Michael I Cerularius

Michael I Cerularius
Michael I Cerularius
Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
	Byzantine
Denomination	Eastern Orthodoxy
Residence	Constantinople

Michael I Cerularius or Keroularios (

Great Schism in 1054.^[1]

Background

Michael Cerularius was born in Constantinople around 1000 AD and joined the Church at a young age.

Schism

Michael quarreled with Pope Leo IX over church practices in which the Roman Church differed from Constantinople, particularly the use of unleavened bread in the Eucharist.^[2] Dissenting opinions were also exchanged over other theological and cultural issues, ranging from the issue of papal supremacy in the Church to the filioque clause and other disagreements between the patriarchates.

In 1054, Pope Leo IX sent a letter to Michael, citing a large portion of the Donation of Constantine believing it genuine.^[3]

"The first pope who used it [the Donation] in an official act and relied upon it, was Leo IX; in a letter of 1054 to Michael Cærularius, Patriarch of Constantinople, he cites the "Donatio" to show that the Holy See possessed both an earthly and a heavenly imperium, the royal priesthood."

Some scholars say that this letter of September 1053, the text of which is available in Migne, Patrologia Latina, vol. 143, coll. 744-769, was never actually despatched, but was set aside, and that the papal reply actually sent was the softer but still harsh letter Scripta tuae of January 1054.^[4]

Leo IX assured Michael that the donation was completely genuine, not a fable or old wives' tale,^{[citation needed]} arguing that only the apostolic successor to Peter possessed primacy in the Church.

This letter of Pope Leo IX, addressed both to Patriarch Michael I and Archbishop

patriarch of Constantinople

. Cerularius would have none of it. It can be argued that in 1054, Michael's letter to Leo IX initiated the events which followed, because it claimed the title "ecumenical patriarch" and addressed Pope Leo as "brother" rather than "father."

Pope Leo IX sent an official delegation on a legatine mission to meet with Michael. Members of the papal delegation were Cardinal

Frederick of Lorraine, and Archbishop Peter of Amalfi. Soon after their arrival in Constantinople, news was received that Pope Leo had died on 19 April. Since the official position and authority of papal legates was dependent upon the pope who authorized them to represent him, the news of Leo's death placed his envoys in an awkward position.^[5]

In spite of this, they decided to proceed with their mission, but even before any religious discussions were held, problems arose regarding some basic formalities and ceremonies. During the initial audience, Cerularius refused to meet with papal envoys in their official capacity and left them waiting with no further audience for months.

During that time, from April to July 1054, Cardinal Humbert and his colleagues continued with their activities in Constantinople, taking part in informal religious discussions on various issues. This was seen as inappropriate by Patriarch Michael. Despite the fact that their legatine authority officially ceased after the pope's death, Cardinal Humbert and his colleagues decided to engage in open dispute with the patriarch. On Saturday, 16 July 1054, they produced a charter of excommunication (lat. charta excommunicationis),^[6] directed against Patriarch Michael, Archbishop Leo, and all of their followers. On the same day, Cardinal Humbert and his colleagues entered the church of the Hagia Sophia during the divine liturgy and placed the charter on the altar.^[5]

Soon after that, the patriarch decided to react. On 20 July 1054, a synod of 21 metropolitans and bishops was held in Constantinople, presided over by Cerularius. The council decided to excommunicate Cardinal Humbert and his colleagues.

anathematized

, and a general reference was made to all who support them - there was no explicit excommunication of the entire Western Christianity, or of the Church of Rome. On Sunday 24 July the conciliar anathema was officially proclaimed in the Hagia Sophia Church.

The events of 1054 caused the

Patriarch Athenagoras following their 1964 meeting in Jerusalem.^[9]

Although the excommunication delivered by Cardinal Humbert was invalid, the 1965 gesture represented a significant step towards restoring communion between Rome and Constantinople.^{[citation needed]}

Byzantine politics

The short reign of the

Michael Psellus notes that while their initial relations had been cordial, once Theodora took the throne, they entered into open conflict, as Michael "was vexed because the Roman Empire was being governed by a woman", and on this topic "he spoke his mind freely".^[10]

The historian suggests that Theodora would have deposed Michael for his open effrontery and sedition, had she lived longer.

Cerularius had a hand in negotiating the abdication of Theodora's successor,

Constantine Doukas. Isaac exiled Michael to Proconnesus in 1058 and, as Michael refused to step down, had Psellus drew up accusations of heresy and treason against him.^[12]

Cerularius died before coming to trial.

References

^ Charanis 1969, p. 209-212.
^ Michael Cærularius – Catholic Encyclopedia article
^ Migne's Patrologia Latina, Vol. 143 (cxliii), Col. 744-769. Also Mansi, Sacrorum Conciliorum Nova Amplissima Collectio, Vol. 19 (xix) Col. 635-656.
^ Charanis 1969, p. 209-210.
^ ^a ^b Charanis 1969, p. 210.
^ Mansi 1774, p. 676-679.
^ Mansi 1774, p. 811-822.
^ Charanis 1969, p. 211.
^ Cairns, Earle E. (13 September 2009) [1954]. Christianity Through the Centuries: A History of the Christian Church (3 ed.). Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Academic (published 2009). p. 499.
ISBN 9780310829300
. Retrieved 13 June 2022. Pope Paul VI met with the Eastern patriarch Athenagoras in Jerusalem in 1964. On December 7, 1965, Paul in Rome and Athenagoras in Constantinople revoked the mutual excommunication of each church by the other in 1054.

^ Psellus, p. 269.
^ Norwich, pg. 332
^ Psellus, p. 315. Editor's n. I. See also Skylitzes, p. 464, note 56.

Sources

ISBN 978-0-299-04834-1
.

Migne's Patrologia Latina, Vol. 143 (cxliii), Leo IX Epistolae Et Decreta .pdf – 1.9 Mb. See Col. 744B-769D (pgs. 76–89) for Leo IX's letter.
Mansi, Joannes Dominicus, ed. (1774). Sacrorum conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio. Vol. 19. Venetia: Antonius Zatta.
Michael Psellus, Fourteen Byzantine Rulers (The Chronographia), E.R.A. Sewter, trans. New York: Penguin, 1966.
Siecienski, Anthony Edward (2010). The Filioque: History of a Doctrinal Controversy. Oxford University Press.
ISBN 978-0-19-537204-5
.

Skylitzes, John (John Wortley, trans. and J-C. Cheynet, notes). Cambridge: University Press, 2010.

Eastern Orthodox Church titles
Preceded by Alexios Stoudites	Patriarch of Constantinople 1043–1058	Succeeded by Constantine III Leichoudes

[FOOTNOTECharanis1969209-212-1] Charanis 1969, p. 209-212.

[2] Michael Cærularius – Catholic Encyclopedia article

[3] Migne's Patrologia Latina, Vol. 143 (cxliii), Col. 744-769. Also Mansi, Sacrorum Conciliorum Nova Amplissima Collectio, Vol. 19 (xix) Col. 635-656.

[FOOTNOTECharanis1969209-210-4] Charanis 1969, p. 209-210.

[FOOTNOTECharanis1969210-5] Charanis 1969, p. 210.

[FOOTNOTEMansi1774676-679-6] Mansi 1774, p. 676-679.

[FOOTNOTEMansi1774811-822-7] Mansi 1774, p. 811-822.

[FOOTNOTECharanis1969211-8] Charanis 1969, p. 211.

[9] Cairns, Earle E. (13 September 2009) [1954]. Christianity Through the Centuries: A History of the Christian Church (3 ed.). Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Academic (published 2009). p. 499.
ISBN 9780310829300
. Retrieved 13 June 2022. Pope Paul VI met with the Eastern patriarch Athenagoras in Jerusalem in 1964. On December 7, 1965, Paul in Rome and Athenagoras in Constantinople revoked the mutual excommunication of each church by the other in 1054.

[10] Psellus, p. 269.

[Norwich,_pg._332-11] Norwich, pg. 332

[12] Psellus, p. 315. Editor's n. I. See also Skylitzes, p. 464, note 56.

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