Isidore seems to have deceived himself with the notion that he could simply assume that in what he had done he had carried his Church with him. So enamoured was he of the papal idea, that he seems to have behaved like a pope himself. He appears to have been deluded by the enthusiastic reception that had been accorded him when he first came to Moscow. But then the people were delighted at having a metropolitan of their own after a long interval, during which the Lithuanian metropolitan had been trying to get the upper hand in Russia. Now the case was very different. Without consulting his bishops the metropolitan had surrendered the chief points of dispute between the Eastern and Western Churches. It looked like a betrayal of trust. We are prepared for the sequel.
Isidore is conducting the service at the church of the Assumption on the first occasion after his return. The archdeacon standing by his chair has read the acts of the council of Florence to an astonished congregation. Isidore names the pope in his prayers. Then the Prince Basil cannot contain his indignation. He calls Isidore a traitor to orthodoxy and a false pastor.
The first step is to summon a council of bishops and boyars. They come together as men of one mind. Not a bishop, not a lord will own the pope as vicar of Christ. Every member of the council without exception rejects the Western doctrine of the procession of the Holy Spirit. This means the condemnation of their metropolitan. In spite of his skilful pleading he can make out no case to win a single vote for his side. The issue is the banishment of Isidore to the Choudoff Monastery.
The subsequent story of Isidore is full of adventure. He escaped from his prison and fled to Rome. Thence he was sent to Constantinople to attempt there what he had been unable to effect in his own see. The Greeks were as reluctant as the Russians to submit to the Florentine decision. Isidore was one of the ablest men of the day; but ability counted for little when confronted with age-long orthodoxy. His efforts were brought to an abrupt
