Let these offences, introduced into the Church by Ecumenical Patriarchs Sergius, Pyrrhus, and Paul, be removed; let those who have introduced them be deposed; and then the path to salvation will be cleared of all barriers, and you will walk on the smooth path of the Gospel, cleansed of all heresy! When I see the Church of Constantinople as she was formerly, then I will enter into communion with her without any exhortation on the part of men. But while there are heretical temptations in her, and while heretics are her bishops, no word or deed will convince me ever to enter into communion with her.
--St. Maximus the Confessor's reply to Theodosius, Bishop of Caesarea in Bithynia |
