Thomas Morosini

Thomas Morosini ( ital Tommaso Morosini, † June or July 1211 in Thessaloniki ) was the first Latin Patriarch of Constantinople Opel.

Life

Morosini was a native Venetians but his family was originally from Mantua. During the Fourth Crusade and the conquest of Constantinople in 1204 he served in the Curia of Rome as subdeacon. Against the wishes of Pope Innocent III. He was elected from June to October 1204 the Chapter of the Hagia Sophia for the first Latin Patriarch of Constantinople Opel after the Greek Orthodox Patriarch John X Kamateros († 1206) had fled. The chapter was compiled after the conquest of six canons, who were all Venetians. The Doge Enrico Dandolo had agreed with the French crusaders a division offices by the French were to determine the new emperor and the Venetians the new patriarch. On the part of the Pope's election but was initially regarded as uncanonical and therefore illegitimate because it was not authorized by him. In addition, the Crusaders since the diversion of the crusade were under excommunication and their first steps towards the establishment of a church hierarchy in Constantinople Opel adopted without the participation of the Pope. But in the end realized Pope Innocent III. the election in the spring of 1205 but in " to the Venetians and their doge for a favor ," as he explained in a letter to the Vizedogen. The conquest of Constantinople, the Pope approved retroactively, so as "the Church of Constantinople Opel to obey the Apostolic See as the daughter returned to her mother " was.

Before Morosini could take office, the Pope had him on 5 March 1205 a deacon, a priest on March 26 and March 27, ordained a bishop before he could finally on March 30 receive the pallium. He traveled first but from Rome to Venice, where he died on May 13, 1205 the Venetian patriarch of Grado, Benedictus Faletro, the supremacy over the churches of the Venetians in Constantinople Opel (St. Akindynos, St. Mark, St. Mary, St. Niccolo ) recognized, which he acted in the spirit of the Doge. Then Morosini was guided by a Venetian fleet to Constantinople Opel, on the way they conquered Ragusa, Durazzo and Corfu for the " Serenissima ". In May 1205 Morosini arrived in Constantinople Opel, a month after Emperor Baldwin I. had fallen after the battle of Adrian Opel in the captivity of the Bulgarians. Witness his arrival was the Greek historian Nicetas Choniates which his surprise at the beardlessness the Latin Patriarch later brought to paper. A few months later, a legate of Benedict of Santa Susanna, which should seize the papal authority site in addition to the already present legate Peter of Capua, which Morosini leeway additionally narrowed. He also had to take in the following years Frankish origin canon in the cathedral chapter of the Hagia Sophia, which were henceforth to compete with the Venetians.

As Venetians Morosini was his entire tenure on the Holy See to Rome in conflict, about the structure of the Latin Church hierarchy in Greece and the powers of his office. On August 20, 1206 he was crowned in Hagia Sophia Heinrich emperor. With their support, he tried the Greek clergy of Constantinople Opel involvement in the new church hierarchy after a short time before the Greek Patriarch John X Kamateros had died in exile. The Greek clerics led by Nikolaos Mesarites (* 1163/4; † after 1214 ) reported this request but back because they would not acknowledge the supremacy of the Pope, and went instead into voluntary exile in Nicaea, where she is a Greek Patriarchate further led. During his tenure, the Morosini Hodegetria, the legendary custom built by Luke the Apostle Urikone had let transfer from the imperial palace chapel in the Hagia Sophia. To this end, he forbade the traditional Tuesday procession in honor of the icon, which he caused additional resentment against the Latins in the Greek population. The Podesta of the Venetians from Constantinople Opel was thus aware of the Hodegetria, seized her by force and let them bring in the Venetian Pantokratorkloster. Morosini imposed excommunication on the icon robber, who was also confirmed by the Pope. Nevertheless, the Hodegetria remained with the Venetians until 1261 again returned to Greek ownership (see: reconquest of Constantinople Opel 1261 ).

Thomas Morosini died in the summer of 1211 during an inspection tour in Thessaloniki. After him followed a perennial office vacancy, as Franks and Venetians could not agree on the election of a new patriarch.