Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1893-12-21
GREEK AND ROMAN CHURCH.
Their Separation. It's Causes and Thei
Present Points OF Difference.

Their Separation, Its Causes and Their
Present Points OF Difference.
The separation of the Greek
from the Roman church took place
in the eleventh century after a long |
struggle since known as the Filioque
controversy. To the article of the
council of Constantinople, which de-
clared that the Holy Ghost proceed
eth from the Father" the western
church added, land the Son." and
the words gradually came to be used
in service. In the ninth century
Pope Leo III was appealed to and
commanded the disuse of the words.
and a second council of Constantine
pie confirmed his decree, and the
matter would. have been allowed to
rest but for the jealousy which ex
listed between Rome and CONSTANT
nople, on account of which the for
mer revived the use of the words.
The Greek church resisted, and in
1858 Pope Leo TX communicated
the patriarch of Constantinople and
all others who refused to accept the
Roman doctrine.
Lie DdtIltICn XulCI1Cl Vel uiailtLo.
hoping to reverse the sentence, in
vited legates from the pope to Con-
stantinople to negotiate for peace.
They came accordingly, but entering
the church of ST. Sophia they repeat
ed the pope's sentence of excommuni-
cation, laid the sentence OF the altar
and returned to Rome. This took
H.. T-,1 re 1nSt frar. xyhiah
time the final separation of the east
and west may be said to date. The
patriarch summoned acouncil and in
his turn pronounced eXcommunica-
ton against the pope, with the sup
port of about a thousand bishops and
other clergy. Attempts were several
times made to effect a reconciliation,
but without success.
The Greek church of the present
day remains in doctrine and ceremo-
NAL almost entirely as it was at its
separation. The chief points of diff
ference from the Roman church are
the omission of the filioque from the
Nicene creed, and the denial of the
papal supremacy. The doctrines OF
| Iuc lIlllltN dIlu III II0 lldl1Oh
and life of Christ are exactly the
same as those of the western church,
and the Greeks follow the Romans
with regard to the belief in purga-
tory and in the seven sacraments.
They hold the Blessed Virgin and the
saints in high reverence and great
importance is attached to the sacred
pictures, or icons, which abound in
their churches, houses and streets.
Beyond the Nicene creed there are
no doctrinal tests. The ceremonial
of the Greek church is more elabor-
ate than that of any other, and the
number of services is remarkable.
Sermons are almost unknown. Three
fold immersion is practiced in bap-
tism, the communion is administered
to infants and in both kinds, and
prayer is made standing. In other
points there is little difference from
the ritual of the Roman church.
The secular priests are obliged to
marry once, but not more than once.
Monasteries and converts are very
numerous, and the monks are under
severe discipline. Many Christians
spend their lives wandering from
one monastery to another in their
pilgrimage and are always hospit-
ably received. The largest and most
famous of these buildings is Troitsa,
which has numbers of churches and
a university within its walls.-Brook-
Ign Eagle.