Photios II (born Dimitrios Maniatis, 1874 - December 29, 1935) was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from October 7, 1929 to December 29, 1935.
Biographical data
He was born in Prigipo in 1874. He completed his primary education in Prigipo, then went to the German-Swiss School in Galata, and finally to the Zarifeio Gymnasium in Plovdiv. He studied theology at the University of Athens and philosophy at the University of Munich. He spoke Greek, Turkish, French, German and Bulgarian.
In 1902, he was ordained a deacon by his uncle, then Metropolitan Photios of Plovdiv, who gave him his name. He remained in this Metropolia, where he reached the office of Protosygellus. He was then appointed Patriarchal Exarch of Plovdiv during the period 1906-1914, during which the clergy of the Patriarchate were persecuted from Bulgaria and Romelia. In 1914, he was attacked by a mob of Bulgarians and left the country.
In 1915, he was elected auxiliary bishop of Irinopol, assisting his uncle, who had meanwhile been transferred to the metropolis of Kozani. In 1924, he was elected bishop of Philadelphia and transferred to the metropolis of Derka the following year. In the patriarchal elections of July 1, 1925, the Turkish authorities opposed any candidacy because of his service in metropolitans in Greek territory.
Patriarchate
On October 7, 1929, he was elected Ecumenical Patriarch and enthroned on the same day.
During his patriarchate, relations between Greece and Turkey were restored, thanks to the actions of Eleftherios Venizelos and Kemal Atatürk. Eleftherios Venizelos himself, when he traveled to Turkey in October for the signing of the Greek-Turkish friendship pact, visited Patriarch Photios, in a visit that was historic, as it was the first time a politician from Greece had visited Phanar.
It was during his patriarchate that they had location events related to Papa Euthy, the priest who occupied the holy church Our Lady of Kafatiani in Galata and established The so-called Turkish Orthodox Church, while for the first time, the title of "Ecumenical Patriarch" was challenged by the Turkish state authorities and the title of "Protopaphecy" (Baspapaz) was promoted. Patriarch Photios reacted strongly to this challenge, refusing for more than a year to open letters that were not addressed to the "Patriarch" or "Ecumenical Patriarch," after which the matter was settled. Finally, in 1934, a law was passed prohibiting any religious official in Turkey from wearing priestly garb outside the place of worship, except for the prefects of the denominations (ecumenical patriarch, archimufti, chief rabbi). Reacting to this ban, Patriarch Photios avoided leaving the Patriarchal See to avoid accompanying clergy without priestly vestments.
As part of Fotyga's inter-Christian initiatives, all Orthodox Churches were represented at the Anglican Church Congress in Lambeth in April 1930. He also took initiatives to resume preparations for the convening of a pan-Orthodox council to resolve various issues, such as the calendar question, the situation in the Russian Church, relations with the heterodox, the conditions for granting autocephaly, etc. Thus, she convened a preliminary Inter-Orthodox Commission at the Vatopedi Monastery on June 8, 1830, which was attended by representatives of all Orthodox Churches except the Russian Church.
Patriarch Photios also took care to normalize the situation that had prevailed for years in the Church of America, which was divided between the Venizelists, led by Archbishop Alexander, chosen by the Patriarchate, and the Royalists, led by Metropolitan Germanos of Sparta, who was sent by the Church of Greece. To resolve the issue, he sent Metropolitan Damaskinos Papandreou of Corinth as exarch in 1930. The Synod of the Patriarchate then elected the then Metropolitan Athenagoras of Corfu as the new archbishop of America.
Patriarch Photios II died on December 29, 1935.