Born in
Gallipoli in
Eastern Thrace in 1809. In 1830 he went to
Mount Athos, where Archimandrite Agathangel, abbot of the monastery
Esphigmenou and his countryman, received him to the monastery brethren. In Esphigmenou he was tonsured a monk with the name Nilus. After a while, he fell ill with
tuberculosis and was sent to Greek doctors in
Smyrna for treatment. In addition to monastic work, Nilus was engaged in
self-education and the study of foreign languages. As a result, Neil gained fame as one of the most educated people among Greeks. His administrative abilities and scholarship were noticed, and Archimandrite Agathangel sent him to
Moldavia to manage one of the monastic estates. In the town of
Huși, in the church of St. Elijah the Prophet, he was ordained a
hieromonk by the local bishop. Soon Archimandrite Nilus was appointed to manage a large and wealthy Esphigmenou metoch in
Florești,
Bessarabia, then also to Three Saints Hierarchs metochs. At that time he was called Nilus the Esphigmenite () or Nilus Trierarchitis (). He was a supporter of Patriarch
Nicanor of Alexandria in the unfolding difficult conflict between supporters and opponents of Patriarch Nicanor, who took the patriarchal throne in 1866. The opposition to Patriarch Nicanor was led by Archimandrite Eugene, who was appointed patriarchal epitrope and
locum tenens of the Patriarchal Throne by the Council of Representatives of Local Greek Communities hostile to the Patriarch, which according to the charter was to manage the church jointly with the Patriarch and the Synod. Archimandrite Eugene and his followers succeeded in expelling two metropolitans who remained loyal to the patriarch from Egypt. In response to the actions of the communities and the Egyptian government, Patriarch Nicanor announced the appointment of Archimandrite Nilus from the monastery of Esphigmen as his successor and
locum tenens. Archimandrite Eugene, whose powers were recognized by the local authorities, decided to seize the patriarchal residence in
Cairo with the help of his supporters and the police. On July 2, 1867, a fight involving the police ensued, resulting in many injuries among the participants, and the residence itself was looted by soldiers. This action severely undermined Archimandrite Eugene's credibility. In response, Patriarch Nicanor held a council in Alexandria from July 24–27, 1867, condemning the interference of the Church of Constantinople and confirming the legitimacy of Nilus as heir and locum tenens of the Patriarchal Throne; Archimandrite Eugene was defrocked. By the end of May 1868, Archimandrite Eugene, having lost all hope of achieving his goal, left Egypt. On June 6, Patriarch Nicanor returned to his residence, but the question of his successor remained open. The Greek communities of Egypt refused to recognize Archimandrite Nilus. On March 16, 1869, Patriarch Nicanor of Alexandria, along with Metropolitan Amphilochius of Pilusia, Metropolitan Theophanes of Tripoli, and Metropolitan Spyridon of Kirineya, ordained Archimandrite Nilus as Metropolitan of Pentapolis. He settled in his homeland in Galipoli. On June 10, 1872, the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople abolished the deprivation of dignity, recognized his episcopal consecration as lawful and restored him as Metropolitan of Pentapolis, but under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. He died on November 12, 1887, in the village of
Dafni on Mount Athos. == References ==