Thread by @TaborPravda

🧵St. Theodosius of the Kiev Caves (☦️1074) is commemorated in the official Roman Martyrology (2004) of Catholics on May 3, but says communion & liturgies of Latins are lifeless (graceless) & won't share lot with saints in Heaven. He alludes to unleavened bread in Latin masses.

Claim: "Russian saints before Florence are Catholic unless proven otherwise." This demonstrates a great ignorance of the period. There are many examples besides St Theodosius showing Kievan Rus' ecclesiastical authorities shortly after 1054 recognize schism & heresy among Latins.

Leo, metropolitan of Pereyaslavl, wrote a treatise in 1060s criticizing Latin use of unleavened bread as Monophysite & Nestorian. Met John II of Kiev (☦️1089) wrote azymes in communion entail several heresies. Orthodox clergy forbade Rus princes marrying their daughters to Latins

The Russian prince, St. Alexander Nevsky (☦️1263), at his time clearly already considered the Latins schismatics who departed from the faith as can be demonstrated in Second Pskovian Chronicle as well as his own Vita. “We do not want your doctrine.”-St. Alexander to papal envoys.

Why did Isidore of Kiev come to Florence (1438-39) if any union was there? Reaction of Russian faithful to the council led to Russian Orthodox Church declaring itself autocephalous (independent) from Constantinople. Russia was 1st to reject. Isidore was quickly declared a heretic

New Advent, 100+ year old Catholic encyclopedia, admits Russian Metropolitans from the beginning to Met Isidor of Kiev (1437 AD) had no relations with Rome & literature of this time characterizes the Latins as schismatics & heretics & even canonical documents label Latins pagans.

After Florence, there was sentiment among Orthodox Russians Constantinople fell for heresy by accepting the council despite most eastern Roman lower-level clergy & laity not supporting this council. Orthodox Muscovites felt they were the last true free Christian people on earth.

St Theodosius isn't the only Pre-Florence Russian saint commemorated in the official Roman Martyrology of Catholics. There are others. Pope Paul III (died 1549) officially canonized St Abraham of Smolensk (☦️1222) into RCC despite being a near contemporary of St Alexander Nevsky.

As shown above Latin priest Edward McNamara argues why pre-Florence Russian Orthodox saints are in the Roman Martyrology is bc areas like Kiev were isolated. Early anti-Latin Russian writings appear soon after 1054 not just bc of Byzantine influence but also close Latin proximity

Despite more centuries of separation Pope John Paul II referred to St Seraphim of Sarov (☦️1833) as saint, but he lived in 19th century. Latin priest Hugh Barbour: veneration of post-schism Russian Orthodox saints & post-1054 canonizations are generally valid if "reconciliation."

While sedevacantists have no authority in Catholicism Guimarães opines post-schism Russian saints like St Sergius shouldn’t be in Roman Martyrology bc they’re schismatics with no intention to convert. Contrast it with the modern RC view EO are no longer referred to as schismatics

@threadreaderapp unroll

A scholarly paper on Russian Liturgical Feast Days in the Slavic Byzantine Catholic Menologion of the Mid-20th Century. According to official compilers the Catholic history of Rus' ended only at 1440s when Rus' rejected Florence, not Great Schism of 1054.
slovene.ru/2021_1_Semenen…

@threadreaderapp unroll

@threadreaderapp A scholarly paper on Russian Liturgical Feast Days in the Slavic Byzantine Catholic Menologion of the Mid-20th Century. According to official compilers the Catholic history of Rus' ended only at 1440s when Rus' rejected Florence, not Great Schism of 1054.
slovene.ru/2021_1_Semenen…