Eastern Orthodox Pentarchy and Rome

[Maezck]

Exploring the Eastern Orthodox faith the past few years, I was taught that it was the Patriarchy of the Apostles that existed together in history alongside one another, no elevation of another above the other.

From Orthodoxwiki as a quick reference:

"After the Ascension, the apostles dispersed to preach Christianity to the world. They each founded different patriarchates. Some of the most prominent disciples of Jesus founded the patriarchates that made up the Pentarchy.

Jerusalem – James
Antioch – Peter
Rome – Peter
Alexandria – Mark
Constantinople – Andrew"

And thus… all current Orthodox churches are found under their individual autocephalies. That being said, I was wondering, what does the Roman Church think of the explanation of these other churches? Does Rome say anything about each of Alexandria, Constantinople, Antioch, Jerusalem? What is the history of these other churches, seen through Rome’s eyes? What is their role in the Roman church, if any? How are they perceived? I hope I’m asking this correctly.

Thank you.

 

[Vico]

…

“In the East, under the ecclesiastical imperial system of Justinian (527-565), alongside the four Eastern Patriarchates (Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem), the Pope was included as the Patriarch of the West. Rome, on the other hand, favored the idea of the three Petrine episcopal sees: Rome, Alexandria and Antioch.” – Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Vatican City, Mar 22, 2006

Pope Gregory I, To Eulogius, Bishop. Gregory to Eulogius, Bishop of Alexandria.

Charity, the mother and guardian of all that is good, which binds together in union the hearts of many, regards not as absent him whom it has present in the mind’s eye. Since then, dearest brother, we are held together by the root of charity, neither will bodily absence nor distance of places have power to assert any claim over us, inasmuch as we who are one are surely not far from each other. Now we wish to have always this common charity with the rest of our brethren. Yet there is something that binds us in a certain peculiar way to the Church of Alexandria, and compels us, as it were by a special law, to be the more prone to love it. For, as it is and compels us, as it were by a special law, to be the more prone to love it. For, as it is known to all that the blessed evangelist Mark was sent by Saint Peter the apostle, his master, to Alexandria, so we are bound together in the unity of this master and his disciple , so that I seem to preside over the see of the disciple because of the master, and you over the see of the master because of the disciple.

Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360206060.htm

 

[CRM_Brother]

This is a historical revision. The pentarchy as equals in ecclesiastical authority comes a good deal later in the Orthoodox Church. In the Council of Constantinople (381), the Council holds that the Petrine Sees (Rome, Antioch, and Alexandria) hold primacy while Peter’s vicar in Rome holds Primacy over the three. It was only at the Council of Chalcedon that Constantinople was granted equal privileges with regards to Imperial honor (simply because it was the new imperial capital), but stated that it was subject to the personal authority of the Pope and his ecclesial veto to any decisions made by the Patriarch of Constantinople.

Constantinople – Andrew"

Constantinople as a major city was not founded until 330 AD. Before this it was Byzantium. The legend of Andrew’s foundation of the Patriarchy there only began after the foundation of the new Imperial Capital. There is no evidence of Andrew founding a church here before that time and was simply a bishopric. Some scholars have said that the legend of Andrew’s founding came about to link the new capital of the Empire with the old one spiritually, as Andrew was Peter’s brother.

God Bless,
Br. Ben, CRM

 

[Genesis315]

The “pentarchy” was a later development. Rome received a primacy based on divine ordinance. Alexandria and Antioch were elevated later (see the Council of Nicea) in imitation of Rome and based on their Petrine ties. As a practical matter, Rome governed Europe, Alexandria Africa, and Antioch Asia, with Rome as the final court of appeal.

As early as the First Council of Constantinople, the emperor tried to get the bishop of his city to replace Alexandria as the Eastern primate. This was opposed by Pope St. Damasus, who reiterated the traditional ordering.

“Although all the Catholic churches spread abroad throughout the world comprise but one bridal chamber of Christ, nevertheless, the holy Roman church has been placed at the forefront not by the conciliar decisions of the churches, but has received the primacy by the evangelic voice of our Lord and Savior, Who says: “You are Peter …(Matt 16:18-19).” In addition to this, there is also the companionship of the vessel of election, the most blessed Apostle Paul who, along with Peter in the city of Rome in the time of Caesar Nero, equally consecrated the above-mentioned holy Roman Church to Christ the Lord; and by their own presence and by their venerable triumph, they set it at the forefront over the others of all the cities of the world. The first see, therefore, is that of Peter the Apostle, that of the Roman church, which has neither stain nor blemish, nor anything like that. The second see is that of Alexandria, consecrated on behalf of the blessed Peter by Mark, his disciple and an Evangelist, who was sent to Egypt by the Apostle Peter, where he preached the word of truth and finished his glorious martyrdom. The third see is that of Antioch, which belonged to the most blessed Peter, where first he dwelled before he came to Rome, and where the name “Christians” was first applied, as to a new people.”

This was tried again at Chalcedon, but again, the Roman Pope (St. Leo the Great) vetoed it. However, when Alexandria rejected the definitions of Chalcedon and separated from the Church (leaving only Rome and Antioch), Constantinople filled the void and the Greek Patriarchate of Alexandria was instituted and was essentially a vassal of Constantinople. Jerusalem was also separated from the jurisdiction of Antioch at Chalcedon and fell more under the influence of Constantinople, especially when the emperor later made it a patriarchate. The rise of Islam also significantly weakened Antioch to the point where it became significantly reliant on Constantinople.

So by the time of the schism, Antioch and Alexandria were pretty insignificant compared to Constantinople. Constantinople being associated with St. Andrew was essentially just made up later to give Constantinople an Apostolic lineage (and one tied to Peter, with Andrew being Peter’s older brother, and the first Apostle called by Christ).