Second Ecuminical Council

[Pound_Coolish]

"Saint Meletius of Antioch presided over the Second Ecummenical Council even though he was not in communion with Rome, how is that possible if communion with Rome is what unites the Church? "

That’s a question from an Eastern Orthodox acquaintance of mine. It seems a pretty valid one. Why would someone who isn’t Catholic preside over a Catholic preside over a Catholic council? How would such a thing even work? Thanks.

 

[InternetWoman]

It’s not that simple.

First of all Meletius is NOT a Saint. He was given the presidency of the council because he was the ranking Bishop (by importance of the see not the man).

Second to say he was not in communion with Rome is not correct either. There was a time when his description of the Trinity was so vague that both the Orthodox and the Arians claimed it. But that was corrected. When he died (during the Council) he was considered quite orthodox.

If you want the full story go to “NewAdvent.org” and type “Meletius” into the search.

 

[Seraphim73]

It’s not that simple.

First of all Meletius is NOT a Saint. He was given the presidency of the council because he was the ranking Bishop (by importance of the see not the man).

Second to say he was not in communion with Rome is not correct either. There was a time when his description of the Trinity was so vague that both the Orthodox and the Arians claimed it. But that was corrected. When he died (during the Council) he was considered quite orthodox.

If you want the full story go to “NewAdvent.org” and type “Meletius” into the search.

Ok let me correct a few things.

A) He is a saint in both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. Not sure where you get the idea he’s not.

B) The pope and the western bishops supported Paulinus as the Patriarch of Antioch and not St Meletius. That persisted until St Meletius’ death. At the Second Ecumenical Council after St Meletius died the council recognized Flavian as Patriarch of Antioch and not Rome’s choice Paulinus.

C) I will say NewAdvent.org is not a very good source regarding the East.

 

[Pound_Coolish]

It’s not that simple.

First of all Meletius is NOT a Saint. He was given the presidency of the council because he was the ranking Bishop (by importance of the see not the man).

Second to say he was not in communion with Rome is not correct either. There was a time when his description of the Trinity was so vague that both the Orthodox and the Arians claimed it. But that was corrected. When he died (during the Council) he was considered quite orthodox.

If you want the full story go to “NewAdvent.org” and type “Meletius” into the search.

A) He is a saint in both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. Not sure where you get the idea he’s not.

B) The pope and the western bishops supported Paulinus as the Patriarch of Antioch and not St Meletius. That persisted until St Meletius’ death. At the Second Ecumenical Council after St Meletius died the council recognized Flavian as Patriarch of Antioch and not Rome’s choice Paulinus.

C) I will say NewAdvent.org is not a very good source regarding the East.

Thanks Seraphim and Internet Woman.

So, Seraphim, St. Meletius was a Patriarch of Antioch. But, be that as it may, did he indeed head an Ecuminical council? Against, evidently, the wishes of both the Bishops and the Pope? Still lost. How could such a thing happen?

 

[Seraphim73]

Thanks Seraphim and Internet Woman.

So, Seraphim, St. Meletius was a Patriarch of Antioch. But, be that as it may, did he indeed head an Ecuminical council? Against, evidently, the wishes of both the Bishops and the Pope? Still lost. How could such a thing happen?

Yes he definitely chaired the council, that is a historical fact. As to the objections of the pope he wasn’t asked and the bishops supported St Meletius. There were no western bishops or legates in attendance and he had the support of most of the eastern bishops even from the likes of St Basil and St Gregory.

I’m afraid many Catholics have a skewed sense of history. No pope attended any of the Seven Ecumenical Councils. None of them were called by the pope. In the case of the council we are talking about the pope was not even aware of it and in the case of Chalcedon it was called against his expressed wishes. The Fifth Council struck the name of Pope Vigilius from the diptychs thereby excommunicating him. The Sixth Council anathematized Pope Honorius as a heretic. Needless to say the later Catholic practice of the pope calling and chairing every ecumenical council was not the case during the first millennium.