Maximos of Gallipoli

Maximos of Gallipoli, (Μάξιμος Καλλιπολίτης, Latin Maximus Callipolites) (died 1633) was a hieromonk who made the first translation of the New Testament into modern Greek after 1629. This was at the initiative of the reforming Patriarch Cyril Lucaris of Constantinople, who was later strangled.^[1] With the assistance of the Dutch ambassador to Constantinople it was printed at Geneva in 1638.^[2] Meletios Sirigos (1590–1664) vehemently opposed Maximos's translation.^[3][4]

Since Patriarch Lucaris had been strangled Maximos' New Testament was hardly used, the next would-be translator of the New Testament, the monk Seraphim, was exiled to Siberia. In the 19th Century the BFBS assisted the monk Neophytos Vamvas 1776-1866 to make his translation but again it was not made available. The nationalist Alexandros Pallis' translation, in the Acropolis newspaper, caused riots in 1901 in which 8 people died. The New Testament in modern Greek was finally allowed in 1924.

References

1. ^ Michael Angold Eastern Christianity 2006 - Page 200 "The translation was probably the patriarch's most important pastoral initiative. The task was entrusted in 1629 to the learned hieromonk Maximos Rodios from Gallipoli (hence known as Kallioupolitis), a former student of Korydalleus at ..."
2. ^ The Journal of religion: Volume 20 University of Chicago. Divinity School, University of Chicago. Federated Theological Faculty - 1940 "The question then arises whether there is any connection between this version and the vernacular New Testament printed at Geneva in 1638 under the name of Maximos of Gallipoli. Professor Colwell is inclined to think that Maximos of ..."
3. ^ Tomasz Kamusella The Politics of Language and Nationalism in Modern Central Europe 2008 "He encouraged the monk Maximos of Gallipoli (Maximus Callipolites, died in 1633) to undertake this translation. ... The learned monk, Meletios Sirigos (1590-1664) vehemently opposed Maximos's translation, remarking that any vernacular ..."
4. ^ Ο Αγώνας για μια Αγία Γραφή στη Σύγχρονη Ελληνική

Persondata
Name	Maximos Of Gallipoli
Alternative names
Short description	Hieromonk who made the first translation of the New Testament into modern Greek
Date of birth
Place of birth
Date of death	1633
Place of death