Question for Eastern Orthodox

[Eufrosnia]

Hi there,

I was wondering what the Eastern Orthodox perspective of the events around 343 AD involving the excommunication of the Patriarch by Rome and the appeals by both parties to Rome for accepting their case?

I read about this on Catholic.com and it seemed to me like this would indicate that Rome was above the other patriarchates and was the final decider of matters. So I was curious as to how Orthodox saw this event.

Thank you for your answers in advance!

 

[Nine_Two]

I assume you’re talking about the Council of Sardica

First, it was under the authority of a council called by the Emperors, not the Pope or Rome.

Second, the driving force behind the excommunications was St. Athenasius, the Alexandrian Pope.

Third, it was the Arians - who had already been excommunicated under Nicea, but were resurgent, who were excommunicated.

Essentially, the Orthodox view would be that it wasn’t the Bishop of Rome who affected the excommunications, and the man who did the most to champion (and during the life of Emperor Constans, protect) orthodoxy, was himself an Eastern bishop.

 

[neokarny]

the appeals by both parties to Rome

Just FYI, the bishop (in this context the Bishop of Rome, but in the modern context the Bishop of Constantinople) that holds primacy is entitled to hear interchurch appeals, but this does not mean that bishop holds jurisdiction over the church(es) in question.