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Below are writings of the early Church Fathers of the Eastern
part of the Catholic Church -- all of whom supported the primacy of the
Petrine Ministry.
Jerusalem
St. Cyril of
Jerusalem, Patriarch (363)
Our Lord Jesus
Christ then became a man, but by the many He was not known. But wishing
to teach that which was not known, having assembled the disciples, He
asked, 'Whom do men say that the Son of man is?' ...And all being
silent (for it was beyond man to learn) Peter, the Foremost of the
Apostles, the Chief Herald of the Church, not using the language of his
own finding, nor persuaded by human reasoning, but having his mind
enlightened by the Father, says to Him, 'Thou art the Christ,' not
simply that, but 'the Son of the living God.' (Cyril, Catech. xi. n. 3)
For Peter was there, who carrieth the keys of heaven. (Cyril,
Catechetical Lectures A.D. 350).
Peter, the chief and foremost leader of the Apostles, before a little
maid thrice denied the Lord, but moved to penitence, he wept bitterly.
(Cyril, Catech ii. n. 15)
In the power of the same Holy Spirit, Peter, also the foremost of the
Apostles and the key-bearer of the Kingdom of Heaven, healed Aeneas the
paralytic in the name of Christ. (Cyril, Catech. xviii. n. 27)
St.
Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem (c. 638)
Teaching us all
orthodoxy and destroying all heresy and driving it away from the
God-protected halls of our holy Catholic Church. And together with
these inspired syllables and characters, I accept all his (the pope's)
letters and teachings as proceeding from the mouth of Peter the
Coryphaeus, and I kiss them and salute them and embrace them with all
my soul ... I recognize the latter as definitions of Peter and the
former as those of Mark, and besides, all the heaven-taught teachings
of all the chosen mystagogues of our Catholic Church. (Sophronius,
Mansi, xi. 461)
Transverse quickly all the world from one end to the other until you
come to the Apostolic See (Rome), where are the foundations of the
orthodox doctrine. Make clearly known to the most holy personages of
that throne the questions agitated among us. Cease not to pray and to
beg them until their apostolic and Divine wisdom shall have pronounced
the victorious judgement and destroyed from the foundation ...the new
heresy. (Sophronius, [quoted by Bishop Stephen of Dora to Pope Martin I
at the Lateran Council], Mansi, 893)
Stephen,
Bishop of Dora in Palestine (645)
And for this
cause, sometimes we ask for water to our head and to our eyes a
fountain of tears, sometimes the wings of a dove, according to holy
David, that we might fly away and announce these things to the Chair
(the Chair of Peter at Rome) which rules and presides over all, I mean
to yours, the head and highest, for the healing of the whole wound. For
this it has been accustomed to do from old and from the beginning with
power by its canonical or apostolic authority, because the truly great
Peter, head of the Apostles, was clearly thought worthy not only to be
trusted with the keys of heaven, alone apart from the rest, to open it
worthily to believers, or to close it justly to those who disbelieve
the Gospel of grace, but because he was also commissioned to feed the
sheep of the whole Catholic Church; for 'Peter,' saith He, 'lovest thou
Me? Feed My sheep.' And again, because he had in a manner peculiar and
special, a faith in the Lord stronger than all and unchangeable, to be
converted and to confirm his fellows and spiritual brethren when tossed
about, as having been adorned by God Himself incarnate for us with
power and sacerdotal authority .....And Sophronius of blessed memory,
who was Patriarch of the holy city of Christ our God, and under whom I
was bishop, conferring not with flesh and blood, but caring only for
the things of Christ with respect to your Holiness, hastened to send my
nothingness without delay about this matter alone to this Apostolic
see, where are the foundations of holy doctrine.
Constantinople
St. John
Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople (c. 387)
Peter himself
the Head or Crown of the Apostles, the First in the Church, the Friend
of Christ, who received a revelation, not from man, but from the
Father, as the Lord bears witness to him, saying, 'Blessed art thou,
This very Peter and when I name Peter I name that unbroken Rock, that
firm Foundation, the Great Apostle, First of the disciples, the First
called, and the First who obeyed he was guilty ...even denying the
Lord." (Chrysostom, T. ii. Hom)
Peter, the Leader of the choir of Apostles, the Mouth of the disciples,
the Pillar of the Church, the Buttress of the faith, the Foundation of
the confession, the Fisherman of the universe. (Chrysostom, T. iii
Hom).
Peter, that Leader of the choir, that Mouth of the rest of the
Apostles, that Head of the brotherhood, that one set over the entire
universe, that Foundation of the Church. (Chrys. In illud hoc Scitote)
(Peter), the foundation of the Church, the Coryphaeus of the choir of
the Apostles, the vehement lover of Christ ...he who ran throughout the
whole world, who fished the whole world; this holy Coryphaeus of the
blessed choir; the ardent disciple, who was entrusted with the keys of
heaven, who received the spiritual revelation. Peter, the mouth of all
Apostles, the head of that company, the ruler of the whole world. (De
Eleemos, iii. 4; Hom. de decem mille tal. 3)
In those days Peter rose up in the midst of the disciples (Acts 15),
both as being ardent, and as intrusted by Christ with the flock ...he
first acts with authority in the matter, as having all put into his
hands ; for to him Christ said, 'And thou, being converted, confirm thy
brethren. (Chrysostom, Hom. iii Act Apost. tom. ix.)
He passed over his fall, and appointed him first of the Apostles;
wherefore He said: ' 'Simon, Simon,' etc. (in Ps. cxxix. 2). God
allowed him to fall, because He meant to make him ruler over the whole
world, that, remembering his own fall, he might forgive those who
should slip in the future. And that what I have said is no guess,
listen to Christ Himself saying: 'Simon, Simon, etc.' (Chrys, Hom. quod
frequenter conveniendum sit 5, cf. Hom 73 in Joan 5).
And why, then, passing by the others, does He converse with Peter on
these things? (John 21:15). He was the chosen one of the Apostles, and
the mouth of the disciples, and the leader of the choir. On this
account, Paul also went up on a time to see him rather than the others
(Galatians 1:18). And withal, to show him that he must thenceforward
have confidence, as the denial was done away with, He puts into his
hands the presidency over the brethren. And He brings not forward the
denial, nor reproches him with what had past, but says, 'If you love
me, preside over the brethren ...and the third time He gives him the
same injunction, showing what a price He sets the presidency over His
own sheep. And if one should say, 'How then did James receive the
throne of Jerusalem?,' this I would answer that He appointed this man
(Peter) teacher, not of that throne, but of the whole world.
(Chrysostom, In Joan. Hom. 1xxxviii. n. 1, tom. viii)
St. Proclus,
Patriarch of Constantinople (434):
A disciple of St. John Chrysostom
Peter, the
coryphaeus of the disciples, and the one set over (or chief of) the
Apostles. Art not thou he that didst say, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son
of the living God'? Thou Bar-Jonas (son of the dove) hast thou seen so
many miracles, and art thou still but Simon (a hearer)? He appointed
thee the key-bearer of Heaven, and has though not yet layed aside thy
fisherman's clothing? (Proclus, Or. viii In Dom. Transfig. t. ix.
Galland)
John Cassian,
Monk (c. 430)
That great man,
the disciple of disciples, that master among masters, who wielding the
government of the Roman Church possessed the principle authority in
faith and in priesthood. Tell us, therefore, we beg of you, Peter,
prince of Apostles, tell us how the Churches must believe in God
(Cassian, Contra Nestorium, III, 12, CSEL, vol. 17, p. 276).
St. Nilus of
Constantinople (448)
A disciple of St. John Chrysostom
Peter, Head of
the choir of Apostles. (Nilus, Lib. ii Epistl.)
Peter, who was foremost in the choir of Apostles and always ruled
amongst them. (Nilus, Tract. ad. Magnam.)
Macedonius,
Patriarch of Constantinople (466-516)
Macedonius
declared, when desired by the Emperor Anastasius to condemn the Council
of Chalcedon, that 'such a step without an Ecumenical Synod presided
over by the Pope of Rome is impossible.' (Macedonius, Patr. Graec. 108:
360a (Theophan. Chronogr. pp. 234-346 seq.)
Emperor
Justinian (520-533)
Writing to
the Pope:
Yielding honor to the Apostolic See and to Your Holiness, and honoring
your Holiness, as one ought to honor a father, we have hastened to
subject all the priests of the whole Eastern district, and to unite
them to the See of your Holiness, for we do not allow of any point,
however manifest and indisputable it be, which relates to the state of
the Churches, not being brought to the cognizance of your Holiness,
since you are the Head of all the holy Churches. (Justinian Epist. ad.
Pap. Joan. ii. Cod. Justin. lib. I. tit. 1).
Let your Apostleship show that you have worthily succeeded to the
Apostle Peter, since the Lord will work through you, as Surpreme
Pastor, the salvation of all. (Coll. Avell. Ep. 196, July 9th, 520,
Justinian to Pope Hormisdas).
St. Maximus
the Confessor (c. 650)
A celebrated theologian and a native of
Constantinople
The extremities
of the earth, and everyone in every part of it who purely and rightly
confess the Lord, look directly towards the Most Holy Roman Church and
her confession and faith, as to a sun of unfailing light awaiting from
her the brilliant radiance of the sacred dogmas of our Fathers,
according to that which the inspired and holy Councils have stainlessly
and piously decreed. For, from the descent of the Incarnate Word
amongst us, all the churches in every part of the world have held the
greatest Church alone to be their base and foundation, seeing that,
according to the promise of Christ Our Savior, the gates of hell will
never prevail against her, that she has the keys of the orthodox
confession and right faith in Him, that she opens the true and
exclusive religion to such men as approach with piety, and she shuts up
and locks every heretical mouth which speaks against the Most High.
(Maximus, Opuscula theologica et polemica, Migne, Patr. Graec. vol. 90)
How much more in the case of the clergy and Church of the Romans, which
from old until now presides over all the churches which are under the
sun? Having surely received this canonically, as well as from councils
and the apostles, as from the princes of the latter (Peter and Paul),
and being numbered in their company, she is subject to no writings or
issues in synodical documents, on account of the eminence of her
pontificate .....even as in all these things all are equally subject to
her (the Church of Rome) according to sacerodotal law. And so when,
without fear, but with all holy and becoming confidence, those
ministers (the popes) are of the truly firm and immovable rock, that is
of the most great and Apostolic Church of Rome. (Maximus, in J.B.
Mansi, ed. Amplissima Collectio Conciliorum, vol. 10)
If the Roman See recognizes Pyrrhus to be not only a reprobate but a
heretic, it is certainly plain that everyone who anathematizes those
who have rejected Pyrrhus also anathematizes the See of Rome, that is,
he anathematizes the Catholic Church. I need hardly add that he
excommunicates himself also, if indeed he is in communion with the
Roman See and the Catholic Church of God ...Let him hasten before all
things to satisfy the Roman See, for if it is satisfied, all will agree
in calling him pious and orthodox. For he only speaks in vain who
thinks he ought to pursuade or entrap persons like myself, and does not
satisfy and implore the blessed Pope of the most holy Catholic Church
of the Romans, that is, the Apostolic See, which is from the incarnate
of the Son of God Himself, and also all the holy synods, accodring to
the holy canons and definitions has received universal and surpreme
dominion, authority, and power of binding and loosing over all the holy
churches of God throughout the whole world. (Maximus, Letter to Peter,
in Mansi x, 692).
John VI,
Patriarch of Constantinople (715)
The Pope of
Rome, the head of the Christian priesthood, whom in Peter, the Lord
commanded to confirm his brethren. (John VI, Epist. ad Constantin. Pap.
ad. Combefis, Auctuar. Bibl. P.P. Graec.tom. ii. p. 211, seq.)
St.
Nicephorus, Patriarch of Constantinople (758-828)
Without whom
(the Romans presiding in the seventh Council) a doctrine brought
forward in the Church could not, even though confirmed by canonical
decrees and by ecclesiastical usuage, ever obtain full approval or
currency. For it is they (the Popes of Rome) who have had assigned to
them the rule in sacred things, and who have received into their hands
the dignity of headship among the Apostles. (Nicephorus, Niceph. Cpl.
pro. s. imag. c 25 [Mai N. Bibl. pp. ii. 30]).
St. Theodore
the Studite of Constantinople (759-826)
Writing to
Pope Leo III:
Since to great Peter Christ our Lord gave the office of Chief Shepherd
after entrusting him with the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, to Peter
or his successor must of necessity every novelty in the Catholic Church
be referred. [Therefore], save us, oh most divine Head of Heads, Chief
Shepherd of the Church of Heaven. (Theodore, Bk. I. Ep. 23)
Writing to Pope Paschal:
Hear, O Apostolic Head, divinely-appointed Shepherd of Christ's sheep,
keybearer of the Kingdom of Heaven, Rock of the Faith upon whom the
Catholic Church is built. For Peter art thou, who adornest and
governest the Chair of Peter. Hither, then, from the West, imitator of
Christ, arise and repel not for ever (Ps. xliii. 23). To thee spake
Christ our Lord: 'And thou being one day converted, shalt strengthen
thy brethren.' Behold the hour and the place. Help us, thou that art
set by God for this. Stretch forth thy hand so far as thou canst. Thou
hast strength with God, through being the first of all. (Letter of St.
Theodore and four other Abbots to Pope Paschal, Bk. ii Ep. 12, Patr.
Graec. 99, 1152-3)
Writing to Emperor Michael:
Order that the declaration from old Rome be received, as was the custom
by Tradition of our Fathers from of old and from the beginning. For
this, O Emperor, is the highests of the Churches of God, in which first
Peter held the Chair, to whom the Lord said: Thou art Peter ...and the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Theodore, Bk. II. Ep. 86)
I witness now before God and men, they have torn themselves away from
the Body of Christ, from the Surpreme See (Rome), in which Christ
placed the keys of the Faith, against which the gates of hell (I mean
the mouth of heretics) have not prevailed, and never will until the
Consummation, according to the promise of Him Who cannot lie. Let the
blessed and Apostolic Paschal (Pope St. Paschal I) rejoice therefore,
for he has fulfilled the work of Peter. (Theodore Bk. II. Ep. 63).
In truth we have seen that a manifest successor of the prince of the
Apostles presides over the Roman Church. We truly believe that Christ
has not deserted the Church here (Constantinople), for assistance from
you has been our one and only aid from of old and from the beginning by
the providence of God in the critical times. You are, indeed the
untroubled and pure fount of orthodoxy from the beginning, you the calm
harbor of the whole Church, far removed from the waves of heresy, you
the God-chosen city of refuge. (Letter of St. Theodor and Four Abbots
to Pope Paschal).
Let him (Patriarch Nicephorus of Constantinople) assemble a synod of
those with whom he has been at variance, if it is impossible that
representatives of the other Patriarchs should be present, a thing
which might certainly be if the Emperor should wish the Western
Patriarch (the Roman Pope) to be present, to whom is given authority
over an ecumenical synod; but let him make peace and union by sending
his synodical letters to the prelate of the First See. (Theodore the
Studite, Patr. Graec. 99, 1420)
Alexandria
St. Peter,
Bishop of Alexandria (306-311)
Head of the catechetical school in Alexandria, he
became bishop around A.D. 300, reigning for about eleven years, and
dying a martyr's death.
Peter, set above
the Apostles. (Peter of Alexandria, Canon. ix, Galland, iv. p. 98)
St. Anthony
of Egypt (330)
Peter, the
Prince of the Apostles (Anthony, Epist. xvii. Galland, iv p. 687)
St.
Athanasius (362)
Rome is called
the Apostolic throne. (Athanasius, Hist. Arian, ad Monach. n. 35)
The Chief, Peter. (Athan, In Ps. xv. 8, tom. iii. p. 106, Migne)
St. Macarius
of Egypt (371)
The Chief,
Peter. (Macarius, De Patientia, n. 3, p. 180)
Moses was succeeded by Peter, who had committed to his hands the new
Church of Christ, and the true priesthood. (Macarius, Hom. xxvi. n. 23,
p. 101)
St. Cyril of
Alexandria (c. 424)
He suffers him
no longer to be called Simon, exercising authority and rule over him
already having become His own. By a title suitable to the thing, He
changed his name into Peter, from the word 'petra' (rock); for on him
He was afterwards to found His Church. (Cyril, T. iv. Comm. in Joan.,
p. 131)
He (Christ) promises to found the Church, assigning immovableness to
it, as He is the Lord of strength, and over this He sets Peter as
shepherd. (Cyril, Comm. on Matt., ad loc.)
Therefore, when the Lord had hinted at the disciple's denial in the
words that He used, 'I have prayed for thee that thy faith not fail,'
He at once introduced a word of consolation, and said (to Peter): 'And
do thou, when once thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.' That
is, 'Be thou a support and a teacher of those who through faith come to
me.' Again, marvel also at the insight of that saying and at the
completeness of the Divine gentleness of spirit. For so that He should
not reduce the disciple to despair at the thought that after his denial
he would have to be debarred from the glorious distinction of being an
Apostle, He fills him with good hope, that he will attain the good
things promised. ...O loving kindness! The sin was not yet committed,
and He already extends His pardon and sets him (Peter) again in his
Apostolic office. (Cyril Comm. on Luke's Gospel)
For the wonderous Peter, overcome by uncontrollable fear, denied the
Lord three times. Christ heals the error done, and demands in various
ways the threefold confession ... For although all the holy disciples
fled, ...still Peter's fault in the threefold denial was in addition,
special and peculiar to himself. Therefore, by the threefold confession
of blessed Peter, the fault of the triple denial was done away.
Further, by the Lord's saying, Feed my lambs, we must understand a
renewal as it were of the Apostleship already given to him, washing
away the intervening disgrace of his fall, and the littleness of human
infirmity. (Cyril, Comm. on John's Gospel).
They (the Apostles) strove to learn through one, that preeminent one,
Peter. (Cyril, Ib. 1. ix. p. 736).
And even blessed Peter, though set over the holy disciples, says 'Lord,
be it far from Thee, this shall be done to Thee. (Cyril, Ibid. 924).
If Peter himself, that prince of the holy disciples, was, upon an
occassion, scandalized, so as suddenly to exclaim, 'Lord, be it far
from Thee,' what wonder that the tender mind of woman should be carried
away? (Cyril, Ibid, p. 1064)
That the Spirit is God we shall also learn hence. That the prince of
the Apostles, to whom 'flesh and blood,' as the Savior says, 'did not
reveal' the Divine mystery, says to Ananias, 'Why hath Satan tempted
thy heart, (Cyril, T. v. Par. 1. Thesaur. p. 340)
Besides all these, let there come forward that leader of the holy
disciples, Peter, who, when the Lord, on a certain occassion, asked
him, 'Whom do men say that the Son of man is?' instantly cried out,
'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.' (Cyril, T. v. P.2,
Hom. viii. De Fest. Pasch. p. 105)
'If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part with me.' When the
Coryphaeus (Peter) had heard these words, he began to change. (Cyril,
Ib. Hom.)
This bold man (Julian), besides all this, cavils at Peter, the chosen
one of the holy Apostles. (Cyril, T. vi.l. ix. Contr. Julian. p. 325).
Eulogius of
Alexandria (581)
Born in Syria, he became the abbot of the Mother of God
monastery at Antioch. In 579, he was made Patriarch of Alexandria; and
became an associate of St. Gregory the Great while visiting
Constantinople. Much of their subsequent correspondence is still
extant.
Neither to John,
nor to any other of the disciples, did our Savior say, 'I will give to
thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven,' but only to Peter. (Eulogius,
Lib. ii. Cont. Novatian. ap. Photium, Biblioth, cod. 280)
Antioch
Theodoret,
Bishop of Cyrus in Syria (450)
A native of Antioch, Theodoret ruled under the Antiochean
Patriarch.
The great
foundation of the Church was shaken, and confirmed by the Divine grace.
And the Lord commanded him to apply that same care to the brethren.
'And thou,' He says, 'converted, confirm thy brethren.' (Theodoret,
Tom. iv. Haeret. Fab. lib. v.c. 28)
'For as I,' He says, 'did not despise thee when tossed, so be thou a
support to thy brethren in trouble, and the help by which thou was
saved do thou thyself impart to others, and exhort them not while they
are tottering, but raise them up in their peril. For this reason I
suffer thee also to slip, but do not permit thee to fall, thus through
thee gaining steadfastness for those who are tossed.' So this great
pillar supported the tossing and sinking world, and permitted it not to
fall entirely and gave it back stability, having been ordered to feed
God's sheep. (Theodoret, Oratio de Caritate in J. P. Minge, ed.,
Partrologiae Curses Completus: Series Graeca).
I therefore beseech your holiness to persuade the most holy and blessed
bishop (Pope Leo) to use his Apostolic power, and to order me to hasten
to your Council. For that most holy throne (Rome) has the sovereignty
over the churches throughout the universe on many grounds. (Theodoret,
Tom. iv. Epist. cxvi. Renato, p. 1197).
If Paul, the herald of the truth, the trumpet of the Holy Spirit,
hastened to the great Peter, to convey from him the solution to those
in Antioch, who were at issue about living under the law, how much more
do we, poor and humble, run to the Apostolic Throne (Rome) to receive
from you (Pope Leo) healing for wounds of the the Churches. For it
pertains to you to have primacy in all things; for your throne is
adorned with many prerogatives. (Theodoret Ibid, Epistle Leoni)
Cyprus
St.
Epiphanius, Archbishop of Salamis (385)
Holy men are
therefore called the temple of God, because the Holy Spirit dwells in
them; as that Chief of the Apostles testifies, he that was found to be
blessed by the Lord, because the Father had revealed unto him. To him
then did the Father reveal His true Son; and the same (Peter)
furthermore reveals the Holy Spirit. This was befitting in the First of
the Apostles, that firm Rock upon which the Church of God is built, and
the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The gates of hell are
heretics and heresiarchs. For in every way was the faith confirmed in
him who received the keys of heaven; who looses on earth and binds in
heaven. For in him are found all subtle questions of faith. He was
aided by the Father so as to be (or lay) the Foundation of the security
(firmness) of the faith. He (Peter) heard from the same God, 'feed my
lambs'; to him He entrusted the flock; he leads the way admirably in
the power of his own Master. (Epiphanius, T. ii. in Anchor).
Sergius,
Metropolitain of Cyprus (649)
Writing to
Pope Theodore:
O Holy Head, Christ our God hath destined thy Apostolic See to be an
immovable foundation and a pillar of the Faith. For thou art, as the
Divine Word truly saith, Peter, and on thee as a foundation-stone have
the pillars of the Church been fixed. (Sergius Ep. ad Theod. lecta in
Sess. ii. Concil. Lat. anno 649)
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