The Metropolis of Iconium () is a metropolitan bishopric of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople located at Iconium in Asia Minor, in the region of Lycaonia. It flourished through the Roman and Byzantine empires, and survived into the Ottoman Empire until the early 20th century and the Greco-Turkish population exchange, which led to the disappearance of the local Christian population.
The see continues to be occupied today as a titular see of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The most recent incumbent was Theoliptos Fenerlis, from 2000 until 2026.
History
Christianity came to Iconium very early. The apostles Paul came to Iconium escaping a disturbance and attempted stoning.Bastian Van Elderen, Some Archaeological Observations on Paul’s First Missionary Journey, 157-159 .Acts 14:6-21 It is presumed that Paul appointed bishops or presbyters during his visit.
From ca. 370, the see of Iconium became the metropolis of Lycaonia. The city fell to the Seljuk Turks in 1084, and became the capital of the Sultanate of Rum, except for a brief recapture by the First Crusade in 1097. In 1327 and 1365, the metropolitanate of Iconium was temporarily assumed by Caesarea, following its decline by the Anatolian Beyliks.Vryonis, Speros (1971). The Decline of Medieval Hellenism in Asia Minor and the Process of Islamisation from the Eleventh through the Fifteenth Century. Berkeley: California University Press. p. 292
The fate of the see in the early Ottoman period is obscure: Metropolitan Amphilochius is mentioned as occupying the see until 1488, but it is unclear whether any bishop actually resided in the city, as this is not attested in the patriarchal ordinances (berat) of 1483 and 1525. The historian Elisabeth Zachariadou suggested that the seat of the metropolitan was moved at the time to Egridir, but this can not be verified. The see was definitely revived in the 17th century, as the patriarchal berat of 1625 once again refers to the city as the seat of a residential metropolitan. Iconium remained the seat of the metropolis until the 19th century, when it moved to Niğde, where the Greek Orthodox element was stronger. During the Ottoman period, the Metropolitan of Iconium also received the former metropolis of Tyana, whence his full title was "Metropolitan of Iconium and Tyana, hypertimos and exarch of all Lycaonia and Second Cappadocia".
Known residential bishops
The French historian Michel Le Quien names the following bishops:
Cephas (1st century AD) Sosipater Terentus Caronatus (martyr) Celsus Nicomas Peter Eulalius Fastinus Amphilocius Valerianus Onesiphorus, Bishop of Iconium.Richard Price, Michael Gaddis, The Acts of the Council of Chalcedon, Volume 1(Liverpool University press, 2005)p131. Amphilocius of Iconium, The Canons of the First Four General Councils of Nicaea, Constantinople, Ephesus and Chalcedon: With Notes (Clarendon Press, 1892) p104 Palladius Theodulus Paul Elias Leo Theopylactus Theophilus Basil John II unnamed bishop, attended a synod in Constantinople in 1077 Eustathius Nicetas unnamed bishop, attended synod in Constantinople in 1152 John III unnamed bishop Theodorus II Matthaeus (Catholic) Aphilochius (?–1488) Parthenius Clement (until 1667) Sylvester Cyril VI (1803–1810) Prokopios Lazaridis (1911-1923)
References
Sources