Ninth Century

Holy Roman Emperor, Conversions in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe

            Charlemagne (Charles the Great, c. 742-814) is crowned the first "Holy Roman Emperor" by Pope St. Leo III at St. Peters in Rome on Christmas day of the year 800. The Holy Roman Empire only becomes formally established in the next century, but it is implicit in the title given to Charlemagne. He becomes the ruler of a confederation of Germanic tribes and threatens the power of the emperor of Constantinople. The Pope, St. Leo III, by crowning him "Emperor of Rome in the West" was setting himself up as the spiritual master of Europe. The Pope could make kings and emperors; it was taken by some as a tacit declaration of the Church's primacy over secular authority. Many bishops became temporal lords or princes. The only functionaries whose authority was comparable with that of the bishop were the dukes and the counts, representatives of the king. In certain districts the preeminence showed itself clearly in favor of the bishop.

            St. Anskar (801-865), "Apostle of the North," lays foundation for Christianity in Scandinavia.

            St. Cyril and St. Methodius, the "Apostles of the Slavs," work in Moravia and invent an alphabet for the Slavs. Significant missionary efforts make further inroads among heathen peoples of Eastern Europe.

            St. Alfred the Great is King of Wessex in England. He translated Christian writings into the language of the common people, set up a palace school and founded two monasteries. He devoted half his time and money to religious purposes.

            Photius (c. 820-895), a renowned scholar and layman is made Patriarch of Constantinople in 858. His conflicts with the Pope and Rome over spiritual jurisdiction and doctrine ("filioque controversy") foreshadow deepening rift and eventual split between churches in East and West in the 11th century.

Saints:
            Saint Anskar:  His mission began c. 826 in Schleswig and ended the following year with Harald's defeat. Bjorn of Sweden later permitted Anskar to preach in Sweden, where he established the first church in Scandinavia at Björnskö. Louis named Anskar first bishop of Hamburg in 831, and the following year, Gregory IV appointed him papal legate to the Scandinavians. The Swedish mission collapsed in 845, after Vikings destroyed Hamburg. Appointed Archbishop of Bremen in 851, Anskar renewed his missionary work and converted Haarik II of Sweden. Anskar did as much as he could to alleviate the harsh conditions of the Viking slave trade. He also founded hospitals. Nicholas I canonized Anskar shortly after his death.

            Saints Cyril and Methodius: Saint Cyril was born in Thessalonica and educated in Constantinople. He accompanied his brother Methodius to Moravia (Czech Republic) to preach the faith. They both prepared Slavic liturgical texts in what would subsequently be known as the Cyrillic alphabet. Both were summoned to Rome where Cyril died on February 14, 869, while Methodius was consecrated bishop and went to Pannonia where he tirelessly preached the Gospel. Though suffering much from detractors, he received assistance from the Roman Pontiffs. Methodius died on April 6, 885 in Velehrad, Czechoslovakia.

            St. Alfred the Great: King of Wessex, scholar, and renowned Christian monarch. Alfred was born in 849, the fifth son of the Wessex king. During a journey to Rome in 853, he was accepted as a godson by Pope Leo IV. He was a great scholar, translating classics for his people, and early on seemed destined for a career in the Church. Instead, he became king and was forced to spend most of his reign in conflict with the Danes who were then threatening England. His work as a patron of the arts, literature, and especially the Church made him a beloved figure in England.

             St. Adalbert of Prague: Opposition to the Good News of Jesus did not discourage Adalbert, who is now remembered with great honor in the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Germany. Born to a noble family in Bohemia, he received part of his education from St. Adalbert of Magdeburg. At the age of 27 he was chosen as bishop of Prague. Those who resisted his program of clerical reform forced him into exile eight years later. In time the people of Prague requested his return as their bishop. Within a short time, however, he was exiled again after excommunicating those who violated the right of sanctuary by dragging a woman accused of adultery from a church and murdering her. After a short ministry in Hungary, he went to preach the Good News to people living near the Baltic Sea. He and two companions were martyred by pagan priests in that region. Adalbert's body was immediately ransomed and buried in Gniezno cathedral (Poland). In the mid-11th century his body was moved to St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague.

Heresies

            Greek Schism:  Its origin (858) dates from the time of Photius, a high official in the civil service of the Byzantine government, distinguished for his learning and literary taste. The Greek Orthodox Church or, more correctly, the Orthodox Eastern Church, Greek-Russian, denies the supremacy of the Pope, holds that the Catholic Church erred in prescribing celibacy for the clergy, and teaches that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father alone. This independent church is the result of what is known in history as the "Greek Schism". In 858, on the deposition of Ignatius, Photius was hurried through all the ecclesiastical degrees and installed by the Emperor Michael III as Patriarch of Constantinople. Pope Nicholas I objected to the irregularities of Photius’ elevation, and convoked a council at Rome which deposed and excommunicated him. Photius then gave the conflict a doctrinal turn and brought about conditions that paved the way for the Great Schism between the Eastern and Western Churches in the 11th century.
Photius was deposed and sent into exile several times, the last being in 886, and a few years later died in an Armenian monastery. The schism commenced by him, although suppressed several times, continues to the present day.