Catholic Cardinal Recites Creed Without Filioque at the Ecumenical Patriarchate

Photo:Ecumenical Patriarchate livestream

ISTANBUL — During the Divine Liturgy celebrated on Sunday, July 20, at the Patriarchal Church of St. George, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America presided, accompanied by a group of pilgrims currently visiting Constantinople.

Also participating in the Divine Liturgy in prayerful unity was Patriarch Bartholomew, while American Cardinal Joseph Tobin - who traveled from the United States with Archbishop Elpidophoros - was also in attendance.

Nearly 45 minutes into the Ecumenical Patriarchate's livestream of the service, Rev. Archdeacon Dionysios Papiris can be seen ushering Cardinal Tobin to the front of the nave, eventually placing him at the elevated stasidia across from Archbishop Elpidophoros. After Papiris begins to return to his seat, he is called over by Archbishop Elpidophoros, who appears to give him instructions. Papiris then walks back over to Cardinal Tobin and encourages him to take a slightly higher place of honor, in which he would remain for the rest of the service. After Cardinal Tobin was moved to this spot, Archbishop Elpidophoros offered a slight bow to the bishop before returning to facing the altar.

A surprising moment occurred when the Catholic Archbishop of Newark recited the Nicene Creed aloud following Archbishop Elpidophoros during the service. Notably, Tobin's recitation of the Creed excluded the Filioque clause, saying that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone.

This instance raised questions of canonicity for both Orthodox and Catholic Christians. Not only did Tobin recite the original Creed after Archbishop Elpidophoros, but he presided from what appeared to be a makeshift bishop's throne that was opposite of Elpidophoros, albeit shorter than the Orthodox hierarch's.

Criticisms have been raised due to the participation in prayer of someone who does not belong to the Orthodox Church and the creation of a precedent for further violations that could blur the boundaries between Orthodox and Catholic expressions of the faith.

On the Catholic side of the equation, there are concerns, as well. While Byzantine Catholics do recite the Creed without the Filioque clause, they also affirm the theology of the addition. For Cardinal Tobin, he recited the original Creed in the context of an Orthodox service which does not affirm the Filioque - a service that would be regarded as schismatic to begin with according to Catholic canon law.

While there will likely be no consequences on either side, this demonstrates a continual blurring of the lines from both Orthodox and Catholic hierarchs in respect to the canons of the Church.

Finally, in his greeting to the Cardinal, the Patriarch referred to him as “Your Eminence” (Σεβασμιώτατος), and also spoke of the “diabolical" war in Ukraine.

Previously, UOJ reported that Orthodox and Catholic pilgrims visited the grave of Pope Francis, where they sang "Memory Eternal," and met with Patriarch Bartholomew.

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