students was Nikephoros Chumnos.
In 1283, Gregory was chosen Patriarch of Constantinople. Occupying the patriarchal [[see]], he inherited the political and religious problems that had grown through the Latin occupation and the unionist [[Councils of Lyons|Council of LyonLyons]] of 1274. The issues that arose from the aggressive attempts for union with Rome by Emperor Michael VIII and Patr. John XI Beccus became entangled with the controversy over the ‘’filioque’‘.
In the Spring of 1285, Gregory called the Synod of Blachernae to resolve the dispute between the followers of [[Arsenius Autoreianus of Constantinople|Arsenius]] and [[Joseph II of Constantinople|Josephus II]] concerning their unionists positions and the filioque. During the synod, Gregory presented his position on the filioque in his Tome<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/trvalentine/orthodox/tomos1285.html - Exposition of the ''Tomus'' of Faith Against Beccus]</ref> opposing John XI’s theological innovation. In his Tome, Gregory presented not just a repeat of the formulations of Photius and Athanasius, but a reasoned theological contribution that worked out the implications of writings of the [[Cappadocian Fathers]] and [[John of Damascus]] on the procession of the [[Holy Spirit]].
Patr. Gregory’s contemporaries did not see the impact of his insightful words. These words became the forerunner of fourteenth century Palamite Theology. While his contemporaries generally accepted his orthodoxy, they pressured him to resign, which he did in 1289. That he did resign and not continue to press the issue is evidence of his pastoral sensitivity to the importance of healing of the political divisions that were tearing the church during his lifetime.
title=[[List of Patriarchs of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]]|
years= 1283-1289 |
after=[[Athanasius Iof Constantinople|Athanasius I]]}}
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[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category:13th-century bishops]]
[[Category: Patriarchs of Constantinople]]
[[ro:Grigorie al II-lea de Constantinopol]]