Saint Iosif was Archbishop of Thessaloniki, lived in the late 8th and early 9th c. He was born in Constantinople into a pious Christian family and was deeply influenced by the personality of Saint Plato, who was abbot of a monastery in Bithynia. Iosif was a monk in the same monastery, but was exiled to Thessaloniki by Constantine VI Palaiologos, who had turned against the monks when the clergy opposed his illegal marriage to Theodoti (796). The faithful of Thessaloniki knew Iosif, his character, morals and personality were appreciated by all and a request was submitted to Constantinople to be ordained Bishop of Thessaloniki. He ascended the archiepiscopal throne of the co-capital Thessaloniki in 806. He experienced other persecutions from the Palace, during the empire of Nikephoros I. He left a remarkable literary work of speeches and ecclesiastical poetry. He passed away at the age of 70, in an unknown place, after being forbidden to return to Thessaloniki.
Information from the book by Aristides Kesopoulos “THE NAME OF THE ROADS OF THESSALONIKI”, published by MALLIARIS – PAIDEIA SA ..
