were always ready to assert his place above other bishops. Zeno (474–491) was a powerful patron, Leo I (the Emperor, 457–474) had let the Patriarch crown him, and this custom, always followed afterwards, also helped to raise the dignity of the see. Justinian (527–565) put into his Code of Civil Law: "The most blessed Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, shall have the second place after the holy Apostolic See of Old Rome; he shall precede all others."[1] At last John IV, the Faster (Νηστευτής, Jeiunator, 582–595), of Constantinople, thought he could assume the title "Œcumenical Patriarch." It is well known how St. Gregory the Great (590–604) sternly forbade him to use this name, which is not even used by the Pope.[2] "Who doubts," he says, "that the Church of Constantinople is subject to the Apostolic See? Indeed the most pious Lord Emperor and our brother the bishop of that city both eagerly acknowledge this."[3] Again: "I know of no bishop who is not subject to the Apostolic See."[4] It is also known how in opposition to this pompous title he assumed for himself with proud humility the title borne ever since by his successors, "Servant of the Servants of God."[5] Although the Patriarchs of Constantinople, encouraged again by the Emperors, went on using their sounding title till it became, as it still is, their official style, it is noticeable that even Photius never dared call himself Œcumenical Patriarch when writing to the Pope.
Rome, however, did gradually acknowledge Constantinople,
- ↑ Nov. 131, c. 2.
- ↑ Ep. Greg. Magni, v. 18 (M.P.L. Ixxvii. 738), &c.
- ↑ Ibid., ix. 12 (M.P.L. lxxvii. 957).
- ↑ Mansi, x. 155.
- ↑ Joh. Diac. Vita S. Greg. II, i, M.P.L. lxxv. 87. It is not certain what John the Faster meant by the title "Œcumenical Patriarch" (there are instances of its use before his time), perhaps only "Imperial Patriarch." St. Gregory certainly understood it to mean that he claimed to be the only real Patriarch for the whole world, so that all other bishops should be his suffragans or vicars: "If one Patriarch is called universal, the name is taken away from the others" (Ep. v. 18, M.P.L. lxxvii, 740). In this sense he says that no one (not even himself) can be so called. Such has always been the teaching of the Catholic Church. All bishops who are ordinaries have "ordinary" and not "delegate" jurisdiction in their own diocese. The Pope is not Œcumenical Patriarch, and has never called himself so, although in addresses to him the title "universal Pope" has sometimes been used; he is Patriarch of the West. For the whole question see Hergenröther, Photius, I, 184–196; Kattenbusch: Konfessionskunde, I, 112–117.
