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Church History

Council of Florence (1438-1439)

A failed attempt at reunifying Eastern and Western Christianity. Under pressure from the Ottoman threat, the Byzantine Emperor and most Eastern bishops signed a decree of union accepting papal primacy and the Filioque. Only St. Mark of Ephesus refused to sign. The union was rejected by the Orthodox faithful and most Eastern clergy upon returning home.

Sources

  • St. Mark of Ephesus, Speeches at Florence (primary source)
  • Sylvester Syropoulos, Memoirs of the Council of Florence (Orthodox eyewitness)
  • Timothy Ware, The Orthodox Church (Ch. on Florence) archive.org

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