Patriarch Theoleptus I of Constantinople

Theoleptus I
Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
Church	Church of Constantinople
Installed	mid 1513
Term ended	December 1522
Predecessor	Pachomius I
Successor	Jeremias I
Personal details
Died	December 1522
Previous post	Metropolitan of Iannina

Theoleptus I (Greek: Θεόληπτος Α΄) was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1513 to 1522.

Theoleptus was native of Crete or Epirus and lived as monk beside Pachomius I, who appointed him Metropolitan of Iannina. When Pachomius died due to poisoning, Theoleptus moved immediately to Adrianople where he found favour with Sultan Selim I. After the payment of the usual fee for any patriarchal appointment, the Sultan appointed him as Patriarch of Constantinople. Afterwards Theoleptus went to Constantinople for the formal election and enthronement in mid-1513.

In September 1520 his patron, Sultan Selim, died, and so Theoleptus' position was weakened. The first rumors began to arise, which later led to formal charges of leading an immoral private life. The Holy Synod decided that he should stand for trial, but he died, in December 1522, before the judgment.

The power of the Patriarch of Constantinople increased with the Ottoman–Mamluk War (1516–1517) and the consequent annexation of Syria, Palestine and Egypt by Sultan Selim I, as the Patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem were incorporated to Ottoman Empire. These patriarchates retained their religious autonomy, but were de facto subjected to the influence of the Patriarch of Constantinople, who was near the Sultan and was his deputy as civil ruler of all Eastern Orthodox Christians in the Empire in accordance with the millet system. This influence of Constantinople increased during the next centuries, especially with regards to appointments. With the conquest of Palestine and the fall of Jerusalem in 1517 to Selim, Theoleptus obtained from the Sultan the right to maintain the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

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