Patriarch Eustathius of Constantinople
Encyclopedia
Eustathius was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1019 to 1025.
Eustathius was the protopresbyter of the imperial palace when he was raised to the Patriarchal throne by the Emperor Basil II
. Eustathius participated in the efforts of the Byzantines in 1024 to come to an accommodation with the Latin Papacy concerning the widening gap between the Western and Eastern churches, which culminated in the Schism of 1054
. At the time of Eustathius, the Papacy claimed dominion over the Christian world, not just primacy, a position which offended Constantinople, the effective spiritual guides of much of the East to include the Russians, Bulgarians and Serbs. Eustathius offered a compromise to Pope John XIX
, suggesting that the Orthodox Patriarch would be ecumenic in its own sphere (in suo orbe) in the East as the Papacy was in the world (in universo). It is assumed this was Eustathius' effort to retain control over the Southern Italian churches. While the offer was rejected, there was an acceptance by John of the practice of the Byzantine Rite
in the south of Italy in exchange for the establishment of Latin Rite churches in Constantinople.
Eustathius was the protopresbyter of the imperial palace when he was raised to the Patriarchal throne by the Emperor Basil II
Basil II
Basil II , known in his time as Basil the Porphyrogenitus and Basil the Young to distinguish him from his ancestor Basil I the Macedonian, was a Byzantine emperor from the Macedonian dynasty who reigned from 10 January 976 to 15 December 1025.The first part of his long reign was dominated...
. Eustathius participated in the efforts of the Byzantines in 1024 to come to an accommodation with the Latin Papacy concerning the widening gap between the Western and Eastern churches, which culminated in the Schism of 1054
East-West Schism
The East–West Schism of 1054, sometimes known as the Great Schism, formally divided the State church of the Roman Empire into Eastern and Western branches, which later became known as the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, respectively...
. At the time of Eustathius, the Papacy claimed dominion over the Christian world, not just primacy, a position which offended Constantinople, the effective spiritual guides of much of the East to include the Russians, Bulgarians and Serbs. Eustathius offered a compromise to Pope John XIX
Pope John XIX
Pope John XIX , born Romanus, was Pope from 1024 to 1032.He succeeded his brother, Pope Benedict VIII , both being members of the powerful house of Tusculum...
, suggesting that the Orthodox Patriarch would be ecumenic in its own sphere (in suo orbe) in the East as the Papacy was in the world (in universo). It is assumed this was Eustathius' effort to retain control over the Southern Italian churches. While the offer was rejected, there was an acceptance by John of the practice of the Byzantine Rite
Byzantine Rite
The Byzantine Rite, sometimes called the Rite of Constantinople or Constantinopolitan Rite is the liturgical rite used currently by all the Eastern Orthodox Churches, by the Greek Catholic Churches , and by the Protestant Ukrainian Lutheran Church...
in the south of Italy in exchange for the establishment of Latin Rite churches in Constantinople.
Sources
- Charles William Previté-Orton, ed.. The Shorter Cambridge Medieval History, Vol. 1. Cambridge: University Press, 1979.
- Steven Runciman. Byzantine Civilisation. London, University Paparback, 1961.
- JM Hussey. The Orthodox Church in the Byzantine Empire. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1986.