Mark of Ephesus
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Mark of Ephesus (Eugenikos), in Greek Μάρκος Ευγένικος, a 15th century bishop of Ephesus, is famous for his defense of Eastern Orthodoxy at the Council of Florence (1438-1445 A.D.) in spite of Byzantine Emperor John VIII Palaeologus and Pope Eugene IV. He held Rome to be in schism and heresy for its acceptance of the Filioque clause added to the Nicene Creed and for the claims of the papacy to universal jurisdiction over the Church, and was thus the only Eastern bishop to refuse to sign the decrees of the council.
He died peacefully in the year 1444 A.D. On his death bed, Mark implored George Scholarios, his former pupil, who later became Patriarch Gennadius of Constantinople, to be careful of the snares of the West and to defend Orthodoxy.
Opinions on Mark are divided. The Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches considers him a saint, while the Roman Catholic Church does not. Indeed, his obstinacy was pointed out by historians - Catholic and Orthodox alike, such as Fr. Joseph Gill and Deno Geanokoplos. The most comical incident, recorded by Sylvester Syropoulos, has Scholarios, Bessarion and Isidore of Kiev remonstrating with him that certain points of Latin doctrine, notably the Procession of the Holy Spirit, were confirmed by the writings of the Church Fathers; he merely replied that these had to have been forged, since the Holy Spirit (evidently, of course) did not proceed from the Son.
For his efforts at the Council of Florence and his defense against the addition of the Filioque, the Orthodox Church considers him a saint, calling him a Pillar of Orthodoxy. His feast day is January 19.
[edit] Quotes
- "It is impossible to recall peace without dissolving the cause of the schism—the primacy of the Pope exalting himself equal to God." [1]
- "Bishop Paschasinus, guardian of the Apostolic See, stood in the midst [of the Council Fathers] and said, ‘We received directions at the hands of the most blessed and apostolic bishop of the Roman city [Pope Leo I], who is the head of all the churches, which directions say that Dioscorus is not to be allowed to sit in the [present] assembly, but that if he should attempt to take his seat, he is to be cast out. This instruction we must carry out" (Acts of the Council, session 1 Council of Chalcedon, A.D. 451).
- "The Latins are not only schismatics but heretics... we did not separate from them for any other reason other than the fact that they are heretics. This is precisely why we must not unite with them unless they dismiss the addition from the Creed filioque and confess the Creed as we do." [2]
- "Our Head, Christ our God... does not tolerate that the bond of love be taken from us entirely." [3]
- "We seek and we pray for our return to that time when, being united, we spoke the same things and there was no schism between us." [4]
