Dear NorthernPines,
I can understand what u mean and I often wonder the same thing. Actually I think of them both being "two patriarchs on the same See". Recently, the declaration of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III show how his interpretation of the nature of Christ is fully in line with that of st. Cyril of Alexandria - and since I esteem this great saint, I judge him to be fully Orthodox. Many of his predecessors abused of st Cyril's words, but Shenouda shows to be a greater pastor for his flock. In other words, he is just a good non-canonical Orthodox leader- as there are many even among the Chalcedonian Churches. If one day His Holiness would decide to bring his Patriarchate back to full communion with us, I'd be the first one to acknowledge him as the true and only Pope of Alexandria. Actually the Orthodox Patriarch serves more as a "vicar" of the legitimate Pope of Alexandria until the future reconciliation, which I highly pray for.
As for Constantinople - your also right. That Church has fallen multiple times into heresy. Even the attitude of the actual Patriarch Bartholomew sometimes seems to be too much "open" to a destructive ecumenism, which i completely reject. To tell the truth, I rather prefer the See of Moscow the Third Rome, both for the choice to reject ecumenism (this could be seen even at the Council of Ferrara and Firenze) but also for the preservation of the traditional Old Calendar, which I praise for its beauty and harmony - indeed a fruit of the Holy Spirit!
The truth is one: The church of God has only one Head, Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Each bishop (be he just an ordinary bishop, or an archbishop or metropolitan, or even a patriarch) is responsible for his own actions; each bishop (as st Ignatius of Antioch affirms) is a living icon of Christ in the diocese... but even icons can be corrupted by time and mis-care... The Church is made primarily of men who are called to co-operate with God to be the New Kingdom. They can fall at any time, but the Church will never follow in heresy since the beloved of God can recognize a good shepherd and an evil shepherd. The same Council of Florence, originally held by the hierarchy, proved to be fake thanks to its denial by the laymen, the people of God, His anointed priesthood!
Posted on: Today at 11:08:57 AMPosted by: Dan-Romania
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First restore orthodox to orthodoxy , and Amen Amen . Do you think that would ever happen ?
I'm sure there will be a last true "Peter" in Rome who will give the keys of Hell back to Jesus... and he will not try to have them by divine right, but he will consider them as a temporary gift. He will acknowledge how his predecessors made evil things, abusing the power they had been given, and he'll drop the keys voluntarily, finding himself unworthy of such a gift, and thus meriting them more then all the other Popes in history!
I can't deny it: I fell Orthodox, but still am fond of the Latin Church. I love the great saints it has produced (especially st Ambrose) and even some post-schism Roman saints such as Francis of Assisi, a true "fool in Christ"... and even a great Pope as John XXIII, who was born some 7-8 km from my home.
I'm definitely sure God will restore the Patriarchate of the West in its original form before the Last Judgment comes.
Now, maybe we'd better get back to the original thread, don't you think?
In Christ, Alex