Council of Florence
The Council of Florence was one of the most significant ecumenical councils in the history of the Catholic Church, held from 1431 to 1445. It aimed to achieve unity between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Western Catholic Church, which had been split since the Great Schism of 1054.
Background and Location
The council was initially convened in Basel, Switzerland, in 1431 but was later transferred to Ferrara in 1438, and then to Florence in 1439 due to political and financial issues. The move to Florence was facilitated by Pope Eugene IV, who sought a more favorable environment for negotiations with the Byzantine Empire, whose emperor, John VIII Palaiologos, was in dire need of Western support against the encroaching Ottoman Empire.
Objectives
Key Events and Decisions
- Transfer from Basel: The council was transferred from Basel after disagreements with the local authorities and the desire to have a more neutral ground for discussions with the Eastern Church.
- Act of Union: In 1439, the Act of Union was signed, known as the "Laetentur Caeli", where both churches agreed on several points, including the acceptance of the Filioque clause and the primacy of the Pope. However, this union was not universally accepted in the East.
- Death of Emperor John VIII: Emperor John VIII died in 1448, and his successor, Constantine XI, was less enthusiastic about the union, which weakened its implementation.
Outcomes and Legacy
While the Council of Florence achieved a formal union, its practical effect was limited:
- The union was largely rejected in the Eastern Church, leading to a continued schism.
- The Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks in 1453 further diminished the influence of the council's decisions.
- However, it laid some groundwork for future discussions and has been studied by theologians and historians interested in ecumenism.
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