Wysłannicy patriarchy konstantynopolitańskiego na soborach w Rzeczypospolitej w XVI wieku

The offer of the deputies of the patriarch of Constantinople in the orthodoxies synods in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth is very important. The ecumenical patriarchs sent or appoint to the Kingdom of Poland in the 16th century yours messengers: Abrahamios, hieromonk Philipos, archbishop of Galata, bishop of Litea and Rendina Damascen, archimandrite Dionisios Rallis Palaiologos, archdeacon Nikiforos Parashis, patriarch’s translator Theodor, patriarch of Antioch Joachim V, archbishop of Domenik and Elasson Arsenios, metropolitan of Dyrrachium Paisios, bishop of Moglen Theofanes, bishop of Luck Cyril Terlecki, metropolitan of Kiev Michal, archbishop of Cyprus Laurentios, archimandrite Cyrillos Lucaris, prince Constantine Ostrogsky, bishop of Lvov Gedeon, archdeacon Cyprian, hieromonk Sofronios, hierodeacon Isaac, monk Ivan Vishensky. The patriarch of Constantinople Jeremiah II appointed a new metropolitan, took care function of the local Synod. The metropolitan Elassonos Arsenios worked as teacher in Lvov and published Grammar of the Greek language. The Church Union was officially declared at the Synod of Brest (1596) and the Polish authorities resorted to violent means in order to apply it hit against the Orthodoxy was the pass of all the bishops of the Orthodox Church in Poland excluding both of them into the union. Protagonist in the faith against the union was the patriarch of Alexandria Meletios Pigas and of course locally through a bitter correspondence. Nikiforos Parashis and Cyrillos Lucaris achieved to organize the antyunion Synod of Brest (1596) which condemned the bishops in union. After the Synod of Brest (1596) in different ways the patriarch’s exarches together with the Orthodox brotherhoods took over the role in saving the Orthodoxy. Through their participations in the Polish fight the patriarch’s exarches couldn’t erase the image of the union, but without doubt created and supported the strength for fight against the union keeping unquenched the flame of the Orthodoxy especially in the metropolis of Kiev.