1. Metropolis of Nicomedia: foundation and evolution

Christianity was spread in Nicomedia very early and according to the ecclesiastical tradition the first bishop of Nicomedia was Prochoros, one of the seven deacons.¹ Thus, it is likely that Nicomedia was an organized bishopric seat already from the 1^st century.² The first written testimony for the Church of Nicomedia preserves Eusebius of Caesarea, who makes mention of an epistle of Dionysios of Corinth, around 170, addressed to the Nicomedians about the heresy of Marcion.³ Nicomedia had a constant presence in the notitiae episcopatuum(lists of ecclesiastical dioceses) as a metropolis of the province of Bithynia, subordinated to the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Until the 9^th century it is usually placed on the 7^th position among thirty-eight metropolises (Notitia no. 1), which steadily increased to 91 (Notitia no. 12). Nicomedia initially possessed eight suffragan bishoprics.

2. The confronting with the metropolis of Nicaea

The metropolis of Nicomedia, which was the political metropolis and historically speaking the first ecclesiastical metropolis of Bithynia as well, was in a state of rivalry with the metropolis of Nicaea, since the First Ecumenical Council against Arianism had been held in the rival city of Nicaea in 325. The religious quarrels were poisoning the relations between the two cities and were reflecting the already existing disputes between them since the Antiquity.⁴ The promotion of Nicaea to the rank of a metropolis was honorary, it happened during the reign of Valentinian (364-375) and Valens (364-378), without aiming to undermine and confine Nicomedia’s rights. The quarrel was solved at the occasion of the confrontation that was manifested between the metropolises of Nicomedia and Nicaea about the dependency of the bishopric seat of Basilinopolis, within the framework of the Fourth Ecumenical Council, at Chalcedon in 451. More precisely, according to the Acts of the Council, the metropolitan of Nicaea Anastasios excommunicated the priests of Nicomedia that happened to go to Basilinopolis to celebrate the mass. At the opposition and the strong reaction of Eunomios of Nicomedia, Anastasios claimed that Basilinopolis acquired the status of a town, and so the right to be organized ecclesiastically, very recently, from Julian, after a suggestion of advisors from Nicaea. This event contributed to the final confirmation by the Council that Nicomedia, according to the canons, was the only real metropolis of Bithynia, whereas Nicaea had an honorary title and simply preceded over the bishoprics.⁵

3. The Christian community during the early Byzantine period

During that period, Nicomedia was connected with the persecutions against the Christians.⁶ In 303 Diocletian gave the order for the persecutions against the Christians, starting from the 23^rd of February, day of the pagan feast Terminalia. The persecution began with the plundering of the Christian church of Nicomedia and the issue of an edict against the Christian cult. On the 30^th of April 311 an edict was issued for the religious toleration, known as “Edict of Milan” (Edictum Mediolani) by Constantine, later emperor Constantine I (the Great) and by Licinius (313-324), by which Christianity was recognized as a religion. Licinius, however, residing at Nicomedia, within the framework of his confrontation with Constantine, proceeded to new persecutions against the Christians, which were ended after 324. The exact number of the victims at Nicomedia is not known; it amounts, however, to thousands. Among the martyrs at Nicomedia were the legionaries Dorotheos and Gorgonios, as well as Anthimos, bishop of Nicomedia.⁷

During the times of Valens (364-378) Nicomedia was considered, along with Constantinople, Nicaea and Kotyaion, center of Novatians’ creed. At the same time, in the city existed a great number of Arians, who proceeded to persecutions against the Orthodox population, enforced by the fact that Valens himself was an adherent of Arianism. Within the period of 370-378, an embassy of eight Orthodox priests that had gone to Nicomedia in order to meet him, found a tragic end on a boat, which was set on fire at his command.⁸

4. The deeds of the metropolitans of Nicomedia

In the year 337 the metropolitan of Nicomedia Eusebios baptized Constantine I at the suburb Achyron.⁹ In 401, the translation of the metropolitan of Nicomedia Gerontios, because of his odd opinions about the daemons, caused troubles on the population.¹⁰ Theophylaktos, metropolitan of Nicomedia between the years 800 and 815, displayed a charitable work. He built a church dedicated to Saints Cosmas and Damianos and pious institutions, two-story buildings equipped with beds and indispensable supplies for the poor. He founded as well a remarkable hotel that he named “phrontisterion” (a mean/place to take care of people) and he proceeded to monthly food distribution to the poor; he notably kept minute archives.¹¹

The metropolitans of Nicomedia in general played occasionally an important role in the political and ecclesiastical affaires. Characteristic is the case of the metropolitan of Nicomedia (probably of Stephan) who was sent by the emperor Basil II (976-1025) to the general Bardas Skleros,¹² for negotiations between the years 976 and 979. During the reign of Michael IV Paphlagon (1034-1041), the eunuch Antonios Paches was promoted to a metropolitan of Nicomedia and later he participated in the conspiracy against the patriarch of Constantinople Alexios of Stoudios (1025-1043).¹³

5. The metropolis of Nicomedia during the late Byzantine period

During the office of patriarch Athanasios I (1303-1309) the metropolis of Nicomedia was granted “kat’ epidosen” (upon temporary entrusting) to the metropolis of Apamaeia of Bithynia. From synodical documents we are informed that the metropolitan of Apameia had requested the dioecese of Nicomedia to be handed over to his metropolis and his proposal was accepted by the patriarch of Constantinople.¹⁴ The request had been submitted probably because the metropolitan of Nicomedia resided at Constantinople and was absent from his spiritual flock, which suffered hardships from invasions.