4 5 9 ) ▁was ▁E c umen ical ▁Patri arch ▁within ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Orth odox ▁Church ▁during ▁the ▁period ▁ 1 4 4 3 – 1 4 5 0 . ▁He ▁was ▁prominent ▁in ▁un success ful ▁initi atives ▁toward ▁reun ification ▁with ▁the ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁Church , ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁his ▁qu itting ▁his ▁post ▁as ▁Patri arch . ▁ ▁Name ▁F ew ▁things ▁are ▁known ▁about ▁his ▁life ▁and ▁his ▁patri arch ate . ▁Not ▁even ▁his ▁surname ▁is ▁certain , ▁with ▁the ▁names ▁M amm is ▁or ▁M amm as ▁being ▁probably ▁mock ing ▁app ell ations . ▁In ▁the ▁generally ▁un re li able ▁Chron icum ▁Maj us ▁of ▁George ▁S ph rant zes , ▁it ▁is ▁recorded ▁that ▁he ▁came ▁from ▁Cre te , ▁and ▁that ▁his ▁real ▁name ▁was ▁Mel issen os . ▁In ▁other ▁works ▁he ▁is ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁Mel issen os - Str ateg op oul os . ▁ ▁Church ▁career ▁He ▁was ▁tons ured ▁as ▁a ▁mon k ▁in ▁ca . ▁ 1 4 2 0 , ▁and ▁is ▁considered ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁the ▁conf essor ▁of ▁Emperor ▁John ▁VIII ▁Pal ai olog os . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁supp orter ▁of ▁the ▁Union ▁with ▁the ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁Church . ▁He ▁played ▁a ▁very ▁active ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁the ological ▁discuss ions . ▁He ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁pre lim inary ▁negoti ations ▁with ▁Rome ▁at ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁Bas le ▁and ▁later ▁accompanied ▁Patri arch ▁Joseph ▁II ▁to ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁Ferr ara