Byzantine Usage
Over time, the word came to mean the civilized world, and to be synonymous with the Roman Empire. This usage continued after the division of the Empire into East and West, and the Byzantine Emperors would use the term to describe their imperial administration. Constantinople itself came to be known as the "Ecumenical City". The word was adopted within Christianity, especially for Synods called by the Emperors and composed of bishops throughout the world (see Ecumenical Councils).
In the year 586, the Emperor Maurice bestowed the title of Ecumenical Patriarch on the Patriarch of Constantinople. The intended meaning was that the Patriarch of Constantinople was the bishop of the imperial capital. Due to a mistranslation from the Greek into Latin, this led to a conflict between the patriarch at the time, St. John the Faster, and St. Gregory the Great over the use of the term. Gregory misunderstood the title as implying a universal jurisdiction and authority for the Patriarch of Constantinople. In Gregory's Epistle V:xviii he reproves Patriarch John for having "attempted to seize upon a new name, whereby the hearts of all your brethren might have come to take offence," not knowing that John had not desired the title, and not understanding its intent. The Patriarch of Constantinople still bears this title to this day.
Read more about this topic: Ecumene
Famous quotes containing the word usage:
“I am using it [the word ‘perceive’] here in such a way that to say of an object that it is perceived does not entail saying that it exists in any sense at all. And this is a perfectly correct and familiar usage of the word.”
—A.J. (Alfred Jules)