The Ecumenical Patriarch is the Primate of the Church of Constantinople. Historically, he is considered the first of equals among the primates of all local churches. What this means and how this story developed, we will talk a little later. Now let's find out who is the Ecumenical Patriarch. So, on October 22, 1991, this title was awarded to Bartholomew I (in the world Dimitrios Archodonis), aka His Divine All Holiness the Archbishop of Constantinople (the old name of the city of New Rome).
Patriarch
This title was formed when the city of Constantinople became the capital of the Byzantine Empire. The first Ecumenical Patriarch Akakiy (472-489) was titled after the Fourth Ecumenical Council (451, Chalcedon). Then, in rules 9, 17 and 28, the all-imperial jurisdiction of the bishop of New Rome was proclaimed, taking second place in importance after Rome.
By the end of the 6th century, the role and title are finally accepted in both civil and ecclesiastical acts of the Byzantine Empire. But the papacy of Rome did not accept the 28th canon. It is only in connection with the union at the VII Ecumenical Council (1438-1445) that Rome finally setafter himself in the second role of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Patriarchate in Russia
But in 1453 Byzantium fell after the siege of Constantinople by Turkish troops. At the same time, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople was able to maintain his position as the leader of the Christian world, but already existed under the Ottoman Empire. Nominally, he remained the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, but was very weakened and exhausted in material terms, until the patriarchate was established in the Russian state (1589). During the reign of Boris Godunov, as is known, Job (1589) became the first patriarch in Russia.
After World War I, the Ottoman Empire ceased to exist. In 1923, Constantinople ceased to be the capital, in 1930 it was renamed the city of Istanbul (Istanbul).
Struggle for power
At the beginning of 1920, the Patriarchate of Constantinople in its ruling circles began to form the concept that the entire Orthodox diaspora of churches should completely submit to the Patriarch of Constantinople. Since it is he who, according to the assembly of the Greek elite of the so-called Phanariotes, from now on has the primacy of honor and power, therefore he can interfere in any internal affairs of other churches. This concept was immediately subjected to repeated criticism and was called "Eastern papism." However, it was de facto approved by the practice of the church.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I: biography
Bartholomew is a Greek by ethnic origin, who was born on February 29, 1940 in Turkishon the island of Gokceada in the village of Zeytinli-keyu. After graduating from high school in Istanbul, he continued to study at the Chalcedon Theological School and was ordained a deacon in 1961. Then he served two years in the Turkish army.
From 1963 to 1968 - while studying at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, then studied at the University of Switzerland and Munich. Then he taught at the Pontifical Gregorian University, where he received a doctorate in theology.
In 1968, ordination to the presbyters took place, in which Patriarch Athenagoras I participated. In 1972, already under Patriarch Demetrius, he was appointed to the post of manager of the Patriarchal Cabinet.
In 1973 he was consecrated Bishop Metropolitan of Philadelphia, and in 1990 he became Metropolitan of Chalcedon. From 1974 until his enthronement as a patriarch, he was a member of the Synod and a number of synodal committees.
In October 1991 he was elected as the Ecumenical Patriarch of the Church of Constantinople. Enthronement took place on November 2 of the same year.
Bartholomew and the Russian Orthodox Church
After enthronement, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I in 1993 visits the Russian Patriarch. After the schism in Russia in 1922 (when Constantinople showed its sympathies to church criminals, and not to the canonical church), this meant a thaw in their relations. Moreover, a split occurred again in the Russian Orthodox Church, supported by the Ukrainian authorities, then the self-proclaimed Kyiv Patriarchate appeared, headed by Filaret. But at this moment, Bartholomew I supported the canonical Metropolitan of KyivHis Beatitude Vladimir (Sabodan).
In 1996, there is a sharp conflict with the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church. Moscow did not recognize the church structure of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Estonia as canonical. The name of Bartholomew for some time was even excluded from the diptychs of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Meetings
In 2006, a conflict situation arose in the Sourozh Diocese of the MP in the British Isles. As a result, Bishop Basil, its former administrator, was accepted into the bosom of the Church of Constantinople, but just as soon left from there at the desire to marry.
In 2008, in honor of the 1020th anniversary of the baptism of Russia, President of Ukraine V. Yushchenko waited for Patriarch Bartholomew's approval for the unification of Ukrainian churches into a single local church, but did not receive it.
In 2009, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow officially visited the residence of the Patriarch of Constantinople. During the negotiations, many important issues were discussed, while Bartholomew promised not to interfere in the church situation in Ukraine.
Then, in 2010, there was a return meeting in Moscow, where the topic of the Great Pan-Orthodox Council was discussed. Bartholomew also called on the doubting believers of Ukraine to return to the canonical church.
Relation of Patriarch Bartholomew with the Roman Catholic Church
In 2006, Bartholomew invited Pope Benedict XVI to Istanbul, and the meeting took place. The Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarch in a conversation grieved that twothe churches have yet to unite.
In 2014, the meeting of the Patriarch and Pope Francis took place in Jerusalem. It was regarded as private, the conversations were mostly ecumenical, for which he is now very much criticized.
An amazing fact of this meeting was the fact that Pope Francis, as a sign of humility, kissed the hand of the patriarch, who, in turn, politely and tolerantly answered with a cross-shaped kiss.
Ecumenical patriarchs: list
Patriarchs of the latest period:
- Dorotheos of Prussia (1918-1921);
- Meletius IV (1921-1923);
- Gregory VII (1923-1924);
- Konstantin VII (1924-1925);
- Vasily III (1925-1929);
- Fotiy II (1929-1935);
- Benjamin (1936-1946);
- Maxim V (1946-1948);
- Athenagoras (1948-1972);
- Demetrius I (1972-1991);
- Bartholomew I (1991).
Conclusion
Soon, in June 2016, the Great Pan-Orthodox Council will be held, where one of the important issues will be discussed - the attitude of the Orthodox Church to other Christian churches. There can be many different disputes and disagreements. After all, now all the Orthodox brethren are concerned about the holding, as it is also called, the Eighth Ecumenical Council. Although such a definition of it would be incorrect, since no church canons will be discussed at it, because everything has long been decided and in no case is subject to change.
The last Ecumenical Council was held in 787 in Nicaea. And then there was still no Catholic schism, which occurred in the Christian Church in 1054, after which the Western (Catholic) with a center in Rome and the Eastern (Orthodox) with a center in Constantinople were formed. After such a split, the Ecumenical Council is already a priori impossible.
But if the Catholic Church wants to unite with the Orthodox, then this will happen only if it repents and lives according to the canons of Orthodoxy, it cannot be otherwise. This also applies to other churches, including the schismatic Kyiv Patriarchate, which, for its part, is also waiting for recognition and unification.
