Theophanes III of Jerusalem

File:Theophanis Patriarch 1620.JPG

Theophanes III of Jerusalem ({{langx|el|Θεοφάνης Γ΄ Ιεροσολύμων}}) was the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem from 1608 to 1644.[https://books.google.com/books?id=qsoOEAAAQBAJ&dq=Parthenius+of+Jerusalem+1770&pg=PT677 Google Books website, Arab Orthodox Christians Under the Ottomans 1516-1831 (Appendix: Patriarchs and the Sultans), by Constantin Alexandrovich Panchenko][https://jerusalem-patriarchate.info/πατριάρχης/ἀποστολική-διαδοχή/ Jerusalem Patriarchate website, Apostolic Succession section][https://orthodoxhistory.org/2021/09/28/jerusalem-wasnt-really-autocephalous-from-1669-1845/ Orthodox History website, Jerusalem Wasn’t Really Autocephalous from 1669-1845, article by Matthew Namee dated September 28, 2021]

As the successor to Sophronius IV, Theophanes continued Sophronius' defense of Orthodox rights to the Christian shrines in the Holy Lands. In 1611, with a decree from the Ottoman sultan, Theophanes stopped the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem from taking over the celebration of the Holy Light.{{cn|date=December 2024}}

Due to careless financial management by Serbian monks who lived at the Monastery of Saint Sabas, Theophanes sold religious heirlooms of value to avert surrendering the monastery and its metochion of the Archangel to the Latin and Armenian patriarchates.

In April 1619, Theophanes traveled to Moscow to participate in the enthronement of Metropolitan Philaret as Patriarch of Moscow on June 1, 1619.[http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/english/florovsky_ways_chap3notes.html Georges Florovsky, Ways of Russian Theology, Notes to Chapter III] In August 1620, when he was returning from his visit to Moscow, Theophanes erected a new metropolis on the territory of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth - the Metropolis of Kiev, Galicia and all Ruthenia. He consecrated Job Boretsky as the first metropolitan and also other bishops, during a stop in Kiev. These consecrations restored the Orthodox hierarchy in the area that was occupied by Uniate bishops after the Union of Brest in 1596 when Metropolitan Michael Rohoza turned to support the union.

According to Raphael Hawaweeny, {{blockquote|Theophanes did not ordain any clergy in Jerusalem and Palestine except his compatriots, and especially his relatives. He ordained his cousin Athanasius as the Metropolitan of Bethlehem, and his kinsman Paisios as an abbot of Galta Monastery in Yash. His Patriarchate of thirty seven years was spent mainly on traveling and collecting funds. When he passed away in Constantinople in the Jerusalem Metochion which he had built for himself, he was succeeded by his kinsman Paisios".{{Cite book |last=Hawaweeny |first=Raphael |title=An Historical Glance at the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulcher |publisher=Oakwood Publications |year=1893 |isbn=1879038315 |location=California |publication-date=1996 |pages=12-13 |translator-last=Najim |translator-first=Michel}}}}