However, in the time of the Eighth General Council – the Fourth General Council of Constantinople – the line between popes, antipopes, bishops and antibishops would become very unclear. And in a move that would stun even historians of today who only found out the final details of this Council around 1934 A.D. due to the unearthing of some lost documents within the Vatican Archives, it is also perhaps the most truly profound story of arch-rivals and enemies within the church achieving complete reconciliation within their lifetime AND through this Fourth General Council of Constantinople.
Photius and Ignatius, the Prime Personalities in the Fourth General Council of Constantinople
In a move that stunned Christendom, Ignatius, the rightful Patriarch of Constantinople was usurped in authority by a certain Photius. Many shenanigans ensued within the emperor's household including murders and take-overs of the throne, and when Ignatius refused communion to these members of the royal family he was arrested, deported, dethroned and instituted at a monastery by Michael I and replaced by the emperor’s choice.
But Photius was a troublemaker throughout his reign. For nine years, he reigned undisturbed although the Archbishop and the Roman See refused to recognize or acknowledge him. As a result, Photius, because of his unusual relationship with the emperor, made the bold move of actually excommunicating the Pope.
A very complicated history ensues wherein Photius and Ignatius are at odds for years, going back and forth between who is the rightful Patriarch of Constantinople. All the while, Photius calls a ‘Council’ himself to excommunicate the pope and seals his fate.
The Fourth General Council of Constantinople Convenes to Reinstate Ignatius
The irony was that Nicholas I, the pope that Photius had excommunicated as has farcical Council never knew how far Photius had taken it. Having been sick during the summer of 867 A.D., Nicholas I died before the pronouncement reached Rome. But you can bet his successor, Adrian II, called the Fourth General Council of Constantinople wherein the contents of this farcical Council were deemed to be burned.
The second matter of affairs was to insist that Ignatius be restored to his form Patriarchy and Photius was to be excommunicated. All bishops and priests ordained under his rule were to be excommunicated unless they signed a document indicating their loyalty to the teachings of the previous Councils of the Church. All Churches which had been blessed by Photius would be reconsecrated by legitimate bishops of the church.
The final business of the Fourth General Council of Constantinople consisted of shaping 27 canons which would hopefully preserve and protect the papacy and the line of the teaching of the church forever. Among the 27 canons were included those that disallowed emperors to choose bishops and a very select process was laid out which would be required of all men to be ordained. This would protect against these random laypeople who were being chosen by emperors to do their bidding in the church.
Photius and any of his remaining followers, if they repented, would be allowed to receive holy communion but never retain any status other than a layperson in the church.
Everything Photius had ever written was to be burned and the teachings of the previous councils were upheld.
The Unheard of Upheaval which Led to the Reconciliation of Bishops
Pope Adrian II died in 872 and was succeeded by John VIII who tried to contact Ignatius but heard no reply for quite some time. He later found, after dispatching papal legates to find him, that Ignatius had been dead for more than a year. Shockingly, they learned that Photius had taken his position as Patriarch of Constantinople and had reconciled completely with Ignatius before his death and they had been collaborating wholeheartedly to fulfill the teachings of the General Council – together.
Completely taken aback, the outcome was a secondary non-general council held at Constantinople by the new pope where John VII accepted the repentance and apologies of Photius restoring him completely with the clergy of the church appealing that it was time now to let ‘bygones be bygones.’
Enemies throughout life became allies in the end, and perhaps another great Christian story of forgiveness and redemption occurred in 869 A.D.
The Second General Council of Nicaea - Concludes, 787 A.D.
The First General Council of the Lateran, 1123 A.D.
Sources: The Church in Crisis: A History of the General Councils, 325 – 1870 – By Philip Hughes, The General Councils: A History of the Twenty-One Church Councils from Nicaea to Vatican II – By Christopher M. Bellito, The Documents of Vatican II – By Walter M. Abbott, S.J. and the Very Reverend Monsignor Joseph Gallagher, A Short History of Christian Doctrine: From the First Century to the Present – By Bernard Lohse, The Reform of the Liturgy – Annibale Bugnini, www.catholicdigitalstudio.com/councils.htm
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