Epistle to the Easterns
Encyclopedia
The Epistle to the Easterns is an apostolic letter sent by Pope Pius IX
in 1848 to the bishop
s and clergy
of the Orthodox Churches
not in full Communion
with the Pope
, urging them to resume such Communion.
The Epistle is the first of a series of apostolic letters and encyclical
s published by Pius IX defining the terms and conditions for a reunification between the Roman Church and the Orthodox Churches, after the Great Schism
of 1054. The Pope's attitudes were later confirmed by the First Vatican Council
, over which he presided.
The letter was answered the same year by several leading members of the Orthodox Church, in the Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs
, which restated the theological
controversies between the two Churches, most notably the dispute over the addition of the filioque to the Nicene Creed
, and papal supremacy
.
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
in 1848 to the bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s and clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
of the Orthodox Churches
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
not in full Communion
Communion (Christian)
The term communion is derived from Latin communio . The corresponding term in Greek is κοινωνία, which is often translated as "fellowship". In Christianity, the basic meaning of the term communion is an especially close relationship of Christians, as individuals or as a Church, with God and with...
with the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
, urging them to resume such Communion.
The Epistle is the first of a series of apostolic letters and encyclical
Encyclical
An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Catholic Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop...
s published by Pius IX defining the terms and conditions for a reunification between the Roman Church and the Orthodox Churches, after the Great Schism
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...
of 1054. The Pope's attitudes were later confirmed by the First Vatican Council
First Vatican Council
The First Vatican Council was convoked by Pope Pius IX on 29 June 1868, after a period of planning and preparation that began on 6 December 1864. This twentieth ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church, held three centuries after the Council of Trent, opened on 8 December 1869 and adjourned...
, over which he presided.
The letter was answered the same year by several leading members of the Orthodox Church, in the Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs
Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs
The Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs was a letter sent in May, 1848 by the patriarchs of the Orthodox Church in reply to Pope Pius IX's Epistle to the Easterns...
, which restated the theological
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
controversies between the two Churches, most notably the dispute over the addition of the filioque to the Nicene Creed
Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that is most widely used in Christian liturgy. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the first ecumenical council, which met there in the year 325.The Nicene Creed has been normative to the...
, and papal supremacy
Papal supremacy
Papal supremacy refers to the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church that the pope, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ and as pastor of the entire Christian Church, has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered: that, in brief,...
.
External links
- The encyclicals of Pius IX from papalencyclicals.net
- The Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs, answering the Epistle, from the Orthodox Christian Information Center