Page "Eastern Orthodox Church" Paragraph 22

One of the decisions made by the First Council of Constantinople ( the second ecumenical council, meeting in 381 ) and supported by later such councils was that the Patriarch of Constantinople should be given equal honor to the Pope of Rome since Constantinople was considered to be the " New Rome ".

According to the third Canon of the second ecumenical council: " Because it is new Rome, the bishop of Constantinople is to enjoy the privileges of honor after the bishop of Rome.

" This means that both enjoy the same privileges because they are both bishops of the imperial capitals, but the bishop of Rome will precede the bishop of Constantinople since Old Rome precedes New Rome.

The 28th canon of the fourth ecumenical council clarified this point by stating: " For the Fathers rightly granted privileges to the throne of Old Rome because it was the royal city.

And the One Hundred and Fifty most religious Bishops ( i. e. the second ecumenical council in 381 ) actuated by the same consideration, gave equal privileges to the most holy throne of New Rome, justly judging that the city which is honored with the Sovereignty and the Senate, and enjoys equal privileges with the old imperial Rome, should in ecclesiastical matters also be magnified as she is.