Znaczenie rzymskich wspólnot chrześcijańskich i ich biskupa dla całego Kościoła w pierwszych trzech wiekach chrześcijaństwa

Abstract

While a professor in Regensburg, Pope Benedict XVI highly evaluated the importance of Christian antiquity in the process of integrating Christians. The idea of primacy shaped during the first millenium of Christianity should be respected by the Orthodox Christians. That is why emphasizing the value of first Christian communities and their bishop in Rome has a strong ecumenical dimension for the Church of the first thousand years of Christianity. What contributes to this high position of the main ancient Churches is their political rank, the presence and activity of the Apostles in particular cities, high number of the faithful in particular communities, intensiveness of their missionary actions and the qualifications of their bishops. These criteria of importance of the chief apostolic sees are analysed against main events of the 1st-3rd A.D. The article stresses the fact of raising importance of the Roman Church, its high religious and spiritual significance till the half of the 2nd century, Rome as a place following privileged tradition (from the 2nd half of the 2nd century) and, at the third stage of development, other episcopal sees (Antioch, Alexandria, Carthagine) which from the half of the 3rd century pave the way to establishing their own communion centres. The same period marks Rome’s attempts to precise the canon of the New Testament and designate the borders of the Church. Another important events include the main Churches’ (Rome, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Caesarea, Ephesus) disputes over Easter, heretics and the case of Paul of Samosate. In all these aspects the importance of the main Episcopal see in Rome and its cooperation with other main ancient Churches is clearly visible.