Barlaam of Seminara

Barlaam of Seminara (c. 1290–1348), born in Greek-speaking Calabria, was a Basilian monk who came to Constantinople in the 1320s and taught at the university under Andronikos III. Learned in the classics, astronomy and mathematics, his sarcasm put off even his friends.

In 1333–1334 he negotiated church union with envoys of Pope John XXII, writing treatises against papal primacy and the Filioque. In 1339 he went to Pope Benedict XII at Avignon to propose a crusade against the Turks, and gave Petrarch his first Greek lessons there.

His attack on Gregory Palamas and Hesychast prayer ended in 1341, when two synods ruled against him. He joined the Latin Church in 1342, became bishop of Gerace and died there in 1348.