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For a thousand years, the wound of the schism has tormented the East and the West. For many centuries, attempts have been made to heal this schism at various levels, and for several decades now, a modern ecumenical dialogue has been ongoing between the Catholic Church and various Orthodox Churches. Having quickly addressed almost all theological questions once seen as crucial (Filioque), the participants turned to the main issue—the question of primacy in the Universal Church. The relationship between this primacy and collegiality remains the main focus of attention for Orthodox and Catholic theologians up to this day. The latest document of the Joint Orthodox-Catholic Theological Commission, adopted in Alexandria in 2023, concludes with the following words:
Having reflected together on the history of the second millennium, we acknowledge that a common reading of the sources can inspire the practice of synodality and primacy in the future. Observing the mandate of our Lord to love one another as he has loved us (Jn 13:34), it is our Christian duty to strive for unity in faith and life.
As a humble contribution of my own, I suggest we have a look at the Byzantine liturgy in order to come back to the roots and the core of our Christian life – our prayer, for it leaves no space for lies and half-truths when we stand before the Almighty Lord as His people.
There are three Roman Pontiffs in Orthodox memory who are so prominent as to have their own liturgical texts, feasts or even entire liturgies ascribed to them (to recall the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts celebrated a couple of times a week throughout Lent).
These three are St. Leo the Great, St. Clement and St. Gregory the Great. On this Latin feast of the chair of St. Peter at Antioch, I suggest we read the Greco-Slavic liturgical texts which appeal to these saintly Pontiffs to see what role was attributed to those pontiffs by the ancient Byzantine hymnographers. This will help revealthe sensus fidei fidelium of the Eastern Orthodox Churches who venerate them.
Starting with Leo the Great, we can already see a theme emerging.
“Head of the Orthodox Church”
What do we call you, O God-inspired one?/ Head of the Orthodox Church of Christ,/ The eye of piety,/ Clearly seeing with the heart the spiritual understanding,/ The source of life-giving words for all,/ The God-appointed scroll of true faith?/ Pray for the salvation of our souls.[1]
This prayer that I translated from Church Slavonic is sung on the eve of February the 18th (O.S.) in each and every Russian Orthodox parish. Unlike any other Sviatitel’ (‘святитель,’the enlightener – this is the name for holy bishops in the Byzantine tradition ) this particular Saint is known for fighting against Monophysitism and articulating clearly the theology of Papal primacy.
Contemporary Russian Orthodox authors may argue that St. Leo was wrong[2], but these prayers are more frequently recited and heard by Orthodox than any of such criticisms. The current fashion in Russian Orthodoxy tends to dismiss the historical Roman claim to an infallibile Papacy as being both a) absolutist and anti-counciliar, and b) based on formal canonical or political status of this ancient Imperial centre, despite Rome having ceased to be the political centre before St. Leo’s pontificate (the last western Roman emperor died in 476).
Yet, the texts from the same Church service written in the Menaion refutes both of these modern prejudices by showing that a) Pope Leo was the head of a council, not a tyrant outside the council; b) that his primacy was based on succession from St. Peter, the chief apostle.
“Elder of the Supreme Сouncil”
The Vespers of St. Leo continues:
What shall I proclaim to you now, O wondrous one?/ A preacher of truth and the firm foundation?/ The elder of the honorable supreme council,/ The rule of teachings made known/ And the measure of property for correction,/ Cutting off the Nestorian division and Eutychian union/ With God-inspired revelations.[3]
It is notable that St. Leo was never personally present at the Council of Chalcedon, being represented by bishops Paschasinus and Lucentius joined by Presbyter Boniface. Nevertheless, he is called the elder of this council. This reflects the Catholic belief in the College of Bishops that may formally extend such a form of its representation as an Ecumenical Council. Still, the integrity is guaranteed by the approval of the Pope who serves for the peace and unity not only between the Church East and West, but within the entire Universal Church and its representative college.
“The Successor of Peter”
Let us move on to Matins where the true basis of St. Leo’s primacy is revealed and is, as it were, clandestinely venerated by the Orthodox faithful.
The Canon, Ode 1, Troparion 3:
You were the heir of the Supreme Throne of Peter,/ having his character and zeal, O God-wise one, of faith.
The Canon, Ode 6, Troparion 1:
Peter’s honorable successor, enriched by his leadership,/ and having gathered the flaming zeal, you wrote a divinely inspired scroll,/ rejecting the confused heretical decree, uniting the unsolvable without mixing.
These prayers are in the line with what St. Leo himself thought of his mission as the Pope:
By God’s precepts and the Apostle’s admonitions We are incited to keep a careful watch over the state of all the churches: and, if anywhere ought is found that needs rebuke, to recall men with speedy care either from the stupidity of ignorance or from forwardness and presumption. For inasmuch as We are warned by the Lord’s own command whereby the blessed Apostle Peter had the thrice repeated mystical injunction pressed upon him, that he who loves Christ should feed Christ’s sheep, We are compelled by reverence for that see which, by the abundance of the Divine Grace, We hold, to shun the danger of sloth as much as possible: lest the confession of the chief Apostle whereby he testified that he loved God be not found in Us: because if he (through Us) carelessly feed the flock so often commended to him he is proved not to love the chief Shepherd.[4]
“Pillar of the Orthodox Faith”
As has been established through the ages, from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the primacy of the Pope, just like the primacy of Peter, was given not to rule, but to serve, safeguarding the faith and strengthening the brethren. Pope Leo the Great understood his ministry in this way and fulfilled it faithfully, as is testified in the Canon of Matins in his feast.
The Canon, Ode 3:
Pillar of the Orthodox faith of Christ’s Church, O most wise Leo, you have earnestly risen up,/ holding him, you destroy the godless ranks and assemblies of heretics.
Having been filled with heavenly and divine grace,/ you proposed the church dogmas, O father,/ contending against heretical offenses,/ as a champion of piety, O most blessed Leo.
Having been enlightened by the most radiant light, O venerable one,/ you clarified the unblemished and divine incarnation,/ explaining the Word,/ both in essence and in the action of the God who became incarnate.
“True Patriarch” Among the Patriarchs of Old
A far as I know, unlike all the other holy bishops and pastors whose merits are sung in the Eastern Liturgy of the Hours, only the Popes are subject to special Old Testament metaphors – references to the patriarchs, who were the heads of the People of God.
Canon, 9, Troparion 2:
Here now, in the assembly of the patriarchs, and in the thrones and ranks,/ O most blessed Leo, you have rightly settled, O father,/ as a true patriarch, and by faith and grace you shine./ Therefore, we all bless you forever.
Before we move on to St. Clement, there is a synaxarion attached to the service (a reading that is designed to explain the meaning of the feast or the heroic virtues of the saint that is being venerated). It is interesting to read some of that.
Upon learning about the heretical “Robber Council” in Ephesus (449), during which Saint Patriarch Flavian of Constantinople (feast day February 19) suffered, Saint Leo addressed letters to the emperors Theodosius II (408–450) and Marcian (450–451) regarding the convocation of the Fourth Ecumenical Council to condemn the heresy of the Monophysites. This council took place in Chalcedon in 451. It was attended by 630 bishops, and debates ensued during which (at the council) the letter of Saint Leo I to the now-deceased Saint Flavian was read concerning the two natures of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to tradition, after writing the letter, Saint Leo placed it in the tomb of Saint Peter, the chief apostle, and addressed him with the words: “If I, as a man, have erred in anything and have not achieved what is right, then you, to whom our Lord Himself has entrusted this Throne and the Church—help and correct.” After forty days spent by Saint Leo in prayer and fasting, the holy Apostle Peter appeared to him and said: “I have read and corrected.” Saint Leo hurried to the tomb and found his letter with corrections made by the apostolic hand. Upon reading this letter at the Fourth Ecumenical Council, all the bishops present exclaimed in unison: “This is the faith of our fathers! We all believe this way! Peter speaks through Leo! Anathema to anyone who does not believe this!.. Why was this not read in Ephesus? This was hidden by Dioscorus!
Although some Orthodox polemicists for some reason see in this text a denunciation of the dogma of papal infallibility, I see only a beautiful metaphor: in making a judgment about faith and morality, having made every effort to understand the matter, St. Leo relies on the charisma that was given to the Apostle Peter, and not on his own wisdom, and therefore his teaching is true and infallible.“After this,” the Synaxarion summarizes, “the heretics Eutyches and Dioscorus were condemned and excommunicated from the Church, and the message of Saint Leo became the foundation of Orthodox teaching about the Church.”[5]
Let us now consider the liturgical texts that praise St. Pope Clement,[6] for he is very well known and important for Russia and many slavic countries.
“New Peter” and “Second Moses”
Kontakion, Tone 4:
Unshakeable and holy towers of the Church, truly firm fortresses of piety, Clement with Peter, glorified by all, by your prayers preserve us all.
Prayer:
O most esteemed disciple of the supreme apostle Peter, new Peter of the faith in Christ, second Moses, holy martyr Clement, enlightened by the teachings of the great apostle, crowned with the crown of martyrdom! Through your prayers, ask for us the grace of the Holy Spirit to preserve the faith in Christ and the saving traditions of the Church, so that ungodliness may be scattered. Intercede, O servant of God, with the Merciful Creator, that the grace of the Holy Spirit may be poured out upon us, enlightening our souls, that the Lord God may quench the fiery desires of our passions, preserve us from all evil, save us from calamities, misfortunes, and sorrows, and let us remain faithful Christians until the end of our lives, keeping in our hearts the remembrance of your sufferings, illnesses, and labors, for the glory of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Canon 4, Troparion 2:[7]
Another Moses, wise Clement, you were, / proclaiming the Divine laws to all / and writing sacred teachings, fulfilling all / that pertains to the Church. Therefore, all honor you as the lawgiver and teacher, with faith.
Now let’s turn our attention to the service of St. Gregory the Great (the Dialogist, as we call him here in Russia), the third most venerated Roman Pope in the East. Specifically, we will look at the text of the Matins that unveils another ancient belief.
The Pope Sits on “The Apostolic See”
The Sticheron that is sung after the 50(51) Psalm during the Matins testifies:[8]
You sit on the Apostolic See, O venerable one, and have adorned it with your virtues; through humility, you have attained greatness and have been taken up to the heavenly Zion. Pray, O holy Gregory, to Christ our Savior, that He may grant peace to the people and salvation to our souls.
The use of the phrase “The Apostolic See” is an incorporation of a Latin title that the Popes had given to themselves for centuries. The use of this phrase in the singular – without any intention to deny the apostolic character of other Sees – implies the Roman dogmas of Petrine and universal primacy at Rome.
As a coda to our review of liturgical texts, let us turn to one of the sainted Byzantine Emperors.
Justinian as the First Sedevacantist
The Apostolic See is a significant reality, and it is essential to remain in communion with it. It is often said that the strongest evidence comes from opponents. To support my claim, I would like to draw the readers’ attention to one of the most challenging periods in the life of the Church before the Great Schism: the Fifth Ecumenical Council. The council was sponsored and initiated by Emperor Justinian, who is revered as a saint in the Orthodox Church. He intervened decisively in theological matters, attempting to reconcile the various ecclesiastical factions that had emerged in the aftermath of the Council of Chalcedon. Justinian sought the support of Pope Vigilius, who had largely followed in the footsteps of his predecessor, Pope Leo I, by admonishing and excommunicating heretics. However, Pope Vigilius remained steadfast in his own positions. But then the Emperor lost his patience and wrote the following letter to the rest of the Council fathers, the Eastern patriarchs:
Since Pope Vigilius refused to meet with you and collectively formulate a common condemnation of the Three Chapters… and moreover, has made himself a stranger to the Catholic Church by defending their impiety, we proclaim that his name should be excluded from the sacred diptychs, for to remember him is to agree with the impiety of Theodore and Nestorius. However, we maintain unity with the Apostolic See, which, without a doubt, you should also do. For the fact that Vigilius or anyone else has fallen cannot disrupt the peace of the Church.[9]
Essentially, he claimed that the Pope had fallen into formal heresy and, as a result, had lost his position. One might even regard Justinian as the first Sedevacantist or a precursor to the Latin speculative theology surrounding the idea of an incomplete Ecumenical Council that should elect a new Pope when the previous one loses his papacy due to heretical beliefs—whether those beliefs are officially declared by the Cardinals or not. Personally, I believe that Justinian was mistaken in his assertions and actions, as he overstepped his authority. However, that is of little consequence now. The intriguing point is that Emperor Justinian, whether out of sincerity or malice, could not help but recognize the essential role of the Apostolic See in Rome and the necessity of communion with this See for all Churches, including the Council Fathers. The rest of them affirmed this sentiment in the following manner:
What the most pious Emperor has now decreed fully aligns with his previous efforts for the unity of the holy Churches. Therefore, we will act in accordance with what is stated in the words just read, maintaining unity with the Apostolic See of the most holy Church of Old Rome. Regarding the issue before us, let everything be as we have decided.[10]
Great intellectual battles have been fought – and will continue to be fought – over this and similar precedents in Church history. After all, we are all human beings, from popes and emperors to contemporary polemicists. Yet, through each of these cases emerges the undeniable truth that unity is essential. The focal point of this visible unity – be it actual, dreamt of or given up on – is communion with the Bishop of Rome.
But few among the faithful have access to historical texts, fewer will explore the writings and edicts of Justinian, the Acts of the Fifth Ecumenical Council, or any other Council. In contrast, the lLiturgy is accessible to everyone, and its most ancient elements testify to the necessity of unity with the Apostolic See and, ultimately, with its occupant – a ‘new Moses,’ the ‘truepatriarch,’ ‘the successor of Peter.’ The liturgical texts we have just read serve as a poignant reminder to us and our Orthodox contemporaries of this enduring truth.
[1]Here and below the texts are taken from: Menaion (February), Day 18, Feast of St. Pope Leo the Great. Translated from Church Slavonic by the author of the article. Source: Минея – М. : Издательский Совет Русской Православной Церкви, 2002-. 12 том. / Минея февраль. – 2002. – 812 с. URL: https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Pravoslavnoe_Bogosluzhenie/mineja-fevral/18#source;
Sticheron 1 fortheVesper psalm Κύριε ἐκέκραξα, (Господи воззвахъ к’тебѣ / “Lord, I Have Cried”, Ps. 140.1)
[2] See, for example: Грацианский М.В. Борьба римского папы Льва Великого за церковное первенство в контексте восточных Соборов и императорской церковной политики // Византийский временник. 2019. Т. 102. С. 46-70. URL: https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Lev_Velikij/borba-rimskogo-papy-lva-velikogo-za-tserkovnoe-pervenstvo-v-kontekste-vostochnyh-soborov-i-imperatorskoj-tserkovnoj-politiki/
[3] Ibid, Sticheron 2.
[4] Pope Leo the Great, Letter 16; Translated by Charles Lett Feltoe. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. URL: http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3604016.htm
[5]Ibid.
[6]See one of the Russian most popular Orthodox portals: Azbyka.ru, URL: https://azbyka.ru/days/sv-kliment-rimskij
[7]Cited from the relevant page at Azbyka.ru: https://azbyka.ru/molitvoslov/kanon-svjashhennomucheniku-klimentu-pape-rimskomu.html
[8]Source: Служба святому Григорію Двоеслову, папѣ Римскому. Составлена вологодскимъ помѣщикомъ Андреемъ Стефановичемъ Петровскимъ. — Рукопись изъ библіотеки святителя Филарета (Дроздова), митрополита Московскаго, 1855. — [10 л.], URL: http://osanna.russportal.ru/index.php?id=liturg_book.menaion_sept_aug.march_m1203
[9] Concilium Constantinopolitanum II. Actio VII // ACO. T. 4. Vol. 1 P. 202 Translated from Russian by the author, cited from: https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Istorija_Tserkvi/5-vselenskij-sobor-i-vysshaja-vlast-v-tserkvi/
[10] Ibid.