Three Eastern questions

[mardukm]

That’s not necessarily true. The Ecumenical Patriarch has influence in determining who the legitimate bishop of a see is. But it is definitely not the final say, just as Rome and Alexandria’s preference for Paulinus eventually failed to secure the episcopacy for his lineage (probably because Meletius’ lineage had strong support from the local figures, like St. Basil the Great).

Pope St. Athanasius certainly did not lobby for Paulinus (like St. Basil lobbied for St. Meletius), and Pope St. Damasus certainly did not choose Paulinus against Meletius. Your suggestion that Popes St. Athanasius and St. Damasus were trying to “secure” Paulinus’ line is ahistorical and misleading.

In any case, St. Basil certainly thought Pope St. Damasus had the authority to settle the ecclesiastical problems in Antioch (he certainly appealed to him often enough over the matter).

Blessings,
Marduk

 

[Cavaradossi]

Pope St. Athanasius certainly did not lobby for Paulinus (like St. Basil lobbied for St. Meletius), and Pope St. Damasus certainly did not choose Paulinus against Meletius. Your suggestion that Popes St. Athanasius and St. Damasus were trying to “secure” Paulinus’ line is ahistorical and misleading.

In any case, St. Basil certainly thought Pope St. Damasus had the authority to settle the ecclesiastical problems in Antioch (he certainly appealed to him often enough over the matter).

Blessings,
Marduk

No, St. Basil encouraged Meletius to seek both the bishops of Rome and Alexandria as allies, but there is no indication that Basil believed that Rome had a definitive ability to settle the matter. Bail in fact implied that the opposite was true when Meletius was unable to secure the support of either either, and it seemed that the Paulinist party had secured some form of letter of approval from Rome, prompting St. Basil to write in his Letter 214:But a further rumour has reached me that you are in Antioch, and are transacting the business in hand with the chief authorities. And, besides this, I have heard that the brethren who are of the party of Paulinus are entering on some discussion with your excellency on the subject of union with us; and by “us” I mean those who are supporters of the blessed man of God, Meletius. I hear, moreover, that the Paulinians are carrying about a letter of the Westerns, assigning to them the episcopate of the Church in Antioch, but speaking under a false impression of Meletius, the admirable bishop of the true Church of God. I am not astonished at this. They are totally ignorant of what is going on here; the others, though they might be supposed to know, give an account to them in which party is put before truth; and it is only what one might expect that they should either be ignorant of the truth, or should even endeavour to conceal the reasons which led the blessed Bishop Athanasius to write to Paulinus. But your excellency has on the spot those who are able to tell you accurately what passed between the bishops in the reign of Jovian, and from them I beseech you to get information. I accuse no one; I pray that I may have love to all, and “especially unto them who are of the household of faith;” and therefore I congratulate those who have received the letter from Rome. And, although it is a grand testimony in their favour, I only hope it is true and confirmed by facts. But I shall never be able to persuade myself on these grounds to ignore Meletius, or to forget the Church which is under him, or to treat as small, and of little importance to the true religion, the questions which originated the division. I shall never consent to give in, merely because somebody is very much elated at receiving a letter from men. Even if it had come down from heaven itself, but he does not agree with the sound doctrine of the faith, I cannot look upon him as in communion with the saints.

Notice how not even a genuine letter from Rome, according to Basil, would be able to convince him to abandon Meletius.

 

[Adelabarbara]

I don’t know much about it.Learn much useful knowledge.Thanks.

---

obd2 connector|obd ii codes