Nikon of the Black Mountain

Nikon of the Black Mountain (born c. 1025, died c. 1105) was a Byzantine soldier, monk and author.

Born at Constantinople around 1025 to a family of archontes, Nikon served in the army under Constantine IX (r. 1042–1055).

[1] Acting on a vision of the Virgin Mary,[1] he retired to a monastery on the Black Mountain founded by Luke, the former metropolitan of Anazarbos, who also tonsured him.

[2] After the death of Luke, Nikon incurred the displeasure of his brother monks by striving to enforce rigid discipline.

[2] Nikon produced two major compilations of ecclesiastical texts: the Pandektai (Pandects), a collection of conciliar and patristic writings on canon law for wandering monks, and the Taktikon, a collection of forty chapters of authoritative texts on liturgical problems.