Ioannikios Kartanos

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Ioannikios Kartanos ((Greek): Ιωαννίκιος Καρτάνος) was a Greek hieromonk and scholar of the 16th century.


Ioannikios Kartanos was Born in Corfu. He became a monk and later a grand protosyngellos. During a stay in Venice, he was imprisoned, and while in prison he wrote a translation of the most significant parts of the Old Testament (according to his judgement), in the vernacular language (1536 AD).

Upon being released from prison he did not rest, but travelled to the Great Church of Christ and asked to be rewarded for his labours, requesting a promotion to the rank of Bishop (Gr. Αρχιερέας). The Ecumenical Patriarch however refused Kartanos' request, calling him heterodox and unworthy to oversee the Christian flock.

The Greek scholar and monk Pachomius Rousanos (1508-1553),[note 1] who was a formidable adversary of Kartanos, advised the Metropolitan of Nafpaktos Athanasios[note 2] to name Kartanos a heretic, and those who clandestinely or openly accepted Kartanos' teachings as "Kartanites".

Major Work

  • The Old and New Testament (Translation).


  1. The monk Pachomios Roussanos (1508–1553), who visited the mountain area of Xanthi, mentioned that around 1550, only 6 or 9 villages had turned to Islam.
  2. The Metropolitan of Nafpaktos was advised because at that time Kartanos was in this region and was under his jurisdiction.