He was born in Constantinople and served as Chancellor of the Ecumenical Patriarchate before being elected Metropolitan of Ikonion (Konya) between 1825 and 1835, Larissa between 1835 and 1837, and Nikomedeia between 1837 and 1840.

He was elected Ecumenical Patriarch on 20 February 1840, however, was dismissed by Ottoman Empire Sultan Abdülmecid I on 6 May 1841 and withdrew to the Princes' Islands.

During his second term, he held secret negotiations with the Church of Greece, which had declared itself autocephalous in 1833.

In 1850, he issued a Patriarchal and Synodical Act declaring the autocephaly of the Church of Greece in accordance with canon law.

On 30 October 1852, he was dismissed again and withdrew to the Princes' Islands, where he remained until his death in 1878.