Georgian Orthodox Patriarch Fears Possible Schism

Upon returning from his recent visit to Constantinople Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Ghudushauri-Shiolashvili) of the Georgian Orthodox Church expressed reservations about the convening of a general council of the Local Orthodox Churches, saying that he feared holding such a council in the near future could lead to a schism within world Orthodoxy due to the assorted issues between the Orthodox Churches that remain contentious and unresolved. Patriarch Ilia also expressed disagreement with the Ecumenical Patriarchate's recent reinterpretation of the 28th canon of the Council of Chalcedon that would give the Church of Constantinople jurisdiction over Orthodox Christians living outside the canonical territories of the existing Orthodox Churches. More (in Russian) here.

St. Peter of Alexandria

Joyous feast! On this day the calendar of the Coptic Orthodox Church commemorates Pope St. Peter of Alexandria, the 34th occupant of the throne of St. Mark and successor of the last pope to shepherd both the supporters and opponents of the Council of Chalcedon, Pope Theodosius I.

Although St. Justinian exiled Pope Theodosius to Upper Egypt and appointed another pope in his place, the supporters of the Christology of St. Cyril continued to recognize him as pope until his death in 567. At that time the opponents of Chalcedon went to a monastery in what today is el-Zogag and elected St. Peter as Pope of Alexandria.

The Copts' election of a new pope emboldened the Orthodox in Syria, also deprived of their own patriarch, to elect a Patriarch of Antioch supporting the Christology of Sts. Cyril and Severus. Neither Pope St. Peter nor the new Syriac Orthodox patriarch dared to take up residence in their sees, however, due to the persecutions ordered by the East Roman emperor in Constantinople.

Thus it was during St. Peter's papacy that the Orthodox were permanently divided, with the majority of the hierarchs, clergy, and faithful in Upper and Lower Egypt, Nubia, and Ethiopia together with the monks of Scete submitting to his authority.

More on St. Peter's life can be found here. May his blessing and prayers be with us all!

"Theodora"

An interesting survey of the life of St. Theodora, wife of St. Justinian and venerated by the Local Orthodox Churches that accept and reject Chalcedon, can be found here. It has some innaccuracies (for example, the author at one point refers to the controversy over Chalcedon as involving Trinitarian theology, not Christology), but is a good read nonetheless. Enjoy!

Seminarians Visit Teaneck Cathedral

Students from St. Vladimir's Seminary in Crestwood, New York, have visited St. Mark's Cathedral in Teaneck, New Jersey, to learn more about the life of the Syriac Orthodox Church and the state of the Christological dialogue between the Orthodox Churches accepting and rejecting Chalcedon. More here.

Patriarchs Bartholomew and Ignatius Zakka Meet at the Phanar

This past Friday Patriarchs Bartholomew I (Arhondonis) of Constantinople and Ignatius Zakka I (Iwas) of Antioch met together at the Phanar to discuss the latter's visit to Ankara and the state of the dialogue over Chalcedon by the Orthodox Churches. More here.

'Eastern' and 'Oriental' Orthodoxy

An interesting survey by Fr. John Romanides of the issues surrounding the division between the Orthodox Churches accepting and rejecting the Council of Chalcedon centering on the views and roles of Sts. Leo of Rome and Dioscorus of Alexandria can be found here.