Lipon the Niphon, the lower presidium
Christ is present at the head of all.
We are referring to Saint Niphon, the patriarch of Constantinople. For this great Saint of the Church, the humble one who was worthy of being elected to the throne of Constantinople three times. His parents were Manuel and Maria, he came from the Peloponnese (southern part). His secular name was Nicholas.
Little Nicholas became attached to a monk named Anthony and became a monk with the name Niphon in a monastery in Epidaurus. After the repose of his elder, he went to the castle of Narda, where he met the pious Athonite monk Zacharias and they settled in the monastery of the Theotokos in Ohrid. Zacharias was elected Archbishop of Ohrid and Niphon went to the Monastery of Dionysius on Mount Athos, where he was ordained a deacon and priest. While at the Monastery, he was called and took office as Metropolitan of Thessaloniki in 1482. After the repose of Patriarch Symeon, he was elected Patriarch of Constantinople at the end of 1486.
As Patriarch, Niphon zealously devoted himself to correcting the errors and abuses of the clergy. After eighteen months, a scandal broke out with the property of the deceased Patriarch Symeon. Niphon, in his attempt to keep the property in the patriarchate and not to have it confiscated by the Turks, presented Symeon's nephew as the legal heir. Sultan Bayezid II learned of the events and deposed Niphon.
He was elected Patriarch of Constantinople for the second time in 1497. Conspiracies were uncovered against him, he fell into the disfavor of the sultan, was deposed, sentenced to life imprisonment and exiled to Adrianople in 1498.
The ruler of Wallachia, Radou IV the Great (Radoulos), passing through Adrianople, bribes the guards, enters the prison and worships the Saint. In Constantinople, he manages to release the Saint and with special permission he goes to Wallachia. Arriving in Wallachia, the Saint forms an assembly of clergy and laity and ordains two bishops: Rimnik and Bouzea. He assists Rodoulos in the distribution of offices, as was done in Byzantium. He falls into the ruler's disfavor because he does not approve of his sister's illegal marriage. He is threatened by the ruler. He takes refuge in the church, speaks to the people, excommunicates the groom, predicts misfortunes, places the patriarchal robe on the Holy Altar and leaves. The ruler is informed of the events and orders that no one should give the Saint either water or bread, under threat of death.
Niphon takes refuge in a deserted hut, enduring the unjust sentence with Christian fortitude. Rhodoulos, in order to calm the popular anger, apologizes and offers gifts to Niphon and asks him to forgive his son-in-law. In the meantime, the wedding has broken down. The Saint is adamant.
In 1502, the Saint was in Wallachia and received an invitation to assume the throne of the Patriarch of Constantinople for the third time. He categorically refused and with two of his disciples he left for Macedonia. Traveling and preaching in various cities, he arrived at Mount Athos. He presented himself to the monks of the Monastery of Dionysius as a simple monk. They did not recognize him after so many years and the abbot of the Monastery appointed him overseer of the animals of the Monastery (vourdouniaris). The Saint accepted it with humility.
By order of the Sultan, envoys from the Patriarchate arrive at Mount Athos and ask Niphon to return to Constantinople and assume the role of Patriarch for the third time. Of course, they did not locate him and departed without taking action.
From Patriarch to Patriarch, Niphon, a simple caretaker of the animals. This happened until the true face of the “Vourdouniaris” was miraculously revealed. At that time, due to the fear of pirates, who plundered the monasteries and took hostages, monks were placed on high observatories to control the area. One night, Niphon was an observer. While he was praying, a pillar of fire rose towards the sky, which was seen by virtuous monks. The monk who was with the Saint wakes up from sleep and sees him all ablaze. He is frightened and takes refuge in the monastery. He informs the other monks about the incident, which other monks also confirm. They take refuge in the church and pray to God to reveal to them who the “Vourdouniaris” was.
The revelation did not take long. The abbot sees in a vision that he is in the church and the protector of the monastery, Timios Prodromos, appears to him and tells him, "Gather the entire brotherhood and go out to meet Patriarch Niphon. The humility he showed as a lute player is enough. This will help you not to suffer great harm!" The abbot wakes up ecstatic and after coming to his senses, he calls all the monks to a meeting and tells them the vision.
When Niphon returned to the monastery, the fathers welcomed him as Patriarch with candles and incense. The blessed one fell to the ground and his tears watered the earth. The Abbot repented, kissed his hand and said to him, “Enough, enough, ecumenical light, your patience is enough. Enough is your extreme suffering, which you have voluntarily endured. Enough is the humility you have shown, without, of course, us lowly ones knowing it.”
All the fathers, moved, burst into tears and asked for forgiveness from the Saint, especially those who saddened the "Vourdouniaris".
After Niphon's departure, drought and famine broke out in Wallachia. Radoulos fell ill with leprosy and, believing that this was happening because he had treated Niphon unfavorably, sent people to find him.
Niphon remained at the Monastery of Dionysius on Mount Athos, where he died on September 3, 1508. Immediately after his death, he was honored as a saint in many regions, and the Orthodox Church included him in its Hagiography just nine years later, in 1517, designating his memory to be honored on August 11.
His disciples were the hieromartyr James of Kastoria, who was martyred in 1520, the saint Macarius, who was martyred in 1527, and Joasaph, who was martyred in 1536.
Operative texts
Ἀπολυτίκιον
You shone with works of piety, you enlightened all ages, the Church, rising in the ways of humility, for you were glorified ascetically on Athos, you adorned the beauty of the Patriarchs. Glorious, fill the youth with divine graces, magnifying them in faith and desire for you.
Κοντάκιον
You were seen as the most brilliant lamp of the Church, in the purity of your wise state, you overflowed with the splendors of the Spirit. But as a vessel of virtues and an example, guide us to a life worthy of praise, crying out to you: Rejoice, our Father in Heaven.
Seat
Beautified by the sufferings of self-control, you are a God-bearing high priest and a sacred minister of the Church of Christ, who appeared in the Spirit, and for the love of God and the fear of God, you discipline the young men of the pammakar, in practical matters, and as an example of life.
photo
Unknown – http://www.saint.gr/2397/saint.aspx , Common Estate, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=84232207 https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/
