Rafael I the only Serb Ecumenical patriarch

• Main Authors: Janjić Dragana J., Đokić Nebojša D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Institute of Serbian Culture Priština, Leposavić 2015-01-01
• Series: Baština
• Subjects: ecumenical patriarchy; byzantine; osman's empire; rafailo i; serbia; orthodox church; mara brankovic; mehmed the conqueror; constantinople
• Online Access: https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0353-9008/2015/0353-90081539087J.pdf

Rafael I (Greek: Ραφαήλ Α') was the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople since the beginning of 1475 to early 1476. Rafailo was priest monk originally from Serbia. Part historians believe that the Patriarch has become thanks to the influence Mare Brankovic, daughter of Serbian despot and stepmother Ottoman Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. However, as yet Lebedev stressed no one source from that time, and a little later his choice not associated with Mara Brankovic. In addition, Mara certainly would not allow her chosen be dismissed because of the money and even less closed. Therefore we completely reject it as unlikely the possibility that the patriarch was elected to the Mara intervention. It is much more likely that he was elected with the support of Konstantinopols magnate and probably as part of a discussion among Greek as a temporary solution. In any case, he had to have the support of certain circles and is more likely to work than the Greek magnate Sultana Mare. Rafailo took office in the first months of 1475 after the Sultan promised an annual tribute of 2,000 gold florins and one-time gift of 700 florins. The Greek population of Constantinople, however, did not participate in the election and quickly turned against him. Metropolitan of Heraclea, which has traditionally housed the Patriarch to the throne, he refused to sanctify, and the liturgy led by Metropolitan Ankara. That is why a large part of the Greek clergy did not want to admit to their patriarch. Sources of Rafailo contemporaries reveal prejudice and bias against him. He was accused of not knowing how to speak Greek, or that he had a 'difficult' foreign accent and was prone to drinking. It is alleged that once he was able to stand during the ceremony marking Good Friday because of drunkenness. Rafailo dwelt exactly one year until the start of 1476, beginning of the year he tried the promised money for the Sultan to collect from the faithful, but to him they refused to surrender. After it turned out that he could not pay, the more likely it is that I resigned but that was dismissed. Still imprisoned, but is allowed to try to Constantinople by collecting the agreed amount which he of course did not succeed. Shortly afterwards he died.