Will there be a Eastern-rite Pope this century?

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Could it provide a means to build greater unity between the Catholic and Orthodox churches?
 
An Eastern-rite Pope would be head of the Roman Rite and so bi-ritual, meaning he’ll technically be Latin Rite, which sorta beats the point.

How would electing a Pope from an Eastern background provide a means for greater unity with the Orthodox? I don’t follow. Orthodoxy’s issue with Catholicism isn’t that there has never been an Eastern pope.
 
Krisdun said:
Could it provide a means to build greater unity between the Catholic and Orthodox churches?
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I doubt it. The various Orthodox churches generally have better and closer relations with the Western church as a (predominantly) Latin whole than with their corresponding Eastern Catholic particular churches. I don’t see how an EC pope would necessarily improve anything.
 
@Krisdun, who do you have in mind? Which Eastern-rite cardinal or archbishop is sufficiently well known and well thought of among his western brethren?
 
Could be in 50+ years time not necessarily in the immediate future
 
They don’t select a pope on the basis of his country of origin. They didn’t say “Let’s try a Pole,” or “It’s time we had a German,” or “How about somebody from Argentina?” Each pope was chosen because a majority of the College of Cardinals thought he was the best man for the job.
 
BartholomewB said:
They don’t select a pope on the basis of his country of origin. They didn’t say “Let’s try a Pole,” or “It’s time we had a German,” or “How about somebody from Argentina?” Each pope was chosen because a majority of the College of Cardinals thought he was the best man for the job.
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I think it is naive to ascribe a unity of pure purpose to all the Cardinals. In the past–and no doubt today too–where a Pope is from, which might affect where his political interests lie, was a huge deal–French and Italians especially used to do all they could to get their man in there rather than the other’s. Plus, even with pure, upright intentions, where someone is from–which shapes his experiences–can be an important element of them doing the best job depending on the circumstances.
 
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Krisdun said:
Could it provide a means to build greater unity between the Catholic and Orthodox churches?
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Probably not. Orthodox Church is somewhat opposed to Eastern Catholicism- especially to “Uniatism”. Those who leave Orthodox Church who come into Catholic Church in Orthodox view commit schism and accept Latinization. While currently relations might be better, Orthodoxy used to hate on Eastern Catholicism a lot in past centuries.
Krisdun said:
Could be in 50+ years time not necessarily in the immediate future
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Perhaps but I doubt Eastern Patriarchs would accept Papacy in current situation… and in the end that was never how Eastern Patriarchs worked. Being Pope is not “promotion” for them. And there are not many other Eastern Cardinals outside Eastern Patriarchs. I once thought this might solve the Schism but now I am not too sure.
 
I agree depending on the circumstances and where a candidate is from together with his experiences these can definitely be major factors in selection!
 
On a side note, if you want Eastern Rite Pope there is a somewhat conspiracy-themed solution.
  1. Gather as many Eastern Catholics as you can and make them live in Rome.
  2. Try to get their recognition by Pope so he has to care for them as Bishop of Rome.
  3. Make Latin Catholics… disappear… from Rome.
  4. Wait until people realize Rome is now Eastern Catholic and hence Pope should be Eastern Catholic Bishop.
  5. Profit
But in the end since Patriarchate of Rome was traditionally Western you might need to replace majority of Latin Church with inside Eastern Catholics to actually make this plan valid. Or at least Italy then? I’d ask some Cardinals before proceeding if I were you.
 
OrbisNonSufficit said:
On a side note, if you want Eastern Rite Pope there is a somewhat conspiracy-themed solution.
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So there are such things as “popish plots” :crazy_face: 😂 😆

May I propose a more realistic version?

Simply have the current Pope resign and let Patriarch Bartholomew fulfill his dreams of total domination of the Church. He could be both Pope of Rome and Patriarch of Constantinople, thus uniting in personal union the Latin and Greek Churches. 😆
 
PilgrimMichelangelo said:
Simply have the current Pope resign and let Patriarch Bartholomew fulfill his dreams of total domination of the Church. He could be both Pope of Rome and Patriarch of Constantinople, thus uniting in personal union the Latin and Greek Churches. 😆
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While tempting, that would probably cause majority of Orthodoxy to just view him as leaving Orthodox Church… not to mention Traditional Catholics leaving because electing non-Catholic Pope is invalid…

… though if Pope Francis amended those rules or … infallibly named his successor 😮
PilgrimMichelangelo said:
So there are such things as “popish plots” :crazy_face: 😂
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Oh I base half my imagination on their presence! 😃

It just occurred to me, Bartholomew might be one Eastern Patriarch to whom Papacy would feel like a promotion! 😃
 
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PJPII was half Polish, half Ukrainian and his parents were married in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. “Praised be Jesus Christ!” was his greeting on the balcony when he was elected. In Ukrainian “Slava Isusu Christu!” is “Glory to Jesus Christ!” When it is translated into Latin it’s “Laudetur Iesus Christus!” which is “Praised be Jesus Christ!” So he used the greeting which is common to Byzantine and Ukrainian Greek Catholics his first day as pope. ☺️
 
PilgrimMichelangelo said:
May I propose a more realistic version?

Simply have the current Pope resign and let Patriarch Bartholomew fulfill his dreams of total domination of the Church. He could be both Pope of Rome and Patriarch of Constantinople, thus uniting in personal union the Latin and Greek Churches. 😆
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😱 🤔

Surely you jest! Bartholomew wouldn’t even think of being Pope and Patriarch at the same time.
 
The late Gregorio Pietro XV Agagianian, Patriarch of Cilicia and head of the Eastern Catholic sui iuris Armenian Catholic Church was widely considered papabile in the 1950s and 1960s.
 
Margaret_Ann said:
🤔 I don’t think I’ve heard that one.
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This document is one of the great points of contention that is the groundwork for the Constantinople-Moscow Schism with the powers claimed by HH Patriarch Bartholomew in dispute by the entire Orthodox Church. Because if he has the powers ascribed in the document then he can grant autocephaly to the Ukrainian Church, if no then autocephaly lies with the mother church, the Moscow Patriarchate…
 
PilgrimMichelangelo said:
Because if he has the powers ascribed in the document then he can grant autocephaly to the Ukrainian Church, if no then autocephaly lies with the mother church, the Moscow Patriarchate…
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They probably forgot that Kiev was a thriving metropolis when St. Vladimir accepted the Catholic Faith and was baptized in 988 (66 years before the Great Schism in 1054). Moscow was a little village that no one ever heard of in the 10th century. It wasn’t until the last Byzantine princess married the Grand Duke of Muscovy in the 15th century that Moscow started calling itself the Third Rome.
 
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