MARCO EUGENICO. — Archbishop of Ephesus, celebrated Byzantine polemicist and schismatic, born in Constantinople in 1391 or 1392, died there in 1444. A monk from 1418 on the island of Antigone and later in Constantinople itself, he began to focus on the future Council of Union and prepared numerous writings addressing the theological issues to be discussed beforehand at the Emperor’s behest. Later appointed prelate of Ephesus (1437), he was elected by the Patriarchs of Antioch and Jerusalem, at the proposal of John VIII Palaeologus, their procurator at the Council.
At the sessions in Ferrara, he engaged in three discussions on Purgatory contrary to the general opinion, though not lacking in interest. At Florence, beginning in February 1439, he adopted his obstructive tactic of sterile disputes over the legitimacy of the *Filioque* and the authenticity of patristic texts. Characteristic was the oration he delivered on March 17, after which, though remaining in Florence, he refused to attend further sessions and even less to subscribe to the Dogmatic Decree of Union (July 6, 1439). Returning to his homeland, he suffered at the hands of the Turks in Ephesus and was arrested for two years on Lemnos by the Emperor. Finally returning freely to Constantinople, he died soon after, continuing until his last day to work against the Florentine Union.
A prolific but shallow writer, M. left ascetic, scriptural, oratorical, liturgical, and even epigrammatic works, as well as extensive correspondence. However, his fame rests on his polemical writings. *Against the Greeks* is his most extensive volume, *Kratz für alipéseos τών Ἀνυδίνωστών*, where he attacks Manuel Kalekas and openly sides with Gregory Palamas. *Against the Latins* includes at least the 18 treatises collected by Petit in PO (q.V. BIBLICA.), the discourses from Florence, dogmatic letters to prominent figures after the Council, and his testament, which encouraged George Scholarius in the struggle for “Orthodoxy” against Rome.