Church of Thessalonike freed from avaricious metropolitan by presence of Michael IV

Summary:
Michael IV was at Thessalonike during a famine which followed an earthquake. Theophanes, the city's metropolitan, was accused of depriving the clergy of their just allowances. The emperor advised him to change his behaviour, but he denied the charge. The emperor decided to punish him for his avarice. He tricked him by sending an attendant to borrow one kentenarion till more should arrive from the capital: when Theophanes swore he only had 30 litrai, Michael had him removed and found 33 kentenaria of gold in his coffers. With this he paid the local clergy for arrears since Theophanes' appointment, distributed the rest to the poor and banished him to an estate, replacing him by Prometheus, who was to pay his salary 
Dates:
1037 
attendant of Michael IV (Anonymus 164)
  • Was sent by the emperor (Michael 4), who decided to trick and thus punish the metropolitan Theophanes 101 for his greediness, to borrow 1 kentenarion until more gold arrived from Constantinople, but the metropolitan swore that he only had 30 litrai (:) Skylitzes 402.90-93
Emperor Michael IV Paphlagon (Michael 4)
  • While at Thessalonike during a famine he advised the metropolitan Theophanes 101 not to continue depriving his clergy of their lawful grants, but when Theophanes refused to comply he decided to trick him and thus punish him for his greediness (:) Skylitzes 402.85-90
  • Sent one of his attendants (Anonymus 164) to borrow one kentenarion from Theophanes 101 (in order to trick the greedy metropolitan) and when the latter swore he only had 30 litrai he had him removed and found 33 kentenaria of gold in his coffers (:) Skylitzes 402.90-95
  • With the gold he found in the coffers of Theophanes 101 he paid the clergy (of Thessalonike) for arrears since the metropolitan's appointment, distributed the rest to the poor, banished Theophanes to an estate, and replaced him by Prometheus 101 (:) Skylitzes 402.95-5
Prometheus, metropolitan of Thessalonike (Prometheus 101)
  • Was appointed by the emperor (Michael 4) at the metropolitan see (of Thessalonike, to succeed the deposed Theophanes 101), who was to receive his salary through Prometheus (:) σιτηρέσια λαμβάνειν τετύπωτο καὶ καθ᾿ ἑαυτὸν διάγειν Skylitzes 402.4-5
  • Appointed at the metropolitan see (of Thessalonike) (D) ἐφίστησι...τῇ μητροπόλει Skylitzes 402.4
Theophanes, metropolitan of Thessalonike [1029, 1032] (Theophanes 101)
  • During a famine which followed an earthquake the clergy of Thessalonike protested loudly that he withheld their regular allowance, and the emperor (Michael 4), who was staying in the city then, advised him not to deprive them of their lawful grants (:) Skylitzes 402.85-89
  • Refused to comply with the advice of the emperor (Michael 4) who decided to trick him in order to punish his greediness, and when one of the emperor's attendants (Anonymus 164) was sent to borrow 1 kentenarion he swore that he only had 30 litrai (:) ἐνωμότως ἀπηρνήσατο μὴ ἔχειν πλὴν τριάκοντα λιτρῶν Skylitzes 402.89-93
  • On removal from office by Michael 4, his coffers were searched and 33 kentenaria of gold were found (instead of 30 litrai he claimed he had) and distributed by the emperor to the clergy and the poor, and he was confined to an estate, his salary to be paid by his successor (:) τὸν μητροπολίτην ἐξωθεῖ τῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ ἔν τινι κτήματι περιορίζει Skylitzes 402.93-4