QUOTES SUPPOSEDLY SHOWING THE POPE IS HEAD OF THE CHURCH
The texts below describe how it was considered best to have the pope as administrator of the Church. That is all. They apply to their time. Nothing changes the fact that this became impractical or that Peter never ruled the Church from Rome. They say the Pope can step down so how do they know that even if Peter went to Rome that he was still pope? If Jesus meant that Peter would be rock he did not say he would always be rock. It may have been temporary. And how could Peter be rock when his role as pope in Rome is based on legend? That is not a rock. That is sand.
Even with the material below, you see that some of it might pass for SOME in the early Church regarding the bishop of Rome in the Catholic sense. The material is too sparse and that shows there is something amiss with current Catholic theology that insists on the pope having been Vicar of Christ and head of the Church from Peter's time.
"He passed over his fall, and appointed him first of the Apostles; wherefore He
said: 'Simon, Simon,' etc. (in Ps. cxxix. 2). God allowed him to fall, because
He meant to make him ruler over the whole world... that, remembering his own
fall, he might forgive those who should slip in the future." Saint John
Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople (c. 387), Father and Doctor of the
Church (Chrys, Hom. quod frequenter conveniendum sit 5, cf. Hom 73 in Joan 5).
"Peter, set above the Apostles." Saint Peter, Bishop of Alexandria
(306-311)(Peter of Alexandria, Canon. ix, Galland, iv. p. 98)
"Moses was succeeded by Peter, who had committed to his hands the new Church of
Christ, and the true priesthood." Saint Macarius of Egypt (371) (Macarius, Hom.
xxvi. n. 23, p. 101)
"(Peter), the foundation of the Church, the Coryphaeus of the choir of the
Apostles, the vehement lover of Christ ...he who ran throughout the whole world,
who fished the whole world; this holy Coryphaeus of the blessed choir; the
ardent disciple, who was entrusted with the keys of heaven, who received the
spiritual revelation. Peter, the mouth of all Apostles, the head of that
company, the ruler of the whole world. Saint John Chrysostom, Patriarch of
Constantinople (c. 387), Father and Doctor of the Church (De Eleemos, iii. 4;
Hom. de decem mille tal. 3)
"And why, then, passing by the others, does He converse with Peter on these
things? (John 21:15). He was the chosen one of the Apostles, and the mouth of
the disciples, and the leader of the choir. On this account, Paul also went up
on a time to see him rather than the others (Galatians 1:18). And withal, to
show him that he must thenceforward have confidence, as the denial was done away
with, He puts into his hands the presidency over the brethren. And He brings not
forward the denial, nor reproaches him with what had past, but says, 'If you
love me, preside over the brethren ...and the third time He gives him the same
injunction, showing what a price He sets the presidency over His own sheep. And
if one should say, 'How then did James receive the throne of Jerusalem?,' this I
would answer that He appointed this man (Peter) teacher, not of that throne, but
of the whole world." Saint John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople (c.
387), Father and Doctor of the Church (Chrysostom, In Joan. Hom. 1xxxviii. n. 1,
tom. viii)
"Yielding honor to the Apostolic See and to Your Holiness, and honoring your
Holiness, as one ought to honor a father, we have hastened to subject all the
priests of the whole Eastern district, and to unite them to the See of your
Holiness, for we do not allow of any point, however manifest and indisputable it
be, which relates to the state of the Churches, not being brought to the
cognizance of your Holiness, since you are the Head of all the holy Churches."
Emperor Justinian (520-533), writing to the Pope (Justinian Epist. ad. Pap.
Joan. ii. Cod. Justin. lib. I. tit. 1).
"They (the Apostles) strove to learn through one, that preeminent one, Peter."
-Saint Cyril of Alexandria (c. 424) (Cyril, Ib. 1. ix. p. 736).
"Let your Apostleship show that you have worthily succeeded to the Apostle
Peter, since the Lord will work through you, as Supreme Pastor, the salvation of
all." Emperor Justinian (520-533) (Coll. Avell. Ep. 196, July 9th, 520,
Justinian to Pope Hormisdas).
"I therefore beseech your holiness to persuade the most holy and blessed bishop
(Pope Leo) to use his Apostolic power, and to order me to hasten to your
Council. For that most holy throne (Rome) has the sovereignty over the churches
throughout the universe on many grounds."
-Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus in Syria (450) (Theodoret, Tom. iv. Epist. cxvi. Renato, p. 1197).
"If Paul, the herald of the truth, the trumpet of the Holy Spirit, hastened to
the great Peter, to convey from him the solution to those in Antioch, who were
at issue about living under the law, how much more do we, poor and humble, run
to the Apostolic Throne (Rome) to receive from you (Pope Leo) healing for wounds
of the Churches. For it pertains to you to have primacy in all things; for your
throne is adorned with many prerogatives."
-Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus in Syria (450) (Theodoret Ibid, Epistle Leoni)
"Neither to John, nor to any other of the disciples, did our Savior say, 'I will
give to thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven,' but only to Peter."
-Eulogius of Alexandria (581) (Eulogius, Lib. ii. Cont. Novatian. ap. Photium,
Biblioth, cod. 280)
"...For he only speaks in vain who thinks he ought to persuade or entrap persons
like myself, and does not satisfy and implore the blessed Pope of the most holy
Catholic Church of the Romans, that is, the Apostolic See, which is from the
incarnate of the Son of God Himself, and also all the holy synods, according to
the holy canons and definitions has received universal and supreme dominion,
authority, and power of binding and loosing over all the holy churches of God
throughout the whole world."
-Saint Maximus the Confessor (c. 650) (Maximus, Letter to Peter, in Mansi x,
692).
"Without whom (the Romans presiding in the seventh Council) a doctrine brought
forward in the Church could not, even though confirmed by canonical decrees and
by ecclesiastical usage, ever obtain full approval or currency. For it is they
(the Popes of Rome) who have had assigned to them the rule in sacred things, and
who have received into their hands the dignity of headship among the Apostles."
Saint Nicephorus, Patriarch of Constantinople (758-828) (Nicephorus, Niceph.
Cpl. pro. s. imag. c 25 [Mai N. Bibl. pp. ii. 30]).
"Since to great Peter, Christ our Lord gave the office of Chief Shepherd after
entrusting him with the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, to Peter or his successor
must of necessity every novelty in the Catholic Church be referred. [Therefore],
save us, oh most divine Head of Heads, Chief Shepherd of the Church of Heaven."
-Saint Theodore the Studite of Constantinople (759-826), writing to Pope Leo III
(Theodore, Bk. I. Ep. 23)
"Hear, O Apostolic Head, divinely-appointed Shepherd of Christ's sheep,
keybearer of the Kingdom of Heaven, Rock of the Faith upon whom the Catholic
Church is built. For Peter art thou, who adornest and governest the Chair of
Peter..." -Saint Theodore the Studite of Constantinople (759-826), writing to
Pope Paschal (Letter of St. Theodore and four other Abbots to Pope Paschal, Bk.
ii Ep. 12, Patr. Graec. 99, 1152-3)
"Order that the declaration from old Rome be received, as was the custom by
Tradition of our Fathers from of old and from the beginning. For this, O
Emperor, is the highests of the Churches of God, in which first Peter held the
Chair, to whom the Lord said: Thou art Peter ...and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it."
-Saint Theodore the Studite of Constantinople (759-826), writing to Emperor
Michael (Theodore, Bk. II. Ep. 86)
"I witness now before God and men, they have torn themselves away from the Body
of Christ, from the Supreme See (Rome), in which Christ placed the keys of the
Faith, against which the gates of hell (I mean the mouth of heretics) have not
prevailed, and never will until the Consummation, according to the promise of
Him Who cannot lie. Let the blessed and Apostolic Paschal (Pope St. Paschal I)
rejoice therefore, for he has fulfilled the work of Peter."
-Saint Theodore the Studite of Constantinople (759-826), (Theodore Bk. II. Ep.
63).
"In truth we have seen that a manifest successor of the prince of the Apostles
presides over the Roman Church. We truly believe that Christ has not deserted
the Church here (Constantinople), for assistance from you has been our one and
only aid from of old and from the beginning by the providence of God in the
critical times. You are, indeed the untroubled and pure fount of orthodoxy from
the beginning, you the calm harbor of the whole Church, far removed from the
waves of heresy, you the God-chosen city of refuge."
-Saint Theodore the Studite of Constantinople (759-826) (Letter of St. Theodore
and Four Abbots to Pope Paschal).
"Let him (Patriarch Nicephorus of Constantinople) assemble a synod of those with
whom he has been at variance, if it is impossible that representatives of the
other Patriarchs should be present, a thing which might certainly be if the
Emperor should wish the Western Patriarch (the Roman Pope) to be present, to
whom is given authority over an ecumenical synod; but let him make peace and
union by sending his synodical letters to the prelate of the First See."
-Saint Theodore the Studite of Constantinople (759-826) (Theodore the Studite,
Patr. Graec. 99, 1420)
