(East and West in the Work of Photios the Great Patriarch of Constantinople)

Abstract: The unstable circumstances in Byzantium due to the differences between the ecclesiastical and political powers and the immediate ordination and election of Photios to the throne of Patriarch of Constantinople, gave the pope of Rome Nicholas I the chance to make claims over ecclesiastical issues. His non‑canonical interventions, the missions imposing Latin customs and language in services, with the patriarchate of Constantinople in Bulgaria and Moravia at the same time, along with the doctrine of “filioque” led Photios to call the Synod of Constantinople (879 – 880), thus putting an end to the pretensions of the popes and preventing the imminent schism between East and West. The deeper causes that led to the increasing dissension between East and West and finally to the schism in 1054 are analyzed in the survey by means of the source material found in the work of Photios.

Authors: Lamprou, Soultana D.

DOI: 10.17846/CL.2016.9.1.11-28

Publication order reference: Soultana D. Lamprou ThDr.; Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Faculty of Theology, Department of Holy Scripture and Patristics, Faculty of Theology – School of Pastoral and Social Theology, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Source: Konštatínove listy, 2016, vol. 9, number: 1, pages: 11-28 (PDF file)

Key words: PHOTIOS, IGNATIOS, NICHOLAS Ι, JOHN VIII, SYNOD OF CONSTANTINOPLE, MISSION, BULGARIA, MORAVIA, CYRIL, METHODIUS, FILIOQUE, PAPAL SUPREMACY, SCHISM

Language: GREEK