I find some interesting parallels between the relationship of David and Saul compared to the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches. I will not go so far as to say the Great Schism is prefigured in our reading today, but there are some interesting parallels none-the-less.
We say the Great Schism occurred in the year 1054, when Cardinal Humbert, a papal representative, placed a bull of excommunication on the altar of the Hagia Sophia against Patriarch Michael Cerularius of Constantinople, leading to Cerularius excommunicating Humbert in return.
Keep in mind the Hagia Sophia was the mother Church of the Byzantine Church similar to how the Basilica of Saint John Lanteran is the mother Church of the Roman Church. Having said all of that, I prefer to not look at the Great Schism as a one time event, but rather an evolution of events that occurred over several centuries.
In 330, Constantine moved the capital of the empire from Rome to a city called Byzantium, which he rebuilt and renamed Constantinople…naming it after himself.
Constantine also wanted the head of the Church moved to Constantinople, but Pope Sylvester I refused to move from the original ancient patriarchate founded by Peter. There were three other original patriarchates: Jerusalem, founded by James; Antioch, also founded by Peter; and Alexandria founded by Mark.
Similar to the growing estrangement between David and Saul, there was an attempt to quell the growing estrangement between Rome and Constantinople. The Council of Chalcedon officially recognized Constantinople as a patriarchate in line with the original patriarchates.
The well intentioned gesture did not really work. Once declared a patriarchate in line with the original patriarchates, Constantinople effectively abandoned Rome, leaving the Pope defenseless.
Thus, on Christmas Day, the year 800, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne, "Emperor of the Romans" in Saint Peter's Basilica, reviving the Western Roman Empire and creating the Holy Roman Empire.
Fast forward to the point of the story where the high priest gives David the “holy bread” and a powerful weapon in the “Sword of Goliath”, it was during this period of the Great Schism, two things happen:
First, the Holy Roman Empire, particularly the Knights Templar, became a powerful weapon for the Catholic Church. In 1129, the Council of Troyes officially recognized the Templars as a military order.
Second, in 1215, Pope Innocent III called the Fourth Lateran Council . This council dogmatized the teaching of transubstantiation, confirming once-and-for-all that the Eucharist is truly the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ….holy bread indeed.
This leads to the next parallel, as we read today, David could have easily killed Saul, but chose not to. There were a number of clashes between the Holy Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire during the Second and Third crusades.
In the Third Crusade, the Holy Roman Empire had a treaty with the Byzantine Empire to allow safe passage to the Holy Land. Despite the treaty, Byzantine forces attacked in 1189. The Holy Roman Empire won a decisive victory. They could have easily continued on to take Constantinople, crushing the Byzantine Empire, but chose not to.
This is one example where the true prefigurement breaks down as the Holy Roman Empire would temporarily occupy the Byzantine empire during the Fourth Crusade (in 1204)…temporarily meaning ~60 years.
The point of the parallel is that David and Saul separated definitely, more over pride, power, and other factors related to human weakness than anything theological. Similarly, the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches remain in schism.
Many theological reasons are often cited for the separation, but understanding the history paints a more complete picture of the non-theological reasons why the separation persists.
Further, the Eastern Catholic Churches are proof the theological reasons cited are very reconcilable as most of them were part of the Orthodox schism and have subsequently come back into full communion with Rome.
Politically, neither the Byzantine Empire, nor the Holy Roman Empire, exists today. So, where is the path to unity?
At the end of November, Pope Leo XIV and Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople met for the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea. While in Nicaea, both patriarchs signed a joint declaration affirming their commitment to achieving communion between the two churches.
Pope Leo said, “We are all invited to overcome the scandal of divisions.” He urged Christians to nurture “the desire for unity for which the Lord Jesus prayed and gave his life.”
As we complete this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, let’s pray, fast, and give alms for the full unification of both lungs of the Church.
In our division and in our pride, have mercy on us, God, have mercy.
Thanks be to God!
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