Patriarch Gregory VI and the Karamanli translation of the "Orthodox catechism" of the metropolitan of Moscow plato by the metropolitan Paisius of Caesarea

The author discusses the Patriarchal manuscript code 204(320) now depositedin the General State Archives in Athens. This code as well as code 69 of theBenaki Museum, refer to the establishment of the «Central Patriarchal Committeeof Constantinople» by Patriarch Gregory VI and its activity in the years1836-1839 and 1846. Among the contents of code 204 of special interest is thepatriarchal criticism of the Karamanli edition of the «Orthodox Catechism»originally composed by the Metropolitan of Moscow Plato and translated byPaisius, Metropolitan of Caesarea, for the spiritual needs of his Turkish-speakingflock in the interior of Asia Minor (Cappadocia). Paisius’s intention inissuing the translation was to counter the prosyletizing activities of Protestantmissionaries among his flock. From the evidence of the code the followinginteresting conclusion can be drawn: since 1836 the Patriarchate of Constantinoplecensored not only the publications of the Protestant missionaries butalso works by Orthodox authors, writing in defence of the Orthodox faith. Thecase of Metropolitan Paisius is a characteristic one. Though he was a close collaborator of the Patriarch and also a senior prelate noted for his devotion tohis pastoral duties, he did not avoid the severity of patriarchal censorship towhich he had to answer for his translation