COUNCIL OF FLORENCE.
On this head of the primacy of the Roman Bishop, the Council of Trent issued no decree; but, because in the general Council of Florence, convened in 1439, in order to unite the Greek and Latin Churches, the point had been fully decided, I shall here insert the decree over, we define that the Holy Apostolic See, and the Roman Bishop, has the primacy over all the earth ; and that he is the successor of the blessed Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, the true Vicar of Christ, the Head of the whole Church, and the Father and Teacher of all Christians; and that to him, in the person of the blessed Peter, was committed by our Lord Jesus Christ the full power of feeding, directing, and governing the universal Church, in such manner as it is contained in the Acts of General Councils, and in the Holy Canons.” Definitio. S. Ecumen. Synod. Florent. Conc. Gen. T. xiii. p. 515.
PROPOSITION. XIII.[1]
The Bishops of Rome have ever been acknowledged, from the earliest ages of Christianity, as the supreme Rulers on earth of the whole Church of Christ; and have exercised an acknowledged Primacy of Spiritual Jurisdiction, as of Divine Right, over all other particular Christian Churches.
- ↑ This Proposition, and the following proofs, are taken from Dr. Poynter's “ Christianity, or the Evidences and Characters of the Christian Religion."
