.png)
For Saint Dionysios the Merciful, Metropolitan of Larissa and founder of the Monastery of Saint Nicholas Anapafsas in Meteora, no hagiographical texts, services, synaxaria, or life have been preserved, nor is any date of the celebration of his memory recorded anywhere. Therefore, we do not have detailed information about his life and activity.
He is depicted in a fresco of 1627 in the left aisle of the Church of the Holy Unmercenaries in Trikala, where, in chronological order from left to right, seven “holy archbishops of Larissa” are portrayed:
The seven aforementioned metropolitans, in exactly the same order, are mentioned in the large codex no. 59 of the Monastery of Dousikou in Trikala, which is the “brevion” or the “sacred codex” of the monastery: “Archbishops of Larissa who were sanctified.” They are also mentioned in codex 76 of the same monastery: “Behold, I record the holy archbishops of Larissa.” The hieromonk of the Monastery of Dousikou, Chatzē-Gerasimos, further informs us that the seven “holy archbishops” of Larissa were also depicted in the old metropolitan church of Trikala, Saint Stephen, which burned down at the end of the previous century.
Saint Dionysios the Merciful, in the fresco of the Church of the Holy Unmercenaries, is depicted fifth in order, between the metropolitans Saint Bessarion the Former and Saint Mark the Hesychast. He is portrayed full-length, clothed in his episcopal vestments, sakkos and omophorion. With his left hand he holds a Gospel, while with his right he blesses. His head is surrounded by a halo, as is the case with all the saints of the Church, and the features of his face are strongly delineated.
The inscription of the fresco (“Saint Dionysios the Merciful, Archbishop [of Larissa]”) testifies that this metropolitan was recognized in the consciousness of his faithful flock and was counted among the honored choir of the local saints of the region. Furthermore, the epithet “the Merciful” attributed to him undeniably proves his rich contribution both in the religious and in the social sphere, as a compassionate servant to those in low social condition and as a consoler of those who suffered.
He is depicted in a fresco of 1627 in the left aisle of the Church of the Holy Unmercenaries in Trikala, where, in chronological order from left to right, seven “holy archbishops of Larissa” are portrayed:
Saint Thomas of Goriani (1264–1273), Saint Cyprian the Wonderworker (Oct. 1318), Saint Anthony the Most Learned and New Theologian (June 1340 – March 21, 1362), Saint Bessarion the Former (in 1489–90 he was transferred from the Bishopric of Demetrias to the Metropolis of Larissa), Saint Dionysios the Merciful, Saint Mark the Hesychast (1499 – late 1526 or early 1527), and Saint Bessarion of the Savior (this refers to the well-known Metropolitan Bessarion II, founder and builder of the Monastery of the Savior of the Great Gates, known as the Monastery of Dousikou, who served as archbishop in Larissa from March 1527 to September 13, 1540).
The seven aforementioned metropolitans, in exactly the same order, are mentioned in the large codex no. 59 of the Monastery of Dousikou in Trikala, which is the “brevion” or the “sacred codex” of the monastery: “Archbishops of Larissa who were sanctified.” They are also mentioned in codex 76 of the same monastery: “Behold, I record the holy archbishops of Larissa.” The hieromonk of the Monastery of Dousikou, Chatzē-Gerasimos, further informs us that the seven “holy archbishops” of Larissa were also depicted in the old metropolitan church of Trikala, Saint Stephen, which burned down at the end of the previous century.
Saint Dionysios the Merciful, in the fresco of the Church of the Holy Unmercenaries, is depicted fifth in order, between the metropolitans Saint Bessarion the Former and Saint Mark the Hesychast. He is portrayed full-length, clothed in his episcopal vestments, sakkos and omophorion. With his left hand he holds a Gospel, while with his right he blesses. His head is surrounded by a halo, as is the case with all the saints of the Church, and the features of his face are strongly delineated.
The inscription of the fresco (“Saint Dionysios the Merciful, Archbishop [of Larissa]”) testifies that this metropolitan was recognized in the consciousness of his faithful flock and was counted among the honored choir of the local saints of the region. Furthermore, the epithet “the Merciful” attributed to him undeniably proves his rich contribution both in the religious and in the social sphere, as a compassionate servant to those in low social condition and as a consoler of those who suffered.
CHRONOLOGICAL LIMITS
Based on the chronological sequence of the above seven Holy Metropolitans of Larissa, the episcopate of Saint Dionysios the Merciful must be placed after 1489/90 and before 1499, and it would certainly have been of short duration.
Around 1499 he resigned from his office and was succeeded by Saint Mark the Hesychast. After his resignation, he withdrew and became a monk at the Monastery of Saint Nicholas Anapafsas, of which he was also the later founder.
According to the founder’s inscription, located above the entrance from the narthex into the main church, in the first decade of the 16th century, together with the exarch of Stagoi, the hieromonk Nikanor (†1521–22), they rebuilt from the foundations the present katholikon of Saint Nicholas.
The inscription, written on October 12, 1527, immediately after the completion of the iconographic decoration of the katholikon of the monastery by the famous Cretan painter Theophanes Strelitzas-Bathas, states:
“† WAS RAISED FROM THE FOUNDATIONS THIS DIVINELY AND ALL-VENERABLE TEMPLE OF OUR HOLY FATHER NICHOLAS BY THE MOST HOLY METROPOLITAN OF LARISSA, LORD DIONYSIOS, AND THE MOST VENERABLE AMONG HIEROMONKS, LORD NIKANOR, AND EXARCH OF STAGOI, AND THE BRETHREN PRESENT; IT WAS ALSO COMPLETED THROUGH THE EXPENSE OF THE HUMBLE HIERODEACON CYPRIAN, IN THE YEAR 7036 (1527), MONTH OF OCTOBER 12, IN THE FIRST INDICTION, BY THE HAND OF THE MONK THEOPHANES OF CRETE SPELITZAS.”
On the southern end of the western wall of the narthex of this monastery, between the enthroned Theotokos holding the Child and Saint Athanasios the Meteoritēs, Saint Dionysios the Merciful is depicted full-length in monastic attire in a posture of supplication. The representation bears the inscription: “SUPPLICATION OF THE SERVANT OF GOD DIONYSIOS, ARCHPRIEST.” The features of his face resemble those of the fresco in the Church of the Holy Unmercenaries in Trikala, which, being later, must have been based on the portrait depiction of the Meteora monastery.
Based on the chronological sequence of the above seven Holy Metropolitans of Larissa, the episcopate of Saint Dionysios the Merciful must be placed after 1489/90 and before 1499, and it would certainly have been of short duration.
Around 1499 he resigned from his office and was succeeded by Saint Mark the Hesychast. After his resignation, he withdrew and became a monk at the Monastery of Saint Nicholas Anapafsas, of which he was also the later founder.
According to the founder’s inscription, located above the entrance from the narthex into the main church, in the first decade of the 16th century, together with the exarch of Stagoi, the hieromonk Nikanor (†1521–22), they rebuilt from the foundations the present katholikon of Saint Nicholas.
The inscription, written on October 12, 1527, immediately after the completion of the iconographic decoration of the katholikon of the monastery by the famous Cretan painter Theophanes Strelitzas-Bathas, states:
“† WAS RAISED FROM THE FOUNDATIONS THIS DIVINELY AND ALL-VENERABLE TEMPLE OF OUR HOLY FATHER NICHOLAS BY THE MOST HOLY METROPOLITAN OF LARISSA, LORD DIONYSIOS, AND THE MOST VENERABLE AMONG HIEROMONKS, LORD NIKANOR, AND EXARCH OF STAGOI, AND THE BRETHREN PRESENT; IT WAS ALSO COMPLETED THROUGH THE EXPENSE OF THE HUMBLE HIERODEACON CYPRIAN, IN THE YEAR 7036 (1527), MONTH OF OCTOBER 12, IN THE FIRST INDICTION, BY THE HAND OF THE MONK THEOPHANES OF CRETE SPELITZAS.”
On the southern end of the western wall of the narthex of this monastery, between the enthroned Theotokos holding the Child and Saint Athanasios the Meteoritēs, Saint Dionysios the Merciful is depicted full-length in monastic attire in a posture of supplication. The representation bears the inscription: “SUPPLICATION OF THE SERVANT OF GOD DIONYSIOS, ARCHPRIEST.” The features of his face resemble those of the fresco in the Church of the Holy Unmercenaries in Trikala, which, being later, must have been based on the portrait depiction of the Meteora monastery.
NEW ICONOGRAPHY
A most beautiful depiction of Saint Dionysios the Merciful was made recently (1995) in the katholikon of the Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen of Meteora, on the left jamb of the door of the main church: “by the hand of Blasios Tsotsonis.” Likewise, the same iconographer, in the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos of the Holy Trinity of Meteora, among the other Meteora founders, has also depicted (1994) the venerable Dionysios, the founder of Anapafsas.
.png)
MENTIONS OF THE SAINT
Saint Dionysios the Merciful is mentioned in a letter of November 1541 by Metropolitan Neophytos I of Larissa, by which he confirms the liberties and privileges of the Monastery of the Transfiguration of Meteora. In his letter, Metropolitan Neophytos I also refers to his predecessors, whom he himself likely knew:
Saint Dionysios the Merciful is mentioned in a letter of November 1541 by Metropolitan Neophytos I of Larissa, by which he confirms the liberties and privileges of the Monastery of the Transfiguration of Meteora. In his letter, Metropolitan Neophytos I also refers to his predecessors, whom he himself likely knew:
“…and from my ever-memorable Fathers I learned, both from lord Dionysios and Mark, that such a monastery exists free and not subject to domination…”
This document undeniably confirms that the Dionysios mentioned here was Saint Dionysios the Merciful and that he held the metropolitan throne of Larissa immediately before Mark the Hesychast, since his name is written first, followed by that of Mark.
Dionysios of Larissa is also mentioned many times in the “Historical Treatise” or “Chronicle of Meteora,” which must have been written shortly after 1529. According to this text, Saint Dionysios was the one who first bestowed the title of abbot upon the “father” of the Monastery of the Transfiguration of Meteora, the hieromonk Ioasaph [not the namesake founder of the monastery, King John Uroš Palaiologos Ioasaph], and afterward ordained him bishop of Phanarion.
The relevant passage states:
“We also found a holy icon inscribed thus: ‘Supplication of the servant of God Serapion the monk, the builder and abbot of the Monastery of Christ the Pantokrator, our true God, in the year 1425–26.’ And to this monk the name of abbot was not given without reason, but he was so called from the order of the place, as this order prevailed until the time of lord Akakios, whom we also saw. In that same time, lord Ioasaph, among the hieromonks, spent seventeen years, governing also according to ancient custom as father of Meteora.
And lord Dionysios of Larissa honored this Ioasaph with the abbacy of Meteora and afterward made him bishop of Phanarion. From that time until now forty years have passed, and five abbots [have served]. It is worthy to observe how in forty years five abbots came to be, whereas in a hundred years previously no one bore the name of abbot either at Meteora or in any other monastery; for apart from the Protos of the Skete at Doupiani, no one else was called abbot in all the Meteora monasteries, for such was the prevailing custom—that the Protos of the Skete also bore the title of abbot.”
From the time when Dionysios of Larissa appointed the hieromonk Ioasaph as abbot of Meteora and then ordained him bishop of Phanarion until the composition of this text, according to the above passage, forty years had passed. Given that the “Historical Treatise” was written shortly after 1529, subtracting these forty years brings us to the decade 1490–1500, that is, the decade during which Saint Dionysios the Merciful was Metropolitan of Larissa.
According to other passages of the “Historical Treatise,” Saint Dionysios of Larissa and founder of the Monastery of Saint Nicholas Anapafsas, when in the final years of his life he dwelt there as a monk, granted part of its land to the Monastery of Great Meteora. Only this Dionysios, as founder of the monastery, could have undertaken such an action. It should be noted that even today the Holy Monastery of Great Meteora possesses, opposite Saint Nicholas Anapafsas, a large estate.
THE REPOSE OF THE SAINT
These are the few pieces of information we have concerning the life and activity of Saint Dionysios the Merciful, Metropolitan of Larissa. After a brief tenure on the metropolitan throne of Larissa, the final years of his life, as mentioned above, were spent as a monk in the Monastery of Saint Nicholas Anapafsas.
According to what is recorded on folio 41b of codex 650 of the National Library of Greece, he died on March 28, 1510, on Great Thursday:
“† The most holy Metropolitan of Larissa, lord Dionysios, fell asleep in the year 7018 (1510), in the month of March, on the 28th day, Thursday, which was also that same Thursday, holy and great, on which we celebrate the saving Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, at the third hour of the night.”
The same reference, though incomplete, has also been copied in codex 457 of the Monastery of the Transfiguration of Meteora.
Apolytikion
Tone 3. Theias pisteos.
As a teacher and merciful one, you adorned the Church, and you shepherded the city of Larissa, bestowing teachings and love, and granting to the needy rich gifts. Holy founder of the Monastery of Anapafsas, Dionysios, entreat Christ God to grant peace to our souls.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
.png){kind=tracking}
%20%E2%80%94%20Scaled%20(82%25).png){kind=tracking}
.png){kind=tracking}
%20%E2%80%94%20Scaled%20(41%25).png){kind=tracking}
.png){kind=tracking}
%20%E2%80%94%20Scaled%20(57%25).png){kind=tracking}
