Cosmas of Aetolia - Life

Life

He was born in the Greek village Mega Dendron near the town of Thermo in the region of Aetolia. He studied Greek and Theology before becoming a monk after a trip to Mount Athos where he also attended the local Theological Academy.

After two years he left Athos. In 1760 he was authorized by Patriarch Serapheim II (who had marked anti-Ottoman tendencies) to begin missionary tours in the villages of Thrace - later extended to what would form the areas of both West Greece and Northern Greece. The Patriarch had been reportedly worried at the an increasing rate of Christians converting to Islam in these areas.

Over sixteen years, Cosmas established about 250 schools. He called upon Christians to establish schools and learn Biblical Koine Greek, that they might understand the Scriptures better and generally educate themselves.

After the Orlov Revolt of 1770 in the Peloponnese (which was provoked by the Orlov brothers with the support of Catherine II of the Russian Empire), Cosmas started to preach in what is now Southern Albania, then under the rule of Ahmet Kurt Pasha, governor of the Pashalik of Berat.

His preachings had aroused the opposition of the rich and powerful and others who felt their position threatened, such as the kotsampasides (Greek "village elders" whose power and influence was bound up with the Ottoman power).

Cosmas was also viewed with suspicion by officials of the Venetian Republic, then in its final stages of decline, which ruled parts of the territory where he was active. For example, in 1779 he is said to have visited the Venetian-ruled town of Preveza and founded there a Greek school, which would be the only school of the city during the 18th century - an act which the Venetian authorities might have considered as undermining their rule. The Venetians' suspicions are attested in spy reports about Cosmas preserved in the Venetian archives.

In contrast, Cosmas had considerable support from other Christians and even from some Turks.

In his sermons Cosmas often refers negatively to the Jews. Nevertheless, in one of his preachings he stated specifically that:«Those who wrong Christians, Jews or Turks would be paid back for the injustice they committed».

One effect of his preaching was to transfer the holding of the weekly bazaar (fair) from Sunday to Saturday, which brought economic losses to Jews - barred by their religion from engaging in business on Sabbath. Some researchers believe that for that reason, Jews in Epirus were involved in his conviction by the Ottoman authorities.

Accused of being a Russian agent, he was seized by Ottoman authorities. On August 24, 1779 he was executed at Kolkondas, Fier District, near the mouth of the Seman river (in present day Albania). There were no formal charges brought against him, nor was he put on trial before being executed - leading to various theories, persisting up to the present, about who might have wanted him dead.