our Church and her office as the one and only heir of Christ, and the only ark of salvation left to men by God's grace." They are also friendly to the Old Catholics, and have already established commissions to examine the faith of both these bodies. As for the Calendar, His Imperial Majesty the Czar is already considering the question. The whole tone of the letter, as one might have expected, is that the Church of Russia alone is quite competent to do whatever is wanted. The See of Constantinople has always been rather a hindrance and source of trouble than a help.[1] So far then Lord Joachim III has shown himself a wise and admirable Patriarch. Alas! he has one fault, and that is an unpardonable one. He has already reigned five years, and the rival parties think it is quite time for him to retire, so as to give their favourites another chance. Already the opposition to him in his synod has declared itself. In January, 1905, there was a scene. Lord Prokopios of Durazzo led the anti-Joachimite side, and in a long speech attacked a number of the Patriarch's actions. "Holy man of Durazzo," said Joachim angrily, "thou hast learnt thy lesson well. These are the plots brewed in the conventicles of the holy man of Ephesus." "All holy one," said Joachim of Ephesus, "there are no conventicles held in my house." Then he, too, made a list of accusations, and eight metropolitans ranged themselves on his side. The Patriarch tried the old and always hopeless expedient of forbidding Prokopios to attend the meetings of the synod. That only brought matters to a climax. The eight members at once deposed Joachim and telegraphed the news to Petersburg, Bucharest, Athens, Belgrade, &c. Then, as usual, both sides appealed to the Sultan. Abdulhamid once more had the exquisite pleasure of lecturing them all on charity and concord. "Patriarch Effendi," says he, "you are breaking the laws of the Church. You have no right to exclude Prokopios, and you must make it up with the eight metropolitans." Then he sent for the eight. "My metropolitans, what right have you to depose the Patriarch? It is not right. You must make it up with Lord Joachim." He further hinted that if the precepts of
- ↑ The texts of these letters are in the E. d'Or. vii. pp. 91–99.
