Widespread missionary activity (Slavs, Huns, Russ (Russians)) and the subjection of the Church of Bulgaria to the Patriarchate of Constantinople bestowed great prominence on the Church of Macedonia, which now enjoyed considerable power despite its metropolitan areas being constantly split up.
Though the archbishop of Thessalonike had lost the privileges he had previously possessed as Exarch of the Church of Rome (565-732), he had not forfeited his prestige and retained his wide jurisdiction over central Macedonia. The organisation of monasticism on Mount Athos and its continuously growing intellectual and spiritual importance, coupled with the creation of the archbishopric of Orchid and All Bulgaria, served only to strengthen the spiritual and intellectual influence of Thessalonike even beyond the borders of the Empire.
Nevertheless, from the 12th century on the advent of old and new enemies (Bulgarians, Petsenegs, Normans, Venetians, Paduans and Genovese) and the expansion of the Turks in Asia Minor made it necessary to reinforce the politically, intellectually and spiritually important region of Macedonia, which was experiencing troubles of various sorts.
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