With the election of a new Pope, I want to use this blog post to talk about the nature of relations between the Orthodox church and I would like to see change.
These two branches of Christianity were once in conflict with one another. Only recently are they attempting to mend ties and create a new consensus between the two churches.
The Byzantine Empire was attempting to maintain its superiority in comparison to other churches in the age. As the empire of Charlemagne was getting stronger, the Byzantines were having more issues with the Latin West and attempted to say they were the only legitimate secular and spiritual power in Europe.
The loss of the Byzantine Papacy continued to weaken the Eastern Roman’s hold on the Catholic West. Charlemagne’s crowning in 800 AD in Rome helped to distinguish the Catholic Church’s independence from the Byzantines.
The Byzantine Empire would continue to drift away from the Catholics until the Great Schism of 1054, which would result in dividing Christianity between the Catholic West and the Orthodox East.
The Byzantine Empire did get a reprieve when Pope Urban II managed to start the crusading movement in Europe. However, they were unable to maintain this positive relationship and I think that it is one of the main reasons why the Empire eventually began to fall in the 12th Century.
The Massacre of the Latins did not help in 1182, and we have to understand that the Catholic West was becoming economically more powerful. Many Italian city states such as Genoa and Venice were taking over the Mediterranean trade system and the Byzantines were too dependent on it.
By 1204 the sacking of Constantinople happened, it is clear the Empire was already on the decline and weakening in relation to Europe.
Orthodox Europe has gone through many trials in the past and the Catholic Church has only recently been able to reconcile with them.
I hope that Pope Leo XIV will continue this and allow for greater unity among Christians.tine Empire generally speaking was attempting to maintain its superiority in comparison to other churches in the age
Byzantine-Empire.com 