The Orthodox express their faith by the Creeds, the decisions of the first seven general councils, and also by certain Confessions drawn up by Gennadios II of Constantinople, Peter Mogïlas of Kiev, Dositheos of Jerusalem (the Synod of Jerusalem), and Metrophanes Kritopulos of Alexandria; though this last one has less authority. They believe their Communion to be the only true Church of Christ, and entirely reject the Pope's universal supremacy. They say that the Holy Ghost proceeds from God the Father alone, and are indignant that we add the word Filioque to the Creed. About Transubstantiation there is no real difference, but they believe that that change takes place, not when the words of institution are said, but at the Invocation of the Holy Ghost (Epiklesis) which follows them in their liturgy. They deny Purgatory, but believe in what comes to the same thing, though they specially reject the idea of a cleansing fire; and since the Pope has defined our Lady's Immaculate Conception they deny this too. In spite of their boast of unchanging antiquity, their theology, rites, and Canon Law represent, not the first ages but a comparatively advanced development, that of the Byzantine Period. And they stay there, satisfying neither the need of continuous development that is the mark of a living Church, nor the rival ideal of unchanged primitive observance.
