By Claire LAGANNE, Sabrina BOULDI, Abderrahman BOUZID
Master research : Religion and Society
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I. Origins of the Uniate Churches
A. In Lithuania: the union of Brest-Litovsk
B. The Uniate Churches in the orient
II. Today’s situation between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church regarding the Uniates.
B. …but issues are still outstanding....
Introduction:
The Uniate churches are so called since they are oriental churches but recognition of the Roman Catholic Church authority. Thus, their rites and practices are having received a different kind subject to the Pope’s decisions.
Uniatism originated really early. In 431, during the Council of Ephesus, three theories were qualified as heresies and became new churches: they are the Nestorian Christians, the Monophysite and the Monothelite churches. Then, during the sixteenth century, some new schisms happened inside these churches and led to more unity with Rome. They are what was thereforth called uniate churches.
There is also the same phenomena in Eastern Europe, but with separation from Orthodox Church, as accrued in Ukraine and Poland. However, it seems that this was more a political decision. The Uniate Church of Ukraine emerged in 1596, with the union of Brest-Litovsk. It was an agreement that united several million Ukrainian and Byelorussian Orthodox Christians living under Polish rule in Lithuania with the Roman Catholic Church.
This union was inspired by the Council of Florence, which began in 1438, and was one year long.
They are among the Orthodox Churches which accept the Catholic faith and the supremacy of the Pope but even if they are in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church, they retain their own liturgy.
In Ukraine the Uniate church was proscribed for many years, but it claimed 4.5 million adherents after its official recognition. Its spiritual leader Cardinal Miroslav Lubachivsky returned to Ukraine after 52 years’ exile in Rome.
I. The Origins of the Uniate churches
A. In Lithuania: the union of Brest-Litovsk
Article 1: Christian Unity Talks Stumble Again
http://www.highbeam.com/library/doc0.asp?DOCID=1G1:63583381&num=6
Source analysis: This article is extracted from the Washington Times, a newspaper created in 1982 in Washington. It was found as an alternative to the Washington Post, by members of the Church of the Unification, knows in France as the Moon Sect. However, it’s important to know that many of the headlines published by this newspaper have been false. 100,000 copies are published each day.
Summary: The origins of the clash regarding the Uniate churches have back to the 16th century, when the shift of empires led Christians using Eastern rites to ally with the papacy. During the 16th century, these churches asked for catholic protection, their own practices were retained, but they recognized the Pope’s authority. In 2000, representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church met in Maryland. However, they did not overcome their differences. Nonetheless in the US their relations have progressed.
French Summary: Les problèmes concernant les églises uniates remontent au 16ème siècle, lorsque la séparation des empires laissa certaines églises d’Orient sans protection. Elles se placèrent sous l’autorité du pape, tout en conservant leurs anciens rites. En 2000, les représentants de l’Eglise orthodoxe russe et ceux du Vatican se réunirent dans un sommet dans le Maryland. Aucune avancé n’est notable, cependant aux Etats-Unis, leurs rapports ont progressé.
Lexicon: thorny: épineux, bishops: évêques, theological split: déchirure théologique.
Article 2: Uniates Seeking Truth
Link: http://www.exorthodoxforchrist.com/uniates_seeking_truth.htm
Source analysis: This article was down loaded from the XOFC( Ex-Orthodox for Christ). XOFC is an activist web site which condemns exclusion and propaganda. To reach that goal it offers articles on these issues. They also present other topics, regarding all the challenging events going on nowadays. However, we do not know who is paying for the site and what their policy is.
Summary: The signature of Union of Brest in 1596 is the fundamental event which is the origin of the Uniate Church of Ukraine. Many orthodox bishops from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania pledged alliance to the Pope in Rome and accepted the jurisdiction of the Holy See. Thus people retained their own liturgy and rites, but they were obedient to Rome.
Until 1839, Uniatism was the faith of the majority of the population in Byelorussia. Then, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was partitioned between Prussia and Austro-Hungary and many territories came under Russian control. Many people decided to reconvert to orthodoxy, but retained the Catholic faith. Some of the clergy were exiled to Siberia.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, a few uniate people were still in Byelorussia.
In Ukraine, the Uniate Churches were abolished in 1839, and then they were persecuted.
French Summary: La signature de l’union de Brest en 1596 est à l’origine de l’Eglise Uniate d’Ukraine. Beaucoup d’évêques orthodoxes du Grand Duché de Lituanie firent alliance avec Rome et prêtèrent serment de fidélité au pape. Ces gens conservaient leur propre liturgie et leurs rites.
Jusqu’en 1839 l’Uniatisme était la foi de la majorité de la population des terres biélorusses. Puis beaucoup de territoires passèrent sous domination russe. De nombreux croyants retournèrent à l’orthodoxie, quelques une se tournèrent vers l’Eglise Catholique. Enfin, des membres du clergé furent envoyés en exil en Sibérie. Après l’effondrement de l’URSS, quelques uniates vivaient encore en Biélorussie. L’uniatisme est toujours un sujet d’intolérance en Russie orthodoxe, qui le considère comme une manœuvre de Rome pour enraciner le catholicisme en terre orthodoxe.
Lexicon : To appoint: nommer, to attempt: essayer, bishops: évêques, to deprive: depraver, to exert: exercer, To be eager to surrender : Être impatient (désirer vivement) de se rendre, fate : sort, handful of adherents : une poignée d’adhérants, impediment : obstacle.
Article 3: The Orthodox Church in Poland
Link: http://info-poland.buffalo.edu/religion/easternrite.html
Source analysis: This article was downloaded from a Polish information web site, at the University of Buffalo. This is an academic web site, which provides access to information about Poland and all the studies regarding Poland in the US.
The author of this article, Peter K. Gessner is the Director of the “Polish Academic Information Center” at New York University, Buffalo. He is also responsible for the Polish Studies program and works as a professor in the department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in the same university.
Summary: During the period of Partitions (1795- 1918) the Tsar of all Russia, implemented policies of Russification in Poland and so supported Orthodoxy. After Poland gained its independency in 1918 its government decided to turn the Orthodox Church into an autocephalous church, so independent from Moscow. That polish is finally what happened in 1925 and still is its status.
The Uniates (the Greek Catholics) are also a representative group in Poland. Before 1596 and the Union of Brest- Litovsk, 40% of Polish-Lituanians were orthodox. With the fall of Constantinople in 1453, religious allegiance became a political issue. The Polish king, who was a Roman Catholic, negotiated with the Orthodox bishops and by the act of Union in 1596 they swore allegiance to Rome and kept their rites, liturgy and practices.
Uniatism was never accepted by the Russian Orthodox Church and first Russia, then the USSR tried to minimize it, but implementing policies of discrimination.
French summary: Pendant la période de Partitions (1795- 1918) le pouvoir russe menait une politique de russification en Pologne et pour cela soutenait l’Orthodoxie. Après que la Pologne eut retrouvé son indépendance en 1918, le gouvernement polonais décida de transformer l’Eglise orthodoxe en une église autocéphale, et donc indépendante de Moscou. Lors de la domination russe, l’Eglise uniate de Pologne était discriminée. En réalité l’apparition de cette Eglise uniate en 1596 a une cause politique. Le roi de Pologne, Catholique, ne souhaitait pas un pouvoir religieux influencé par la Russie. Il signa donc l’acte d’union avec les évêques orthodoxes. Ceux-ci prêtèrent allégeance à Rome tout en conservant leurs rites et leur liturgie. L’uniatisme n’a jamais été accepté par l’orthodoxie russe.
Lexicon : Autocephalous : Indépendant, autocéphale, To expect : s’attendre à quelque chose, Flocks : des ouailles, Formerly : autrefois, henceforth : désormais, outlawed : hors la loi, remain : demeurer, to shrink : diminuer, whereby : par quoi.
B. The Uniate Churches in Orient
Article 4: Eastern Churches
Link: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05230a.htm
Source analysis: The Catholic Encyclopaedia has been edited since 1917 and launched on the web in 1997.
Through its web pages, it offers complete information on the entire cycle of Catholic interests, action and doctrine. The web site proposes a large choice of resources: at least 11000 articles on Catholic topics, letters, speeches and books from the earliest Christians, audio links, and a choosing collection of Catholic websites.
Since it is officially religious oriented, it may be close-minded regarding some issues.
Summary: Christendom has been divided by two cleavages: The Western Churches which were originally dependent on Rome, with Latin traditions, and the Eastern Churches close to Constantinople, under Greek influence.
The Council of Ephesus in 431 led to the first schism in Christian history: the Nestorian Church became an heresy according to the Catholic Church. It was the same problem with the Monophysite and the Monothelite . The reunion with Rome of fractions of every Rite further increased the number of factions.
Moreover, part of the Nestorian community united with Rome during the sixteenth century, becoming the Catholic Chaldean Church.
Today there are about 150,000 nestorians.
The Copts or Monophysities, which after unfruitful attempts at union with Rome by a part of their community in 1442 and 1713 became the Alexandrian Catholic Church in 1781.
The Monophysite Church of Abyssinia, or Ethiopia had many relations with Rome in past times, and Latin missionaries built up a considerable Catholic Abyssinian Church. But repeated persecutions and the banishment of Catholics prevented this community from becoming a permanent one with a regular hierarchy.
The Jacobites are the Monophysites of Syria, following whom the Catholic Syrian Church dates from 1781.
The Malabar Christians in India are one of the many missionary Churches founded by the Nestorians in Asia; they have now veered round to the other extreme and have become Monophysites. In the sixteenth century the Portuguese talked part of this church into uniting with Rome, forming the Uniate Church of Malabar in 1599.
The Armenian Church is in agreement on faith with the Copts and the Jacobites, but it is a completely independent church. This is a national Church in the strictest sense of all: every Armenian belongs to it, and it has no members who are not Armenians. Monophysite Armenians are called Gregorian Armenians. Catholic Armenians represented a high number of the faithful.
The Maronite Church is entirely Catholic. It was formed around monasteries in Lebanon in the fourth century and was separated from the old See of Antioch by the fact that they were Monothelites. They were reunited to the Roman Church in the twelfth century.
The Byzantine Catholics are those who correspond to the Orthodox. They all use the same (Byzantine) rite; but they are not all organized as one body. There are seven groups.
These churches are the representatives of the Catholic Eastern church. They do not have any communion together. They have two points in common: their national feeling and their conservatism, in keeping their old rites, languages and liturgy.
French Summary: La chrétienté est divisée en deux : les Eglises de tradition latine à l’ouest et les Eglises de l’est, plus proches de la théologie grecque. Le concile d’Ephèse en 431 est à l’origine du premier schisme entre l’Eglise catholique romaine et les Eglises nestorienne, monophysite et monothélite. Au 16ème siècle une partie de la communauté nestorienne se réunira à Rome, devenant l’Eglise Chaldéenne.
Les coptes ou monophysites tentèrent plusieurs unions avec Rome en 1442 et 1713 avant de devenir l’Eglise Catholique d’Alexandrie en 1781.
L’Eglise Monophysite d’Abyssinie ou d’Ethiopie aura des relations fréquentes avec Rome, et verra la construction d’une Eglise catholique d’Abyssinie par des missionnaires latins mais n’arrivera pas à mettre en place une structure catholique durable à cause des persécutions constantes contre les fidèles catholiques.
Les chrétiens malabar d’Inde représentent l’une des nombreuses Eglises fondées par les missionnaires nestoriens en Asie. Au 16e siècle, des missionnaires portugais convaincront une partie de cette communauté de s’unir avec Rome.
L’Eglise Arménienne a la même conception de la foi que les coptes et les jacobins mais il n’existe pas de communion avec les autres rites. En effet, elle représente une Eglise nationale dans le sens strict du terme. Les monophysites arméniens sont appelé arméniens grégoriens.
L’Eglise Maronite s’est formée au 4ème au Liban, autour de monastères. Elle s’unit à Rome au 12e siècle.
Lexicon : rather than : plus que, outwardly : au dehors, upheaval : bouleversement, scattered : éparpillé, Christiandom : la Chrétienté, monk : moine, remnant : vestiges, to cling : se cramponner.
II. Today’s situation between Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church regarding the Uniates.
Article 5: Pope Returns Relics to Orthodox Leader; Vatican Move Is Seen as an Attempt to Revive Talks on Unifying Christianity
Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16875-2004Nov27.html
Source analysis: This article comes from the Washington Post, an American newspaper. This newspaper made its first publication over a century ago. It was created in 1877 par Stilson Hutchins. This journalist supported the Democrats. Since their company, the Washington Post Company has been created. The company owns Newsweek and half of the International Herald Tribune. The newspaper gained its complete recognition in 1972, by devolving the Watergate affair. 700,000 copies are published each day.
Summary: The article reports Pope John Paul the Second is decision to return relics to Orthodox leader Bartholomew the first. The bones of Saint John Chrysostom and Saint Gregory Nazianzen were stolen during the Fourth crusade. In 2004 Pope John Paul the Second agreed to returned them to the Orthodox Church. This article presents a brief historical overview regarding the origins of the separation of the Roman Catholic Church and Orthodox Christianity. It also underlines the will of both churches to overcome their differences and oppositions.
French Summary: Cet article rend compte de la décision prise par Jean Paul II de remettre des reliques au patriarche orthodoxe Bartholomé I. Les os de Saint Jean Chrysostome et de saint Grégory Nazianzen furent volés pendant la 4ème croisade. En 2004 le pape accepta de les rendre à l’Eglise orthodoxe. Cet article donne un bref aperçu historique des causes de la séparation de l’Eglise catholique et de l’Eglise d’Orient. Il souligne également la volonté des deux églises de surmonter leurs différences et de rétablir un dialogue.
Lexicon : Pope : pape, Relics: reliques, bones : os, stewardship: intendance, ingérence.
B. …but problems still remain.
Article 6: Ukrainian Catholic leader's move to Kyiv protested by Orthodox
Link: http://www.ukrweekly.com
Source analysis: The Ukrainian weekly is published by the Ukrainian Association Inc., which said to be a not-for-profit organization. Its first publication was in 1933 and it has published continuously ever since. This newspaper was created in order to tell the world about the famine going on in Ukraine, because of Stalin’s policies. Today, this newspaper has subscribers all over the world, and especially in North America
Summary: In Ukraine radical Orthodox Christians refuse Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, primate of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church transfering the residence of the archbishop from Lviv to Kyiv, the capital. They cannot stand the growing importance of the Catholic Church in Orthodox Ukrainian lands. The transfer of the major archbishopric seat hasn’t been accepted since for some people, Kyiv is the holy birth place of Russian orthodoxy.
According to some 2004 studies, the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church numbered 5.5 million faithful in Ukraine.
French summary: En Ukraine les chrétiens orthodoxies radicaux refusent au Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, primat de l’Eglise Catholique Grecque d’Ukraine le droit de transférer l’archevêché de Lviv à Kiev. Ces radicaux ne supportent pas l’importance que prend l’Eglise catholique Uniate en Ukraine, terre de l’Orthodoxie. Le transfert de l’archevêché est d’autant plus refusé que pour certains Kiev est un lieu saint, lieu de la naissance de l’orthodoxie russe. D’après une étude de 2004, l’Eglise Catholique Grecque compte 5,5 millions de fidèles en Ukraine.
Lexicon: To demand: éxiger, for the sake of: pour l’amour de, au nom de, Holy: saint, Birthplace: lieu de naissance.
Article 7: Analysis: Pope John Paul II's upcoming trip to Greece
Link: http://www.highbeam.com
Source analysis: This article is a written transcription of an interview given to the National Public Radio. The National Public Radio (NPR) reaches 25 million Americans each week. It is privately supported and a not-for-profit membership organization.
Summary: Pope John Paul the second went to Greece, a trip which according to what he said, was one of the most delicate trips of his papacy. The tensions between both churches emerged from the arrival of the Pope in Athens, since no orthodox prelates were present.
Even if there are theological divisions between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, the real gap is psychological. The question of the Uniates churches is one of the most important issues. The Orthodox Church feels it is the victim of aggressive proselytism by the Catholics.
French summary: Le pape Jean Paul II s’est rendu en Grèce, l’un des déplacements qu’il considérait comme l’un des plus délicats de sa papauté. Les tensions entre les Eglises catholique et orthodoxe resurgirent dès l’arrivée du pape à Athènes, aucun patriarche orthodoxe n’étant venu l’accueillir. Même si les divisions théologiques entre les deux églises existent, le désaccord le plus important est plus psychologique. La question des églises uniates est l’une des principales difficultés. L’Eglise orthodoxe se présente comme victime du prosélytisme catholique.
Lexicon : To follow : suivre, Trojan horse : Cheval de Troie, archbishop : archevêque.
Article 8: Russian patriarch blasts Catholic proselytizing
Link: http://www.highbeam.com
Source analysis: This article comes from United Press International. UPI was created in 1997 and is owned by News World Communications, which is linked with the Unification Church, known as the Moon Sect in France. UPI gives news in English, Arabic and Spanish.
Summary: Alexiv II, patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church condemned the proselytism of the Catholic Church in Russia and Ukraine. According to him, the Uniate Church of Ukraine tried to talk people into joining it. The patriarch regretted Pope John Paul II had not condemned these actions. The Pope will be allowed to visit Russia as soon as the difficulties are resolved.
French Summary: Alexis II, patriarche de l’Eglise orthodoxe russe a condamné le prosélytisme de l’Eglise catholique en Russie et en Ukraine. Il considère que l’Eglise Uniate d’Ukraine cherche à convaincre les autres croyants de la rejoindre. Le patriarche aurait souhaité que le pape Jean Paul II se montre plus ferme face à ces actes. Le pape pourra visiter la Russie dès que ces difficultés seront surmontées.
Lexicon: Blast : souffle, explosion, Crush : écraser, froisser, roots : racines, origines.
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There are many uniate Churches in the Christianity. However, even if they have different origins, their histories are almost the same. Most of the time, a political issue have influenced the decision to make a religious shift. Then, the problem between the Orthodox Church of Russia and the Uniate church of Ukraine is a question of power ration. This led to the union of Brest-Litovsk, creating the Uniate Church, since the king of Poland wanted to retain his political authority.