Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-11-08

nOthDlc occurrences uuS COHldlueu,
nevertheless, no single circumstance APP |
preaching in Importance or interest the |
determined attempt he is making at |
present to adjust the differences between |
the Greek Church and his own, to the |
end that the former may be unified |
with the latter. After u series of re-
marl1able cxertions, the more extraordi
nary when it is considered that he has |
passed his Saith birthday, the Pope has
succeeded in arranging conference at
the Vatican, relative to q settlement of |
all existing divergences. The confer
ence opened on Wednesday, and will
continue for at least two weeks. Need
less is it to say that the attention Of the
entire religious world has been drawn
to its progress, and should Pope Leo
succeed in accomplishing the object for
which it has been called such u result
will elevate him to position of histori-
cal prominence as the most famous sec
tartan character Of the century.
Assisting at the meeting were Mgr
Stephen Azariap, the Armenian Catholic
Patriarch of Constantinople, who has
submitted an exhaustive report of the
position of the Eastern churches and
their relation to Rome; Mgr. Gregory
Jussef, Melchite, and Mgr. Cecil Ben
ham Benni, Syrian; Cardinal Led
ochowski, Project of the Propaganda,
Eide; Cardinal Langenieux, who di-
rected the Eucharistic Congress at
Jerusalem; Cardinal Persico, who is
citizen of America, and Cardinal Calm
bert, the ex.Nuncio at Vienna. The
pontiff, of course, occupies the chief
position of authority, as president of
the gathering.
Should the Pope prove successful in
his project it will be the first time the
great schism has been closed since the
fourteenth century. In the beginning
the two churches were of one belief,
but during the fourth century the fol-
lowers of the great Nauch drew apart
through the alleged Arian hcresy. 1t
was policy for the line OF emperors that
followed, both at Constantinople and
Rome, to keep the Greek Church di-
vided from the Roman organization,
because by this the rulers were enabled
to control religious matters, as well as
civil ones. Finally, however, in 1880,
Andronicus Ill Palaelogus, Emperor OF
Greece, sent the Abbot Barlaan 10 pro-
pose to Pope Benedict XII that the
churches be united, while their dog
matte differences remained the same.
Benedict declined to entertain such
proposition, and Barlaan, with but his
trouble for his pains, returned to his
royal master.
Additional attempts at reconciliation
were made later, and in the tlme of
John V, Palauiogus,t the Emperor himself
became u Roman Catholic. His example
was not extensively followed, however,
but eventually his successor, John vi,
became reduced to such straits that he
could not see the impossibility of saving
the Byzantine empire without the aid
of western Christians. The Turks had
taken Adrianople, and John vi Palae-
LOCUS lost no time in dispatching 700
wise Greeks to Pope Eugenius ~. The
appropriate number of dignitaries
accompanied them. All were received
graciously by the Pope when they
reached Rome in the spring of 1883.
The Council of Florence, which lasted
in all for three years, followed. After
several long discussions the Greeks
accepted the Latin Technology that the
Holy Ghost passes from Father to Son,
while the Latins allowed the orthodoxy
OF the Greek Technology that the third
person proceeds from Father tn Son,
Both agreed ON the Roman view OF the
progress of souls after death, and it was
decided that the body of Christ could be
truely consecrated by leavened or UNI
, leayened bread. Finally the Greeks
admitted the Pope to be the true vicar
of Christ, the head of the whole church
and father and teacher of all Christians.
/ This was the final and greatest point
aimed at. Once It was accomplished
the signing of the decree of union fol-
lowed without delay. 1t did not &C
! into immediate effect, however, for at
about this time Joseph, Patriarch Of
+, | Constantinople, died, and was soon fol
/, lowed by his successor, Metrophanes
{ These men had been the strongest sup
porters of Catholic unity in the ranks
Of the Greeks, and now Mark of Ephe.
sus, with certain companions, com
menced to intrigue against it. 1t was
not until 1452, as a consequence, tina
!, Cardinal lsidore, n fugitive metropolitan
i of Kew and legate of Pope Nicolas v
succeeded in having the Florentine de
D cree acknowledged and promulgated il
the Church of st. Sophia, at CONSTANT
g nople.
On May Goth, lass, however, the Turk
e took Constantinople, and in 1472 the de
cree of Florence was formally repudi
n ated by a schismatical council at tina
city. The long stretch of years that fol
lows has been broken by but perfume
tory and Intermittent attempts at recon
Citation, the present movement of Lee
8 XIII being practically the first eff
fort that seemed likely to have any sue
IS cess.
The attention of the Pope has Ions
10 been directed toward the subject, anC
his anxiety and interest in the matte
,s have been steadily increased by report
that many of the most prominent o
the Eastern churches earnestly desired
5 to renew their affiliations with thu
Church of Rome, as they felt tina
:, in their separation they were beini
deprived of much of the truth. Ecclesi
Ie astics travelling from Rome into til,
East found this sentiment widely mani
% tested instances of it particularly abound
ing at the Eucharistic Conference o
). Jerusalem. The Pope afterwarl
! evinced his desires in the matter in hi
encyclical letter to the Eastern churches
s When tits understood that the relig
y ious territory aimed at includes Syria
Chaldea, Mesopotamia, Greece, Egypt
Y palestine-in fact, the greater part o
l. Asia, large proportion Of Africa AM
some of Europe as well, the magnitude
'e Of the enterprise can be appreciated.
re The Gear is practically the suprem
head of the Greek Church, though hi
II influence in it, outside Of Russia. is no
d strong.
Alexander long ago established diplp
l. matte relations with the Vatican, ant
n seemed always satisfied that his subject
should make visits to the Holy See. Th