Nilus of Constantinople was a 14th-century Hesychast who served as the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1380 until his death in 1388. Born in the Byzantine Empire around 1350, he held a significant leadership role within the Orthodox Church during a complex period of history. His tenure included important administrative decisions, such as the 1380 synod that appointed the Bulgarian-born Hesychast Cyprian as the metropolitan of Moscow.
Ecclesiastical career
During his leadership, Nilus managed various church matters, including responding to inquiries regarding the Strigolniki schism in 1382. He was a productive author of religious texts, producing several homilies and an encomium dedicated to Gregory Palamas. He also composed the Ekthesis Nea, a brief treatise that outlines the proper diplomatic protocols used by the Orthodox Church when interacting with secular and religious rulers.
Veneration
Nilus is recognized as a saint within the Orthodox tradition. He is remembered for his commitment to Hesychasm and his influential role in the administration of the Byzantine Church during the late 14th century.