Timeline of Eastern Orthodoxy in Greece (717–1204)

This is a timeline of the presence of Eastern Orthodoxy in Greece from 717 to 1204. The history of Greece traditionally encompasses the study of the Greek people, the areas they ruled historically, as well as the territory now composing the modern state of Greece.

Era of Byzantine Iconoclasm (717–842)

717–18 Accession of Leo III the Isaurian to the Byzantine throne;David Bentley Hart. The Story of Christianity: An Illustrated History of 2000 Years of the Christian Faith. Quercus Editions Ltd., 2011. p. 122. Second Arab siege of Constantinople. 720 Martyrdom of Nicholas the New of Vounina, of Larissa. Άγιος Νικόλαος ο εν Βουνένοις . Ορθόδοξος Συναξαριστής. 09/05/2013. 721 Caliph Yazid II banned Christian icons in his kingdom. c. 725 John of Damascus resigns his position as chief councilor (protosymboulos) at the court of Damascus, and becomes a monk and priest at the Great Lavra of St. Sabbas the Sanctified;Dr. Kathryn Tsai. A Timeline of Eastern Church History. Divine Ascent Press, Point Reyes Station, CA, 2004. p.141. foundation of the Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos on Mount Ithome in Messenia, by iconophile monks (Greek: Ιερά Μονή Κοιμήσεως Θεοτόκου Βουλκάνου). Ιερά Μονή Βουλκάνου. ΙΕΡΑ ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛΗ ΜΕΣΣΗΝΙΑΣ (Holy Metropolis of Messenia). Retrieved: 10 June 2015. 726 Iconoclast Emperor Leo the Isaurian starts campaign against icons, the Iconoclastic controversy; Emperor Leo III (717–41) publishes his Ekloge ton nomon, designed to introduce Christian principle into law. 726–730 John of Damascus wrote three works defending icons, the most important of which was Fountain of Knowledge in three parts, the most important of which was On The Orthodox Faith (De Fide Orthodoxa), a collected summary of the Greek Fathers on major Christian doctrines. 727 The Byzantine themes of Greece rebelled against the iconoclast emperor Leo III and attempted to set up their own emperor, although Leo defeated them.George Finlay. A History of Greece: The Byzantine empire, pt. 1, A.D. 716–1057. Volume 2 of A History of Greece: From Its Conquest by the Romans to the Present Time, B.C. 146 to A.D. 1864, Henry Fanshawe Tozer. Clarendon Press, 1877. p. 200. 730 Leo III deposed Patriarch Germanos I who refused to sanction the emperor's iconoclastic policy.Dr. Kathryn Tsai. A Timeline of Eastern Church History. Divine Ascent Press, Point Reyes Station, CA, 2004. p.142. 731 Pope St. Gregory III called an Italian synod that condemned Iconoclasm as heretical. 732–1850 Era of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. 732–33 Byzantine Emperor Leo III the Isaurian transfers Southern Italy (Sicily and Calabria), Greece, and the Aegean from the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of the West to that of the Patriarch of Constantinople in response to Pope St. Gregory III's support of a revolt in Italy against iconoclasm, adding to the Patriarchate about 100 bishoprics;Vailhé, Siméon. "Greek Church ." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 6. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. Retrieved: 15 May 2013.See also: Gennadios Arabazoglu. Chronology of the transfer of the jurisdiction of Illyricum, Calabria, and Sicily to the jurisdiction of the Oecumenical Patriarchate. Istanbul, 1955. Αραμπατζόγλου, Γεννάδιος Μ. (Πρώην τιτουλάριος Επίσκοπος Σκοπέλου (1913–1925), Μητροπολίτης Ηλιουπόλεως και Θείρων (1925–1956)) the Iconoclast emperors took away from the Patriarch of Antioch 24 episcopal sees of Byzantine Isauria, on the plea that he was a subject of the Arab caliphs; the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople became co-extensive with the limits of the Byzantine Empire.; 734 Death of Peter the Athonite, commonly regarded as one of the first hermits of Mount Athos.Venerable Peter of Mt. Athos . Commemorated on 12 June. OCA – The Lives of the Saints. Retrieved: 10 May 2013.Great Synaxaristes : Ὁ Ὅσιος Πέτρος ὁ ἐν τῷ Ἁγίῳ Ὄρει ἀσκήσας. 12 Ιουνίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ. 739 Byzantine forces defeat a great Umayyad invasion of Asia Minor at Battle of Akroinon,Benjamin Vincent. Haydn's Dictionary of Dates and Universal Information. 19th Edition. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1889. p.286. renaming the city Nicopolis (Greek for "city of victory"). 746 Byzantine forces destroy the Muslim fleet and regain Cyprus from the Arabs.Dr. Kathryn Tsai. A Timeline of Eastern Church History. Divine Ascent Press, Point Reyes Station, CA, 2004. p.143. c. 750–950 Syrians (both Monophysites and the Nestorians) transmitted to Muslims what was known of Greek pagan thought and whatever other knowledge was available in the Syrian language, also influencing the development of Sufism through their mysticism.Dr. Kathryn Tsai. A Timeline of Eastern Church History. Divine Ascent Press, Point Reyes Station, CA, 2004. p.144. 751 Cosmas the Melodist, Bishop of Maiuma and foster brother of John of Damascus composed solemn canons in honour of the Nativity, Epiphany and Exaltation of the Holy Cross, fourteen of which are included in the liturgical books of the Byzantine Rite. 754 Iconoclastic Council (Council of Hieria) held in Constantinople under the authority of Emperor Constantine V Copronymus, condemning icons and declaring itself to be the Seventh Ecumenical Council; Constantine begins dissolution of the monasteries.

766 Byzantine Emperor Constantine V also condemned relics and prayers to the Theotokos and to the Saints, extreme measures that even the Iconoclastic Council (Council of Hieria) had not adopted.Dr. Kathryn Tsai. A Timeline of Eastern Church History. Divine Ascent Press, Point Reyes Station, CA, 2004. p.146. 767 Martyrdom of Stephen the Younger, Byzantine monk from Constantinople who became one of the leading opponents of the iconoclastic policies of Emperor Constantine V.Great Synaxaristes : Ὁ Ὅσιος Στέφανος ὁ Ὁμολογητής ὁ Νέος. 28 Νοεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.Monkmartyr and Confessor Stephen the New of Mt St Auxentius. OCA – Lives of the Saints. 769 A Roman synod approved the veneration of icons.Dr. Kathryn Tsai. A Timeline of Eastern Church History. Divine Ascent Press, Point Reyes Station, CA, 2004. p.147. c. 770–772 Byzantine general Michael Lachanodrakon, the strategos (military governor) of the Thracesian Theme and a fanatical supporter of Iconoclasm, dissolved the monasteries and eradicated monasticism within his theme.Stouraitis, Ioannis. "Michael Lachanodrakon ". Transl. Velentzas, Georgios. Encyclopaedia of the Hellenic World, Asia Minor. Athens, Greece: Foundation of the Hellenic World. 25 July 2005. Retrieved 18 October 2013. 778–779 Byzantines defeat the Muslim Arabs at Germanikeia and expel them from Anatolia. c. 787 Greek Orthodox bishops were resident in Atil, the capital of Khazaria, and in Samkarsh, subject to the authority of the Metropolitan of Doros in Crimea.Kevin Brook. Jews of Khazaria. 2nd Ed. Rowman & Littlefield, 2009. p. 37.

787 Seventh Ecumenical Council held in Nicaea, condemning iconoclasm and affirming veneration of icons. 792 Death of Philaret the Merciful, of Amnia in Asia Minor.Great Synaxaristes : Ὁ Ἅγιος Φιλάρετος ὁ Ἐλεήμων . 1 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.Righteous Philaret the Merciful of Amnia in Asia Minor . OCA – Lives of the Saints.December 1/14. Orthodox Calendar (PRAVOSLAVIE.RU). 799 Theodore the Studite and many followers moved from the Sakkudion Monastery in Bithynia to the old Monastery of Stoudios in Constantinople, reorganizing life there in line with the Rules of St. Basil, with the Studion becoming the model for monastic life in the Orthodox Church and influencing the development of monastic life on Mount Athos.Dr. Kathryn Tsai. A Timeline of Eastern Church History. Divine Ascent Press, Point Reyes Station, CA, 2004. p.150. 803 Death of Irene of Athens, wife of Byzantine Emperor Leo IV; St. Luke's icon brought to Agiassos on Mytilene. 810–814 Theophanes the Confessor compiled the Chronicle, continuing the historical work of George Syncellus, covering the years 284–814.Dr. Kathryn Tsai. A Timeline of Eastern Church History. Divine Ascent Press, Point Reyes Station, CA, 2004. p.152. 814 Bulgarians lay siege to Constantinople; conflict erupts between Emperor Leo V and Patr. Nicephorus on the subject of iconoclasm; Leo deposes Nicephorus, Nicephorus excommunicates Leo.

815 A synod in the Church of Hagia Sophia affirmed the Iconoclastic Council (Council of Hieria), annulled the Seventh Ecumenical Council (Nicaea II), and recognized the Acta of the iconoclast council of 754.Dr. Kathryn Tsai. A Timeline of Eastern Church History. Divine Ascent Press, Point Reyes Station, CA, 2004. p.153. 816 Death of Gregory Decapolites.Great Synaxaristes : Ὁ Ὅσιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Δεκαπολίτης . 20 Νοεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.Venerable Gregory Decapolite . OCA – Lives of the Saints. 818 Vikings known as Rus' plunder the north coast of Anatolia, marking the first known raid of Rus' or Russians, on territory in the Byzantine Empire. 824 Byzantine Crete falls to Arab insurgents fleeing from the Umayyad Emir of Cordoba Al-Hakam I, establishing an emirate on the island until the Byzantine reconquest in 960.Makrypoulias, Christos G. (2000), "Byzantine Expeditions against the Emirate of Crete c. 825–949". Graeco-Arabica 7–8: 347–362. pp.348–351. 826 Death of Theodore the Studite.Great Synaxaristes : Ὁ Ὅσιος Θεόδωρος ὁ Ὁμολογητής ἡγούμενος Μονῆς Στουδίου . 11 Νοεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.Venerable Theodore the Confessor the Abbot of the Studion . OCA – Lives of the Saints. 827 Beginning of the Saracen invasion of Byzantine Sicily, which lasted from 827 to 902.Vasiliev, A.A. "Chapter V. (B) The Struggle with the Saracens (867–1057)". The Cambridge Medieval History, Vol. IV: The Eastern Roman Empire (717–1453), Cambridge University Press, 1923. pp. 138–150. 828 Death of Patr. Nicephorus I of Constantinople.Great Synaxaristes : Ὁ Ἅγιος Νικηφόρος ὁ Ὁμολογητής Πατριάρχης Κωνσταντινουπόλεως. 2 Ιουνίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ. c. 829–842 Icon of Panagia Proussiotissa (Mother of God of Proussa) is re-discovered near Karpenissi in Greece, after it had been lost during its transportation from Asia Minor in 829 to save it from iconoclasm; Χαραλαμπους Δ. Βασιλοπουλου ('Αρχιμανδρίτου). Θαυματα της Παναγιας. Εκδοσις 11η. Εκδοσεις Ορθοδοξου Τυπου, Αθηναι, 2000. pp. 42–44."THE HOLY ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD OF PROUSSA ." The Living Word (Holy Orthodox Church in North America). Transl. Michael Maragoulias. Autumn 1998. influence of Muslim culture on Byzantines is at a high point during the reign of Emperor Theophilus.Dr. Kathryn Tsai. A Timeline of Eastern Church History. Divine Ascent Press, Point Reyes Station, CA, 2004. p.155. 833 Emperor Theophilus began a persecution of iconophiles in the face of several defeats by Muslim Arabs who intended to construct a chain of permanent bases from Tyana to Constantinople, with Theophilus being confirmed in his persecution when the caliph died and the Arabs withdrew. 838 John VII the Grammarian, Patriarch of Constantinople, enacted a harsh persecution of iconophiles, mostly against monks; in August, Caliph al-Mu'tasim captures and destroys Amorium in Anatolia, killing half the inhabitants.Bury, John Bagnell. A History of the Eastern Roman Empire from the Fall of Irene to the Accession of Basil I (A.D. 802–867). London: Macmillan and Company, 1912. p. 267. Vasiliev, A. A. Byzance et les Arabes, Tome I: La Dynastie d'Amorium (820–867). French ed.: Henri Grégoire, Marius Canard. Brussels: Éditions de l'Institut de Philologie et d'Histoire Orientales, 1935. pp. 160–161. c. 839 First Rus'–Byzantine War, where the Rus' attacked Propontis (probably aiming for Constantinople) before turning east and raiding Paphlagonia. c. 840 Turks began to move into the Islamic world of the Eastern Mediterranean, as mercenaries and military slaves (Mamluks) of the Muslim Arabs.Dr. Kathryn Tsai. A Timeline of Eastern Church History. Divine Ascent Press, Point Reyes Station, CA, 2004. p.156.

Byzantine Imperial era (843–1204)