Eastern Orthodox Cacophony in America

On January 22-23 there took place a meeting (technically called a synaxis) of all Eastern Orthodox primates (presiding bishops or patriarchs in different parts of the world). The meeting took place at the Orthodox Center in Chambesy, near Geneva, and was presided over by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who (rather uncomfortably) resides in Constantinople, now called Istanbul. This is the city that was called “the new Rome” after the Emperor Constantine transferred to it the capital of the Roman Empire in 330 CE. Needless to say, Old Rome, now the seat of its bishop become the Pope, was not amused. The two patriarchs, after many years of quarrel about who was to be superior to the other in the universal Church, finally split and excommunicated each other in 1059 CE. They knew how to do things in style in those days: in the midst of the liturgy in the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia, in Constantinople, the Pope’s emissaries deposited the papal decree of excommunication on the high altar. The reciprocal excommunication followed promptly.