Page:Orthodox Eastern Church (Fortescue).djvu/429

Rh 7. The Immaculate Conception.

This dogma, too, they now deny. Lord Anthimos declared that the "Church of the Seven Councils" had defined that there is only one immaculate conception, that of Christ, and that the "Papic Church" defines in opposition the immaculate conception of his blessed Mother as well. This is absolutely false. The Church of the Seven Councils, that is, the Catholic Church down to the year 787, defined nothing on this subject at all. We have seen that the feast of our Lady's conception came to us from the East, and we have seen, too, how some of the Greek Fathers already imply that her conception was holy and free from original sin (p. 107). After the schism some of their theologians taught this doctrine plainly. Isidore Glabas, Metropolitan of Thessalonica († c. 1393), writes: "The all-pure Virgin, as is right, alone can refuse to apply to herself the words of the royal prophet, she alone can say: I was not conceived in iniquity, and again: My mother did not conceive me in sin; this privilege is contained in the great things done to me by him who is mighty." Metrophanes Kritopulos was the first person in the East who formally denied the immaculate conception, but others still defended it until the definition of 1854 seemed a sufficient reason to these people, who generally are so jealous of the privileges and honour of the all-holy Mother of God, for entirely rejecting what a Roman Pope had declared.

8. Modern Orthodox Theology.

There are other points in which the Orthodox differ from us in questions of rite which involve dogma, such as the administration of baptism and extreme unction, and which may, therefore, be discussed in the next chapter (pp. 420-425). They have had heated theological discussions, such as the question of frequent communion at Mount Athos in the 18th century, the