TO THE OTHER afflictions which the Orthodox delegation = suffered=20 in Florence was added the death of the Patriarch of = Constantinople.=20 The Patriarch was found dead in his room.

On the table lay (supposedly) his testament, Extrema=20 Sententia, consisting in all of some lines in which he = declared=20 that he accepted everything that the Church of Rome = confesses. And=20 then: "In like manner I acknowledge the Holy Father of = Fathers, the=20 Supreme Pontiff and Vicar of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Pope = of Old=20 Rome. Likewise, I acknowledge purgatory. In affirmation of = this, I=20 affix my signature."

There is no doubt whatever that Patriarch Joseph did not = write=20 this document. The German scholar Frommann, who made a = detailed=20 investigation of the "Testament" of Patriarch Joseph, says: = "This=20 document is so Latinized and corresponds so little to the = opinion=20 expressed by the Patriarch several days before, that its=20 spuriousness is evident." [1] The ''Testament" appears in = the=20 history of the Council of Florence quite late; = contemporaries of the=20 Council knew nothing of it.

And so the Greek delegation lost its Patriarch. Although = the=20 Patriarch was no pillar of Orthodoxy, and though one may = reproach=20 him in much, still one cannot deny that with his whole soul = he=20 grieved for Orthodoxy and never allowed himself or anyone = else to=20 injure St. Mark. Being already in deep old age [2], he = lacked the=20 energy to defend the Church of which he was head, but = history cannot=20 reproach him for betraying the Church. Death spared him from = the=20 many and grievous humiliations which the Orthodox Church=20 subsequently had to endure. And on the other hand the = absence of his=20 signature on the Act of Union later gave occasion for the = defenders=20 of Orthodoxy to contest the pretension of the Council of = Florence to=20 the significance and title of ''Ecumenical Council," because = the Act=20 of every Ecumenical Council must be signed first of all by = the=20 Patriarchs.

After the death of the Patriarch, as Syropoulos informs = us,=20 Emperor John Paleologos took the direction of the Church = into his=20 own hands. This anticanonical situation, although often = encountered=20 in Byzantine history, as well in a positive as in a negative = manifestation, was strictly condemned by St. Mark in one of = his=20 epistles, where he says: ''Let no one dominate in our faith: = neither=20 emperor, nor hierarch, nor false council, nor anyone else, = but only=20 the one God, Who both Himself and through His Disciples has = handed=20 it down to us." [3]

Let us set forth in brief the further history of the = negotiations=20 between the Orthodox and the Latins=E2=80=94or, to speak = more truly, the=20 history of the capitulation of the Orthodox. The Orthodox = were=20 obliged to accept the Latin teaching of the filioque = and=20 acknowledge the Latin dogma of the Procession of the Holy = Spirit, in=20 the sense of His Existence, from the Two Hypostases. Then = the=20 Orthodox were obliged to declare that the = filioque,=20 as an addition within the Symbol of Faith, had = always=20 been a canonical and blessed act. By this alone there = were=20 reduced to naught all the objections of the Greeks from the = time of=20 Patriarch Photios, as well as the works of St. Mark of = Ephesus and=20 the interdictions for changing the Symbol of Faith which had = been=20 made at the Third and Fourth Ecumenical Councils. One should = also=20 note that not all the Roman Popes had approved of the=20 filioque, and several had considered its=20 introduction into the Symbol of Faith completely = uncanonical. But=20 now all this was forgotten. Everything was sacrificed to the = demands=20 of Pope Eugenius and his cardinals.

Further, it was demanded of the Orthodox to accept the = Latin=20 teaching concerning the consecration of the Holy Gifts and = renounce=20 their own as expressed in the performance of the Divine = Liturgy of=20 the Eastern Church. [4] Besides, this was expressed by the = Latins in=20 disdainful declarations concerning the Liturgical practice = of the=20 Eastern Church.

Finally, the Orthodox were obliged to sign and = acknowledge a=20 confession of Papism, expressed thus: "We decree that the = Holy=20 Apostolic Throne and Roman Pontiff possess a primacy over = the whole=20 earth, and that this Roman Pontiff is the Successor of the = blessed=20 Peter, Prince of the Apostles, and is the true Vicar of = Christ, the=20 Head of the whole Church, Pastor and Teacher of all = Christians; and=20 that our Lord Jesus Christ in the person of St. Peter has = given him=20 full authority to shepherd, direct and rule the whole = Church, as is=20 likewise contained in the acts of the Ecumenical Councils = and in the=20 holy canons." [5] The Orthodox were likewise forced to = acknowledge=20 purgatory.

And so Orthodoxy was to cease to exist. Something even = more=20 painful was the fact that Orthodoxy had been sold, = and not=20 merely betrayed. For when a majority of the Orthodox = delegates had=20 found that the Vatican's demands were completely = unacceptable,=20 certain warm partisans of the Union had asked the Pope to = inform=20 them openly what advantages Byzantium would derive from the = Union.=20 The Pope grasped the "business" side of the question and = offered the=20 following: (1) The Vatican would provide the means to send = the=20 Greeks back to Constantinople. (2) 300 (!) soldiers would be = maintained at Papal expense in Constantinople for the = defense of the=20 capital against the Turks (3) Two ships would be maintained = on the=20 Bosphorus for defense of the city. (4) A crusade would go = through=20 Constantinople. (5) The Pope would summon the Western = sovereigns to=20 the aid of Byzantium. The last two promises were purely = theoretical.=20 However, when the negotiations came to a dead end, and the = Emperor=20 himself was ready to break off further negotiations, the = whole=20 affair was settled by four metropolitans, partisans of the = Union;=20 and the affair was concluded with a lavish entertainment = given by=20 the Pope; theological disputes concerning the privileges of = the See=20 of Rome were conducted over wineglasses.

The end came at last. An Act of Union was drawn up in = which the=20 Orthodox renounced their Orthodoxy and accepted all the = Latin=20 formulas and innovations which had only just appeared in the = bosom=20 of the Latin Church, such as the teaching on purgatory. They = accepted also an extreme form of Papism, by this act = renouncing the=20 ecclesiology that was the essence of the Orthodox Church. = All the=20 Orthodox delegates accepted and signed the Union, whether = for=20 themselves or, in the case of some, for the Eastern = Patriarchs, by=20 whom they had been entrusted to represent them. The signing, = on July=20 5, 1439, was accompanied by a triumphant service, and after = the=20 solemn declaration of the Union, read in Latin and Greek, = the Greek=20 delegates kissed the Pope's knee.

Administratively speaking, the whole Orthodox Church = signed:=20 Emperor John, the metropolitans and representatives of the = Eastern=20 Patriarchs, the Metropolitan of Kiev Isidore, and the = Russian Bishop=20 Abraham. Only one hierarch did not sign. It would be = superfluous to=20 mention his name: St. Mark of Ephesus. But no one paid the = least=20 attention to him. What was one man, and he humiliated and = fatally=20 ill, in comparison with the all powerful Vatican, headed by = the=20 mighty Pope Eugenius IV? What was this one Greek in = comparison with=20 the whole multitude of Greek dignitaries headed by Emperor = John, and=20 the Greek metropolitans? There is a Russian proverb: ''One = alone on=20 the field is no warrior." However, in this one man = was=20 represented the whole might of the Orthodox Church. This one = man=20 represented in himself the whole Orthodox Church. He was a = giant of=20 giants, bearing in himself all the sanctity of Orthodoxy and = all its=20 might! And this is why, when Pope Eugenius was solemnly = shown by his=20 cardinals the Act of Union, signed by all the Greek = delegates, he=20 said, not finding on it the signature of St. Mark: "And so = we have=20 accomplished nothing." All the success of the Vatican was = illusory=20 and short-lived. The Pope attempted by every means to compel = St.=20 Mark to sign the Union, a fact that is attested both by = Andrew of=20 Rhodes [6] and Syropoulos. [7] The Pope demanded that St. = Mark be=20 deprived of his rank then and there for his refusal to sign = the Act=20 of Union. But Emperor John did not allow him to be harmed, = because=20 in the depths of his heart he respected St. Mark.

Syropoulos relates the final meeting of St. Mark with the = Pope.=20 "The Pope asked of the Emperor that St. Mark appear before = him. The=20 Emperor, having summoned him beforehand, persuaded him, = saying:'When=20 the Pope asks you to appear before him already two and three = times,=20 you must go to him; but have no fear, for I have spoken and=20 requested and arranged with the Pope so that you will be = given no=20 offense or injury. And so, go and listen to everything he = says, and=20 reply openly in whatever manner will seem to you the most = suitable.'=20 And so Mark went to appear before the Pope, and finding him = sitting=20 informally in his own quarters with his cardinals and his = bishops,=20 he was uncertain in what fashion he should express respect = to the=20 Pope. Seeing that all who surrounded the Pope were sitting, = he said:=20 'I have been suffering from a kidney ailment and severe gout = and=20 have not the strength to stand,' and proceeded to sit in his = place.=20 The Pope spoke long with Mark; his aim was to persuade him = also to=20 follow the decision of the Council and affirm the Union, and = if he=20 refused to do this, then he should know that he would be = subject to=20 the same interdictions which previous Ecumenical Councils = laid upon=20 the obstinate, who, deprived of every gift of the Church, = were case=20 out as heretics. To the Pope's words Mark gave an extensive, = commanding reply. Concerning the interdictions with which = the Pope=20 threatened him, he said: 'The Councils of the Church have = condemned=20 as rebels those who have transgressed against some dogma and = have=20 preached thus and fought for this, for which reason also = they are=20 called ''heretics''; and from the beginning the Church has = condemned=20 the heresy itself, and only then has it condemned the = leaders of the=20 heresy and its defenders. But I have by no means preached my = own=20 teaching, nor have I introduced anything new in the Church, = nor=20 defended any foreign and false doctrine; but I have held = only that=20 teaching which the Church received in perfect form from our = Saviour,=20 and in which it has steadfastly remained to this day: the = teaching=20 which the Holy Church of Rome, before the schism that = occurred=20 between us, possessed no less than our Eastern Church; the = teaching=20 which, as holy, you formerly were wont to praise, and often = at this=20 very Council you mentioned with respect and honor, and which = no one=20 could reproach or dispute. And if I hold it and do not allow = myself=20 to depart from it, what Council will subject me to the = interdiction=20 to which heretics are subject? What sound and pious mind = will act=20 thus with me? For first of all one must condemn the teaching = which I=20 hold; but if you acknowledge it as pious and Orthodox, then = why am I=20 deserving of punishment?' Having said this and more of the = like, and=20 listened to the Pope, he returned to his quarters." [8]

V. AFTER THE COUNCIL

St. Mark returned to Constantinople with Emperor John on = February=20 1,1440. What a sorrowful return it was! No sooner had the = Emperor=20 managed to set foot on land than he was informed of the = death of his=20 beloved wife; after this the Emperor out of sorrow did not = leave his=20 quarters for three months. None of the hierarchs would agree = to=20 accept the post of Patriarch of Constantinople, knowing that = this=20 post would oblige one to proceed with the Union. The people = who met=20 them, as the Greek historian Doukas testifies, asked the = Orthodox=20 delegates who had signed the Union: "How did the Council go? = Were we=20 victorious?" To which the hierarchs replied: "No! We sold = our faith,=20 we bartered piety for impiety (i.e., Orthodox doctrine for = heresy)=20 and have become azymites." The people asked then: "Why did = you=20 sign?" "From fear of the Latins," ''Did the Latins then beat = you or=20 put you in prison?" ''No. But our right hand signed: let it = be cut=20 off! Our tongue confessed: let it be torn out!" [9]

A painful silence set in. Despite the Great Lent, the = season most=20 filled with prayer, churches were empty and there were no = services:=20 no one wished to serve with those who had signed the Union. = In=20 Constantinople revolution was ripening. St. Mark alone was = pure in=20 heart and had no reproach on his conscience. But he too = suffered=20 immeasurably. Around him united all the zealots for = Orthodoxy,=20 especially the monks of the Holy Mountain (Athos) and the = ordinary=20 village priests. The whole episcopate, the whole = court=E2=80=94all was in=20 the hands of the Uniates, in absolute submission to the=20 representatives of the Vatican, who came often to inspect = how the=20 Union was being carried out among the people. The Church was = in=20 extreme danger; as St. Mark wrote: "the night of Union = encompassed=20 the Church." [10]

St. Mark became weak in body, but in spirit he burned, = and=20 because of this, as John Eugenikos writes, "by Divine = Providence he=20 miraculously escaped danger, and the radiant one radiantly = returned=20 and was preserved for the fatherland, being met by a = universal=20 enthusiasm and respect." [11] The Byzantine people did not = accept=20 the Union: while all the exhortations of the partisans of = the Union=20 were ignored, the flaming sermons of St. Mark found an = enthusiastic=20 response, as Professor Ostrogorsky notes. [12] = Contemporaries of=20 these events, passionate Uniates, note with indignation and=20 perplexity St. Mark's activity for the harm of the Union. = Thus=20 Joseph, Bishop of Methonensis, writes: ''Having returned to=20 Constantinople, Ephesus disturbed and confused the Eastern = Church by=20 his writings and addresses directed against the decrees of = the=20 Council of Florence." [13] Andrew of Rhodes calls the = letters of St.=20 Mark, which he sent out for the strengthening of Orthodoxy, = ''most=20 noxious" and ''seductive." [14] And present-day Church = historians,=20 both Orthodox and Latin, acknowledge that the shattering of = the=20 Union of Florence was due to the writings and activity of = St. Mark.=20 [15]

St. Mark did not remain long in Constantinople, but soon, = without=20 informing the Emperor, left for Ephesus, his see, which it = is=20 possible he had not yet visited, since immediately after his = consecration in Constantinople he had left for the Council = in Italy.=20 [16] Two reasons, it would appear, impelled St. Mark to = leave=20 Constantinople for Ephesus: pastoral concern for his flock, = which=20 found itself under the Turks in the most woeful = circumstances; and=20 the desire to unite spiritually around himself those who = were=20 zealous for Orthodoxy, in so far as in Constantinople he had = actually been under house arrest. It would appear that it is = precisely from Ephesus that St. Mark sent his letters, his=20 confession of faith, and his account of his activity at the = Council=20 of Florence. All these documents are to be found in my book = in=20 Russian translation.

Concerning the activity of St. Mark in Ephesus, John = Eugenikos=20 writes briefly thus: "Actively traveling everywhere = throughout the=20 regions of the great Evangelist and Theologian John, and = doing this=20 over long periods and with labor and difficulty, being sick = in body;=20 visiting the suffering holy churches, and especially = constructing=20 the church of the metropoly with the adjoining buildings; = ordaining=20 priests; helping those suffering injustice, whether by = reason of=20 persecution, or of some trial from the side of the = unrighteous;=20 defending widows and orphans; shaming, interdicting, = comforting,=20 exhorting, appealing, strengthening: he was, according to = the divine=20 Apostle, everything for everyone." [17] John Eugenikos = further=20 declares that inasmuch as the Saint had sufficiently = sacrificed=20 himself for his flock, while his constant desire had been = monastic=20 solitude and seclusion, he finally desired to go to the Holy = Mountain. But there was yet another reason, a more weighty = one,=20 about which John Eugenikos was silent for political reasons; = St.=20 Mark himself relates this in one of his letters: he had no = mandate=20 from the authorities and for this reason his stay in Ephesus = was as=20 it were illegal, and he was compelled to leave his flock, = this time=20 forever. [18]

The ship on which St. Mark sailed to Athos put in at the = island=20 of Limnos, one of the few islands that still belonged to = Byzantium.=20 Here St. Mark was recognized by the police authorities and, = by a=20 directive which they already possessed from Emperor John = Paleologos,=20 was arrested and imprisoned. For the space of two years St. = Mark=20 suffered in confinement. John Eugenikos thus informs us of = this=20 period in the Saint's life: "Here who would not deservedly = marvel,=20 or would not acknowledge the greatness of soul and enduring = of=20 misfortunes which he showed: suffering in the burning sun = and=20 struggling with privations of the most necessary things and=20 tormented by diseases that came one upon the other, or = enduring=20 painful confinement while the fleet of the impious Moslems=20 surrounded the island and inflicted destruction." [19] Once = the=20 island was threatened by imminent disaster from a Turkish = fleet=20 which surrounded the island. But the danger unexpectedly = passed, and=20 the saved inhabitants ascribed their salvation to the = prayers of St.=20 Mark, imprisoned in the fortress. [20]

St. Mark never complained about his miserable condition; = only in=20 one letter can we see how he suffered and how he was wanting = in=20 support from people. He writes thus to the Pro-hegumenos of = Vatoped=20 Monastery: "We have found great consolation from your = brothers who=20 are here, the most honorable ecclesiarch and the great = economos and=20 others, whom we have seen as inspired images of your love = and piety;=20 for they have shown us love and have calmed and strengthened = us. May=20 the Lord grant you a worthy reward for their labor and = love!"=20 [21]

Finding himself in such painful circumstances, St. Mark = continued=20 his battle for the Church, as he writes in one of his = letters: "I=20 have been arrested. But the word of God and the power of = Truth=20 cannot be bound, but all the stronger flow and prosper, and = many of=20 the brethren, encouraged by my exile, overthrow the = reproaches of=20 the lawless and the violators of the Orthodox Faith and the = customs=20 of the fatherland." [22] He knew that his confession was=20 indispensable, because, as he wrote: "If there had been no=20 persecution, the martyrs would not have shone, nor would the = confessors have received the crown of victory from Christ = and by=20 their exploits strengthened and gladdened the Orthodox = Church." [23]=20 In two years Emperor John ordered St. Mark released and = allowed to=20 go where he wished. This liberation occurred on the day when = the=20 Seven Martyr-youths of Ephesus are commemorated, and St. = Mark=20 dedicated to them a poem of thanksgiving. [24] St. Mark no = longer=20 had the physical strength for ascetic labors on the Holy = Mountain;=20 he had become quite feeble, and so he left for his home in=20 Constantinople.

The last year and one-half or two years of his holy life = St. Mark=20 spent in painful circumstances of disease and persecution by = the=20 Uniate episcopate and Court. At this time he restored many = to=20 Orthodoxy by his personal influence. [25] Especially = beneficial for=20 the Church was the return of George Scholarios, who = subsequently=20 occupied the position of leader in the battle for Orthodoxy; = after=20 the fall of Constantinople he was elected Patriarch of=20 Constantinople.

During this time, i.e., the last two years of St. Mark's = life,=20 much happened. The Eastern Patriarchs condemned the Council = of=20 Florence and named it "tyrannical and foul," and refused to=20 recognize the Union. When Metropolitan Isidore, one of the = most=20 unprincipled betrayers of Orthodoxy, appeared in Moscow = preceded by=20 the Papal cross, he was arrested by the Grand Prince of = Moscow=20 Vassily Vassilievich, and subsequently he was helped to flee = to=20 Rome, where he received a cardinal's hat. A tradition is = preserved=20 that St. Mark was much gladdened by the conduct of the Grand = Prince=20 of Moscow and set him up as an example to the Byzantine = authorities.=20 [26]

In Constantinople itself, however, the Union was being=20 significantly strengthened. One may say that the Union not = only=20 became the State Church of Byzantium, but also gradually = took=20 possession, through the episcopate, of the whole of Church = life.=20 Only certain individuals, grouped around St. Mark, = represented at=20 that time the Orthodox Church. Permanent representatives of = the=20 Vatican, including Cardinal Isidore, saw to the official = loyalty to=20 the Union of the Byzantine Church and Court, placing in = connection=20 with this the fulfillment also of the Papal promises to = Byzantium.=20 The danger to the Church was immense, and St. Mark was aware = of=20 this. He was aware that before everything else should be = placed the=20 battle for Orthodoxy, for, as he said, ''murdered souls = which have=20 been tempted concerning the sacrament of Faith." [27] And = he, the=20 leader of the battle, marching at the head of the army, was = scarcely=20 able to walk, exhausted by disease and harassed by the wiles = of men.=20 But the power of God is accomplished in weakness!

VIII. THE DEATH OF ST. MARK

St. Mark died on June 23, 1444, [28] at the age of 52. = George=20 Scholarios writes thus of St. Mark's death: ''But our sorrow = was=20 increased yet more by the fact that he was taken away from = our=20 embrace before he had grown old in the virtues which he had=20 acquired, before we could sufficiently enjoy his presence, = in the=20 full power of this passing life! No defect nor cunning had = the power=20 to shake his mind, nor to lead astray his soul, so strongly = was it=20 nourished and tempered by virtue! Even if the vault of = heaven should=20 fall, even then the righteousness of this man would not be = shaken,=20 his strength would not fail, his soul would not be moved, = and his=20 thought would not be impaired by such difficult trials." = [29]

He suffered terribly for fourteen days before his death. = Of St.=20 Mark's death itself there has been preserved the account of = his=20 brother, the Nomophilax John, who relates: "Thus, having = lived with=20 love of God and in everything excelled in his sojourn from = his youth=20 to the divine Skhema: in the most holy Skhema, in the = degrees of=20 priestly service, in the hierarchal dignity, in arguments = concerning=20 the Orthodox Faith and in devout and passionless = confession,=E2=80=94having=20 attained fifty-two years of bodily age, in the month of June = on the=20 twenty-third day he departed rejoicing to Him to Whom he = wished,=20 according to Paul, to be dissolved to be with Him, Whom he = glorified=20 by good works, Whom he theologized in Orthodox fashion, Whom = he=20 pleased his whole life long. He was sick for fourteen days, = and the=20 disease itself, as he himself said, had upon him the same = effect as=20 those iron instruments of torture applied by executioners to = the=20 holy martyrs, and which as it were girdled his ribs and = internal=20 organs, pressed upon them and remained attached in such a = state and=20 caused absolutely unbearable pain; so that it happened that = what men=20 could not do with his sacred martyr's body was fulfilled by = disease,=20 according to the unutterable judgment of Providence, in = order that=20 this Confessor of Truth and Martyr and Conqueror of all = possible=20 sufferings and Victor should appear before God after going = through=20 every misery, and that even to his last breath, as = gold=20 tried in the furnace, and in order that thanks to this he = might=20 receive yet greater honor and rewards eternally from the = just=20 judge." [30]

Although his agony was painful in the extreme, death = itself came=20 easily, and the Saint joyfully gave to God his blessed and = radiant=20 spirit. John Eugenikos tells us this: "Long before his death = he gave=20 instructions and like a father gave commands to those = present=20 concerning the correction of the Church and our piety and = open=20 preservation of the true dogmas of the Church, and = concerning=20 turning away from innovation; and adding his final words: = 'Lord=20 Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, into Thy hands I commit = my=20 spirit,' he thus departed to God." [31] Before the end, on = the very=20 day of his death, St Mark gave over to his former student = and=20 spiritual son the leadership of the Orthodox Church, = although George=20 Scholarios was at that time still a secular prince. St. Mark = was=20 buried in the Mangana Monastery in Constantinople. "Amidst a = throng=20 of people and guards with numerous marks of respect, there = was=20 placed in the sacred monastery of Mangana dedicated to the = divine=20 Martyr George, with honor, as a treasure, the sacred and = greatly=20 honored vessel of a sanctified soul and a temple to the = glory of=20 God, Who is glorified and wondrous in His Saints." [32]

From the funeral address of George Scholarios we may see = the=20 depth of the sorrow that overcame Orthodox people with the = loss of=20 such a great pillar of the Church and such a good and noble = man,=20 such a meek and approachable and such a learned man, who, in = the=20 expression of John Eugenikos, drew all to himself as a = magnet=20 attracts iron. [33] But the triumph of Orthodoxy was = accomplished=20 only after the death of St. Mark. The successor of Emperor = John, his=20 brother Constantine, openly announced his desire to preserve = Orthodoxy in its purity. [34] Not long before the Fall of=20 Constantinople a Council was convoked at which the Union and = its=20 promoters were triumphantly condemned and the Union itself=20 overthrown, and the memory of St. Mark honored by all. This = Council=20 was more nominal than actual, and was composed of a quite = small=20 number of participants; historically it did not present = itself as=20 much, but as an expression of the Orthodox Church it has a = great=20 significance as the triumphant conclusion of the battle that = St.=20 Mark waged, as a Council of the Orthodox Church, however = small she=20 may have been at that time. [35]

IX. COMMEMORATION AND MIRACLES OF ST. MARK

The solemn commemoration of St. Mark of Ephesus belonged = at first=20 to the family Eugenikos. Every year, probably on the day of = the=20 Saint's death, the Eugenikos family celebrated a "Service"=20 (Akolouthia) and a synaxarion was read = consisting=20 of a short Life of the Saint. It should be noted that in = Byzantium=20 the Akolouthia was not necessarily connected with a = canonization of the dead; it was simply a eulogy of the = dead.=20 Akolouthii were written by students to their = teachers, to=20 their benefactors and to people close to them, who were of = righteous=20 life. These Akolouthii were for domestic use, and = they=20 exist for many who were never canonized by the Church; there = is one=20 dedicated to Emperor Manuel II Paleologos that was probably = written=20 by St Mark himself. [36]

And so the solemn commemoration of St Mark of Ephesus was = celebrated at first in the Eugenikos family circle. A wider=20 glorification of St. Mark was aided by George Scholarios in = his=20 capacity of Patriarch of Constantinople Decades passed, and = then=20 centuries, and the memory of St. Mark ever more broadly = became=20 glorified among devout people, in holy monasteries and = churches; and=20 finally, nearly 300 years after the death of the Saint, in = 1734, the=20 Holy Synod of the Church of Constantinople, under the = presidency of=20 Patriarch Seraphim, brought out a decree of canonization of = St Mark=20 of Ephesus January 19 was instituted as the date of the = Saint's=20 commemoration. [37] As a result, to the two ancient services = that=20 already existed (translated in our book into Church Slavonic = for use=20 in Church services), [38] were added six more services, but = they are=20 inferior to the ancient services to the Saint.

In the book of Doukake, Iaspis Tou Noetou Paradeisou = for=20 the month of January there is found the following miracle = performed=20 by St. Mark many years after his death. "A very honorable = man named=20 Demetrios Zourbaios had a sister who became grievously ill.=20 Wherefore he called in all the doctors of Mesolongion and = spent much=20 money on them. They, however, brought no benefit to his = sister, but=20 rather she became worse. For three days she lose all speech = and=20 movement, being totally unconscious, so that even the = doctors=20 decided that she was going to die. Then he and the rest of = her=20 relatives began preparing the necessities for the funeral. = But, most=20 unexpectedly, they heard a voice and a great groan coming = from her,=20 and turning towards them she said, 'Why don t you change my = clothes,=20 since I have been drenched?' Her brother became overjoyed = upon=20 hearing her speak, and running to her he asked what was the = matter=20 and how she became so wet. She answered, 'A certain bishop = came=20 here, took me by my hand, and led me to a fountain and put = me inside=20 a cistern. After he had washed me, he said to me, "Return = now; you=20 no longer have any illness."' But her brother again asked = her, 'Why=20 didn't you ask him that granted you your health who he was?' = And she=20 said, 'I asked him, ' Who are you, your holiness? and he = told me, "I=20 am the Metropolitan of Ephesus, Mark Eugenikos."' And having = said=20 these things, she arose immediately from the bed without any = remnant=20 of illness. When they took her to change her clothes, they = were all=20 amazed=E2=80=94O, the wonder!=E2=80=94seeing that not only = were her clothes soaked,=20 but even the bed and the other blankets upon which she had = lain.=20 After this miracle, the above-mentioned woman made an icon = of St.=20 Mark for a memorial of the miracle, and having lived piously = for=20 fifteen more years, she departed to the Lord. [39]

To this article is appended an extremely valuable = document: the=20 appeal of St. Mark to those present on the very day of his = death,=20 his special exhortation to George Scholarios, in which he = begs him=20 to take upon himself the leadership of the Orthodox Church, = and the=20 reply of George Scholarios to St Mark. [40]

We shall conclude our short sketch of the life and = activity of=20 St. Mark of Ephesus with the invocation with which the = ancient=20 biographer of the Saint ends his Synaxarion:

By thy prayers of St Mark, Christ our God, and all = Thy holy=20 Fathers, Teachers and Theologians, preserve Thy Church in = Orthodox=20 confession unto the ages!

Endnotes

* "our book" refers to St. Mark of Ephesus and the = Union of=20 Florence, by Archimandrite Amvrossy Pogodin=20 (Jordanville: Holy Trinity Monastery, 1963). In=20 Russian.

After Hefele, Histoire des Conciles, vol. = VII, pt.=20 II, pp. 1015sq.=20
See the address of St. Mark to Pope Eugenius, pt. I; = in our=20 book, p. 40.=20
Epistle of St. Mark to the abbot of Vataped Monastery, = pt. 2;=20 in our book, p 354=20
Although this was not included in the Act of Union = itself,=20 nonetheless the Orthodox were required to sign a special = document=20 concerning this St. Mark wrote a special tractate (Rust = tr. in our=20 book, pp. 295-301), in which he demonstrates the = correctness of=20 the Orthodox tradition, founded on Apostolic and Patristic = tradition.=20
The Act of Union; Rus. tr. in our book, p. 306.=20
The Testimony of Archbp. Andrew of Rhodes concerning = St. Mark=20 of Ephesus; Rus tr. of the Latin text in our book, pp = 109-110.=20
See the narrative included below from the book of = Syropoulos,=20 True History, sec X, ch. 12, ed. = Creighton, pp,=20 299-300; Rus. tr. in our book, pp 312-3.=20
See preceding note.=20
In our book, p. 300.=20
Epistle of St. Mark to George Scholarios, pt. 2; Rus. = tr. in=20 our book, p. 341.=20
From the Synaxarion to St. Mark, p. 322 in our book.=20
Ostrogorsky, History of the Byzantine = State,=20 Oxford, 1956, p. 500.=20
Josephi Methonensis Episcopi Synaxarium Concil. = Florentini.=20 Migne, Patrologia Graeca, vol. 159, col. 1105.=20
See note 6.=20
Vogt, Dictionnaire de la Theologie Catholique, = vol.=20 6, p 37. Buzzone in Dizionario Ecclesiastico, = 1955, p.=20 821. Meyer in Realencyclopaedie fuer Protestant = Theologie und=20 Kirche, vol. 12, pp. 287-8. Pandelakis in Megale = Ellenike=20 Egkuklopaideia, Athens, vol. 11, p 105-6; = etc.=20
I maintain this opinion in my book, pp 28-9.=20
Rus. tr. of the Synaxarion to St. Mark in our book, p. = 325.=20
Epistle of St. Mark to Hieromonk Theophan on Euboia = Island,=20 pt. 1; Rus. tr. in our book, p. 356.=20
Rus. tr. in our book, p. 326.=20
Ibid=20
Pt. 1; p. 354 in our book=20
See note 18.=20
Epistle of St Mark to the Ecumenical Patriarch; Rus. = tr in our=20 book, p. 352.=20
Published by Papadopoulos-Kerameus in Anekdota = Ellenika,=20 Constantinople, 1884, pp. 102-3; later by Mgr. L. = Petit in=20 Revue de l=E2=80=99Orient chretien, Paris, 1923, = pp. 414-5; Rus.=20 tr. in our book, pp. 227-8.=20
Of this the Great Orator Manuel testifies in his = Synaxarion to=20 Saint Mark; see in our book, p 354.=20
According to A. Norov, Journey to the Seven = Churches=20 Mentioned in the Apocalypse, St Petersburg, 1847, p. = 286.=20
Epistle of St Mark to George Scholarios, pt. 3; see = our book,=20 p. 341.=20
On the date of St Mark=E2=80=99s death there have been = many=20 suppositions and much scholarly debate; we hold to the = opinion of=20 Mgr. L. Petit.=20
From the Funeral Oration of George Scholarios to St. = Mark, pt.=20 10; Rus. tr. publ. by A. Norov in Unpublished Works of = Mark of=20 Ephesus and George Scholarios, Paris, 1859.=20
From our translation of the Synaxarion to St. Mark, p. = 366.=20
Ibid=20
From the Synaxarion of John Eugenikos.=20
From the Service to St Mark, Canon, Song 7.=20
Prof A. Kartashev, Outline of the History of the = Russian=20 Church, vol. 1, p. 360.=20
The question of the Council of Constantinople of 1450 = has been=20 a subject of scholarly debate.=20
See our essay (in Russian) in Orthodox Path = for 1966:=20 "From the Writings of the Most Pious Emperor Manuel I = Paleologos,"=20 pp. 47ff.=20
Information on the canonization of St. Mark was taken = from the=20 essay of Papadopoulos-Kerameus , "Mark os o Eugenikos os = Pater=20 Agios tes Orthodoxou Katholikes Ekklesias," in = Byzantinische=20 Zeitschrift, 1902, vol. 11, pp. 50-69.=20
pp. 385-400 in our book; the Rev. Abbot Alypy of Holy = Trinity=20 Monastery, Jordanville, N.Y., helped us in this = translation.=20
K. Doukske, op. cit., Athens, 1889, pp. = 397-429; Rus.=20 tr. in our book, pp. 414-5. (The present translation is = direct=20 from the Greek, courtesy of Holy Transfiguration = Monastery,=20 Boston, Mass.)=20
For manuscripts and editions of this document, see our = book,=20 p. 368, where will be found also the Russian translation = from=20 which the following English translation was taken. =

ADDRESS OF ST. MARK OF EPHESUS ON THE DAY OF HIS DEATH =

On the final day of his earthly life, the last = thoughts of=20 St. Mark were not for himself, but for Orthodoxy, to which = he had=20 devoted his whole life. Appealing to his followers to stand = firm in=20 the battle for Orthodoxy, he turned especially to one man in = whom he=20 hoped to find a successor to himself as leader in this = battle. This=20 hope was richly fulfilled in the person of George = Scholarios, who=20 became an ardent champion of Orthodox and, as first = Patriarch of=20 Constantinople after the fall of Byzantium, was instrumental = in=20 freeing the Church from the yoke of the false Union. He was=20 subsequently canonized under his monastic name of Gennadios = and is=20 commemorated on August 31.

I WISH TO EXPRESS MY OPINION in more detail, especially = now that=20 my death is approaching, so as to be consistent with myself = from=20 beginning to end, and lest anyone should think that I have = said one=20 thing and concealed another in my thoughts, foe which it = would be=20 just to shame me in this hour of my death.

Concerning the Patriarch I shall say this, lest it should = perhaps=20 occur to him to show me a certain respect at the burial of = this my=20 humble body, or to send to my grave any of his hierarchs or = clergy=20 or in general any of those in communion with him in order to = take=20 part in prayer or to join the priests invited to it from = amongst us,=20 thinking that at some time, or perhaps secretly, I had = allowed=20 communion with him. And lest my silence give occasion to = those who=20 do not know my views well and fully to suspect some kind of=20 conciliation, I hereby state and testify before the many = worthy men=20 here present that I do not desire, in any manner and = absolutely, and=20 do not accept communion with him or with those who are with = him, not=20 in this life nor after my death, just as (I accept) neither = the=20 Union nor Latin dogmas, which he and his adherents have = accepted,=20 and for the enforcement of which he has occupies this = presiding=20 place, with the aim of overturning the true dogmas of the = Church. I=20 am absolutely convinced that the farther I stand from him = and those=20 like him, the nearer I am to God and all the saints; and to = the=20 degree that I separate myself from them am I in union with = the Truth=20 and with the Holy Fathers, the Theologians of the Church; = and I am=20 likewise convinced that those who count themselves with them = stand=20 far away from the Truth and from the blessed Teachers of the = Church.=20 And for this reason I say: just as in the course of my whole = life I=20 was separated from them, so at the time of my departure, yea = and=20 after my death, I turn away from intercourse and communion = with them=20 and vow and command that none (of them) shall approach = either my=20 burial or my grave, and likewise anyone else from our side, = with the=20 aim of attempting to join and concelebrate in our Divine = services;=20 for this would be to mix what cannot be mixed. But it befits = them to=20 be absolutely separated from us until such time as God shall = grant=20 correction and peace to His Church.

I speak now of the dignitary Scholarios, whom I knew from = his=20 early youth, to whom I am well-disposed, and for whom I have = great=20 love, as for my own son and friend... In my intercourse and=20 conversation with him even to the present time, I have = conceived a=20 clear picture of his exceptional prudence and wisdom and = power with=20 words, and therefore I believe that he is the only one to be = found=20 at the present time who is able to extend a helping hand to = the=20 Orthodox Church, which is agitated by the attacks of those = who would=20 destroy the perfection of the dogmas, and likewise, with the = help of=20 God, to correct the Church and affirm Orthodoxy, if only he = will not=20 wish himself to retreat from the deed and hide his = candlestick under=20 a bushel. But I am thoroughly convinced that he will not act = thus=20 and, seeing the Church in distress from the waves and the = Faith in=20 dependence upon infirm man (I speak according to human = standards),=20 and knowing that it is possible for him to help her, he will = not to=20 such a degree disobey his conscience as not to haste with = all speed=20 and readiness to enter the battle; for being wise, he is not = at all=20 unaware that the destruction of the Orthodox Faith would be = the=20 general perdition.

It is true that in the past, considering that the battle = which=20 was being conducted by others, especially by me, was = sufficient, he=20 did not reveal himself as an open champion of the Truth, = being=20 compelled, it may be, by counsels or by individuals. But I = too at an=20 earlier time carried nothing or quite little into the = battle, having=20 sufficiency neither of strength nor of zeal; and now I have = already=20 become nothing: and is there anything less than nothing? And = so if=20 then he likewise supposed that we ourselves could set = something=20 right, and he considered it superfluous for himself to do = what=20 others could do, as well as what, with his completely = insignificant=20 help, would be harmful to others, as he often explained to = me,=20 asking pardon=E2=80=94then at the present time, when I am = departing from=20 hence, I see no other equal to him who could take my place = in the=20 Church and the Faith and in the dogmas of Orthodoxy. = Therefore I=20 consider him worthy, being called or rather compelled by the = times,=20 to reveal the spark of piety hidden in him and fight for the = Church=20 and sound doctrine; so that what I could not accomplish, he = might=20 set right, with the help of God. For by the grace of God he = can do=20 this, with the mind he has been given and his power of = words, if he=20 will only desire to use these at the propitious time.

And he is equally obliged in his relation to God and = Faith and=20 Church to fight faithfully and purely for the Faith. And I = myself=20 lay upon him this battle, so that he would be defender of = the Church=20 and leader of sound teaching and champion of right doctrines = and the=20 Truth in my place, having support in God and in the Truth = itself,=20 about which the very battle is being waged; so that being a=20 participant in this with the Holy Teachers and God.bearing = Fathers,=20 the great theologians, he would receive his reward from the = Just=20 Judge when He declares victorious all those who fought for = Piety.=20 But he himself must with all his strength exert zeal for the = well-being of the right doctrines of the Church, as being = obliged to=20 give an answer for this on the Judgment Day to God and to = me, who=20 have entrusted this to him and have likewise reckoned upon = bringing=20 into the Good Land these words with over a hundredfold = fruits to=20 come from them. Let him answer me concerning this, so that = departing=20 the present life I might have perfect confidence, and that I = might=20 not die in sorrow, despairing over the correction of the = Church.

I, your Holy Eminence, first of all thank your great = holiness for=20 the praises which you have spoken of me; for, having desired = to show=20 me favor, you have testified of me such great things as I do = not=20 possess, and I am convinced that this is not even near to = me. But=20 this proceeds from the height of goodness and virtue and = wisdom of=20 your great holiness, in which I myself, seeing it from the=20 beginning, have not ceased to delight even to the present = time, as=20 is indeed owing in relation to your great holiness, as a = father and=20 teacher and preceptor; and being directed, as by a rule, by = your=20 perfect understanding of the dogmas and the justness of the=20 judgments which you have accepted and with which I am in = accord, and=20 likewise rejecting without doubt what is not in accord with = your=20 judgment, I have never refused to fulfill my duty as a son = and=20 disciple in relation to your great holiness. You, your great = holiness, are yourself a witness to this. You know that I = have=20 always acted thus toward you, and revealing the deeper = feelings of=20 my convictions, I have given you these vows.

Concerning the fact that earlier I did not step out = openly into=20 the battle which your great holiness was waging, but kept = silent, no=20 one knows better the reason for this than your great = holiness, for I=20 often confided my arguments to you and sincerely opened my = heart=20 concerning this and begged forgiveness, and I was not = deprived of=20 it. But now, with God's help, I have come to despise this, = and have=20 made myself a sincere and open defender of the Truth, in = order=20 fearlessly to proclaim the dogmas of my Fathers and the = perfection=20 of Orthodoxy, in accordance with the view of your greatest = holiness.=20 I say this not because I see you already taken from hence, = for we=20 have not abandoned our last hopes, but we hope in God that = you will=20 recover from your infirmity and will be with us and will = labor=20 together in this. If, however, by the judgments known to = God, you=20 will depart from hence to that place of rest which you have = prepared=20 for yourself, and if by reason also of our unworthiness you = will go=20 there where you are worthy to dwell,=E2=80=94then, affirming = absolutely, I=20 say to you before God and the Holy Angels who now stand = invisibly=20 before us, and before the many and worthy men here present, = that in=20 everything I shall be in place of you and in place of your = tongue,=20 and of that with which you burned and which you handed down = with=20 love, I myself, both defending and offering to all, will = betray=20 absolutely nothing, but will fight for it to the end, at the = risk of=20 blood and death. And although my experience and strength are = small,=20 I am nonetheless convinced that your great holiness will = fill in my=20 insufficiency with the God-pleasing prayers characteristic = of you,=20 both now when you are here with us, and when you shall have=20 departed.

From Orthodox Word, vol III, pp. 89-106. For = further=20 reading on St. Mark see:

St. Mark of Ephesus and the False Union of Florence

Part III of His Life

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by Archimandrite Amvrossy Pogodin

VI. THE CONCLUSION OF THE UNION

V. AFTER THE COUNCIL

VIII. THE DEATH OF ST. MARK

IX. COMMEMORATION AND MIRACLES OF ST. MARK

Endnotes

ADDRESS OF ST. MARK OF EPHESUS ON THE DAY OF HIS DEATH =