Council of Constantinople (867)
The Council of Constantinople of 867 was convened by Photius to address the question of Papal supremacy over all of the churches and their patriarchs and the use of the Filioque.[1][2][3][4]
Context
At least three councils (867, 869, 879) were held in Constantinople over the deposition of Patriarch Ignatius of Constantinople by Emperor Michael III and the replacing of him by Photius. The Pope in disagreement in 863 then held a synod at the Lateran that reversed the Eastern Churches and the Emperor's action, and this was taken by the East as an unacceptable intervention of the Pope of Rome. The use of the Filioque was also condemned.
Pope Nicholas I was intervening in the appointing of Patriarchs in jurisdictions other than his own, (Patriarchs that were supposed to be equal to him) and in their confirmation process. At the time of the early church and these councils there were no other Patriarchs in the West other than Rome, whereas there were the four other Patriarchs of the East.
Pope Nicholas had attempted to remove Photius and reappoint Ignatius as the Patriarch of Constantinople by his own authority and decree. Thus the Pope was intervening in the matters of Imperial authority as well as the other churches of the East and their own internal councils and authorities, which they understood to be outside the Pope's own jurisdiction of Rome.
The council deposed the Pope, declared him anathema, and excommunicated him.[5] In addition, Roman claims of papal primacy, his contacts with Bulgaria[5] and the filioque clause were condemned.[6][7]
Aftermath
The council of 867 was followed by the Council of Constantinople 869. The Council of Constantinople in 879 then restored the conclusions of the Council of 867. The Roman Catholic Church rejects the councils of 867 and 879 but accepts the council of 869. Pope Nicholas I was deposed and the teaching of the Filioque was condemned in the council in 867.[2][3][4][8] The Council at Constantinople in 867 excommunicated Pope Nicholas I, who was then replaced by Pope Adrian II (due to the death of Nicholas I), and rejected Nicholas' claims of primacy, his efforts to convert Bulgaria, and the addition of the Filioque in parts of the Latin Church.[9]
References
- ^ A. Fortescue, The Orthodox Eastern Church, pages 147–148;
- ^ a b Andrew Louth, Greek East and Latin West, pg171
- ^ a b S. Tougher, The Reign of Leo VI, pg69
- ^ a b The Filioque: History of a Doctrinal Controversy pg103 By A. Edward Siecienski Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (12 May 2010) ISBN 978-0-19-537204-5 [1]
- ^ a b "Photius." Cross, F. L., ed. The Oxford dictionary of the Christian church. New York: Oxford University Press. 2005
- ^ "The Union: a method of Pope-centrist ecumenism" at www.pravoslavie.ru
- ^ "Moscow-Bari-Rome" at www.pravoslavie.ru
- ^ A. Fortescue, The Orthodox Eastern Church, pages 147–148
- ^ Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages, Volume 2 By André Vauchez, Richard Barrie Dobson, Adrian Walford, Michael Lapidge Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (1 April 2001) ISBN 978-1-57958-282-1 Product Dimensions: 11.1x9 [2]