Nicholas II of Antioch

Nikolaos II (; , Nīqūlāwus, died 8 October 1030) was the Orthodox (Melkite) Patriarch of Antioch from 17 January 1025 to 8 October 1030. Prior to his elevation to the patriarchate, he was a monk, a priest, and the hegumenos (abbot) of the Stoudios Monastery in Constantinople.

Biography

Early career Nikolaos is first attested as the hegumenos of the Stoudios Monastery in a manuscript note dated March 1018 (first indiction; 6526 anno mundi) in Vat. gr. ms. 1675 (formerly Cryptensis 15), folio 333v.

Patriarchate On 17 January 1025, Nikolaos, who was still hegumenos of the Stoudios Monastery, was consecrated in Constantinople as the Patriarch of Antioch, following a vacancy of three and a half years. He was succeeded as hegumenos by Alexios Studites.

The Vita Symeonis Treverensis claims that an unnamed Patriarch of Antioch knew and highly esteemed Saint Symeon of Trier, who was in Antioch around 1025/26. This patriarch was possibly Nikolaos, although the reliability of the Vita Symeonis regarding events in the East is considered questionable.

Relations with the Syriac Orthodox Church According to the chronicle of Michael the Syrian, Nikolaos maintained good relations with the Syriac Orthodox (Jacobite) Patriarch of Antioch, John VIII bar Abdoun. Their friendship reportedly began when Nikolaos heard of a miraculous healing of the Roman governor of Antioch, who suffered from leprosy, performed by John VIII. Following this, Nikolaos initiated contact and corresponded with him over an extended period.

Nikolaos's refusal to condemn John VIII is further indicated by the absence of his name from the participant list of the synod published by Alexios I in May 1030. Following Nikolaos's death, Alexios I was able to persuade Nikolaos's successor, Elias, to recognize and sign the condemnation of John VIII in April 1032.