Patriarch Vartholomeos Makes History Attends Pope's Installation (VIDEO)

His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos flew to Italy at the weekend in order to attend the Pope Francis' installation Mass on Tuesday. This is the first time an Ecumenical Patriarch has attended a papal investiture since the two branches of Christianity split nearly more than 1,000 years ago.

Before heading to the Vatican, Vartholomeos was quoted by the private NTV television as saying in an interview in Costantinopole that he was going to attend the installation Mass to underscore the importance he attaches to "friendly ties" between both churches.

    "It is a gesture to underline relations which have been developing over the recent years and to express my wish that our friendly ties flourish even more during this new era.
   Even before the churches were divided in 1054, a patriarch from Istanbul did not attend the inauguration."
  From the first day, (Pope Francis) has won over hearts with his modest demeanor... I felt the wish to go and I am going willingly."

Vartholomeos has made several previous visits to the Vatican, including attending the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005. Vartholomeos also hosted Benedict during a 2006 visit to Istanbul, the sprawling city formerly called Constantinople and the ancient spiritual center of the Orthodox churches.

According to Wikipedia - The East–West Schism, sometimes known as the Great Schism, is the medieval division of Chalcedonian Christianity into Eastern (Greek) and Western (Latin) branches, which later became commonly known as the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church respectively.

Relations between East and West had long been embittered by ecclesiastical differences and theological disputes. Prominent among these were the issues of the source of the Holy Spirit ("filioque"), whether leavened or unleavened bread should be used in the Eucharist, the Pope's claim to universal jurisdiction, and the place of Constantinople in relation to the Pentarchy.

In 1053, the first step was taken in the process which led to formal schism. Back then, Patriarch of Constantinople Michael Cerularius ordered the closure of all Latin churches in Constantinople. According to the historian John Bagnell Bury, Cerularius' purpose in closing the Latin churches was "to cut short any attempt at conciliation".

In 1054, the Papal legate traveled to Constantinople for purposes that included refusing to Cerularius the title of "Ecumenical Patriarch" and insisting that he recognize Rome's claim to be the head and mother of the churches. On the refusal of Cerularius to accept the demand, the leader of the legation, Cardinal Humbert, excommunicated him, and in return Cerularius excommunicated Cardinal Humbert and the other legates. This was only the first act in a centuries-long process that eventually became a complete schism.

Although Catholics and Orthodox remain estranged on key issues - including married clergy and the centralized power of the Vatican - there have been significant moves toward closer interactions and understanding.