Page:Orthodox Eastern Church (Fortescue).djvu/476

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THE ORTHODOX EASTERN CHURCH

strong, as, for instance, during the reaction against Protestantism after poor Lukaris's catastrophe; and in quite modern times it has again come to the fore, especially in Russia. Professor Harnack says: "People who understand Russia know that there is a patriotic Russian party (or, rather, tendency) in the heart of the country, in Moscow, and among the most educated people, that hopes for an awakening of their Church in the direction of the Western Church—that is, of the Roman, not the Evangelical Communion—who work for this, and who see in it the only hope for Russia. This party manifests its ideas in writing, as far as circumstances in Russia allow, and it has already shown that it possesses men of unusual talent, warm love of their country, and undoubted devotion to the Greek Church."[1] It is from this direction, on the one hand, and from the Uniates on the other, that one hopes for the beginning of an understanding. They stretch out from either side and leave no very wide chasm between them. In feeling, sympathy, and attitude of mind there is no great difference between the Latin-favouring Orthodox and the Uniate.

And yet the men who rule the Orthodox Church have no favour for Latins. The latest events show them to be still as hard, arrogant, and bitter as their predecessors who made the schism. In 1894 Pope Leo XIII, in the evening of his long life, looked out across the world from the throne that for so many centuries has stood above all the nations. In his last testament[2] he spoke to us, his own Catholics, and he remembered also the great masses of Christians who have broken away from the old Church. And so he spoke to the Orthodox and Protestants as well. One would think it impossible for any one to read what were almost the last words of so great a Pope without emotion. And nothing could be kinder, more generous, more gracious than what he said to the Orthodox. There is not one harsh word, not the shadow of any blame. The Pope leaves argument about the Filioque to the theologians who are never tired of discussing it. His last message is only of peace and kindness. And so

  1. Reden und Aufsätze, ii. p. 279 (Das Testament Leos XIII).
  2. The encyclical Præclara of June 20, 1894.