The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

134 THE FAITH OF OUR FATHERS.conclude that the supremacy of Rome over all thechurches is an undeniable fact.Let me give you a few illustrations :To begin with Pope St. Clement, who was thethird successor of St. Peter, and who is laudablymentioned by St. Paul in one of his Epistles. Somedissension and scandal having occurred in the churchof Corinth, the matter isbrought to the notice ofPope Clement. He at once exercises his supremeauthority by writing letters of remonstrance and admonition to the Corinthians. And so great was thereverence entertained for these Epistles, by thefaithful of Corinth, that for a century later it wascustomary to have them publicly read in theirchurches. Why did the Corinthians appeal to Romefaraway in the West, and not to Ephesus so nearhome in the East, where the Apostle St. Johnstill lived? Evidently because the jurisdiction ofEphesus was local, while that of Rome was universal.About the year 190, the question regarding theproper day for celebrating Easter was agitated inthe East, and referred to Pope St. Victor I. TheEastern church generally celebrated Easter on theday on which the Jews kept the Passover ;while inthe West it was observed then, as it is now, on thefirstSunday after the full moon of the vernal equinox.St. Victor directs the Eastern churches, for thesake of uniformity, to conform to the practice of thfWest, and his instructions are universally followed.