{{Short description|Three-time Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1596 to 1603}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox Christian leader | name = Matthew II of Constantinople | image = | caption = | church = Church of Constantinople | title = Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople | term = February 1596<br />April 1598 – January 1602<br/>January – February 1603 | predecessor = Jeremias II of Constantinople<br />Meletius I of Constantinople<br />Neophytus II of Constantinople | successor = Gabriel I of Constantinople<br />Neophytus II of Constantinople<br />Raphael II of Constantinople | previous_post = Metropolitan of Ioannina | birth_name = | birth_date = | birth_place = Klinovos, Greece | death_date = February 1603 | death_place = | buried = | denomination = Eastern Orthodoxy }}

'''Matthew II of Constantinople''' ({{langx|el|{{lang|grc|Ματθαῖος}}}}; died 1603) was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople three times, shortly in 1596 (20 days), from 1598 to 1602 and for a few days in 1603 (17 days).{{r|Kiminas}}

== Life == Member of the Aromanian community,{{r|vlahoi}} Matthew was born in the village Klinovos (now part of Kalabaka), and he became Metropolis of Ioannina. In early 1596, he was elected Ecumenical Patriarch, but the election was not recognized because the Holy Synod that elected him was not attended by all the members; thus, after twenty days, Matthew II was forced to resign and moved to Mount Athos.{{r|EP}}

Matthew II was elected again in April 1598. During this Patriarchate, Matthew II transferred the patriarchal see from the Church of St. Demetrius Xyloportas, used since 1597, to the unimpressive church of the women's monastery of St. George in the Phanar, where it remains until today as St. George's Cathedral.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ec-patr.org/afieroma/churches/show.php?lang=en&id=01 |title=Ecumenical Patriarchate website |publisher=Ec-patr.org |access-date=20 August 2017}}</ref> The Phanar district then became the recognised centre of Greek Christian life in the city. He remained on the throne until January 1602, when he returned to Mount Athos.

Once again, he ascended to the throne in January 1603 and reigned for seventeen days, either until his death,{{r|Kiminas}} or, according to other sources, until he retired to Mount Athos, where he died in the same year.{{r|EP}}

== Canonisations == Matthew II canonised the Blessed Philothei of Athens, who was martyred in 1589 in Athens.{{r|EP}}

== Notes and references == {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="Kiminas">{{Cite book |title=The Ecumenical Patriarchate |last=Kiminas |first=Demetrius |date=2009 |publisher=Wildside Press |isbn=978-1-4344-5876-6 |page=38}}</ref> <ref name="EP">{{Cite web |language=el |url=http://www.ec-patr.org/list/index.php?lang=gr&id=193 |title=Ματθαῖος Β´ |publisher=Ecumenical Patriarchate |access-date=14 September 2011}}</ref> <ref name="vlahoi">{{Cite web |language=el |url=http://www.vlahoi.net/latest-articles/39-article/114---.html |title=Ο Βλαχόφωνος Ελληνισμός |publisher=vlahoi.net |access-date=14 September 2011 |archive-date=16 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316085430/http://www.vlahoi.net/latest-articles/39-article/114---.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> }}

{{s-start}} {{s-rel|eo}} {{Succession box | before = Jeremias II (3) | title = Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople | years = 1596 | after = Gabriel I }} {{Succession box | before = Meletius I | title = Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople | years = 1598 – 1602 | after = Neophytus II }} {{Succession box | before = Neophytus II | title = Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople | years = 1603 | after = Raphael II }} {{s-end}} {{Patriarchs of Constantinople}}

{{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Matthew 02 Of Constantinople, Patriarch}} Category:16th-century births Category:1603 deaths Category:People from Trikala (regional unit) Category:Aromanians from the Ottoman Empire Category:Aromanian clergy Category:16th-century ecumenical patriarchs of Constantinople Category:17th-century ecumenical patriarchs of Constantinople Category:Bishops of Ioannina