This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
The North Star
253

the Celtic church has looked to its Roman mother. And now that Constantinople would be a New Rome to the Church, as well as to the world, it were well for our Northern church to hold fast to the Roman See, even as the Saxons and the Celts have done. The Celts, dearly as they love all that was brought to them by Patrick, obediently gave up the day he named for the Easter celebration, and accepted the day that Rome has given. We need to stand fast, for the Eastern church, since the days of the rebellious Photius, has been drifting away from us. Our Northern church is in a perilous place, and must struggle bravely, for we have been betrayed by the East and are isolated from the West. Now the Patriarch Sergius has incited the Greek Catholics at Constantinople to revolt against Gregory. He desires to be called the Ecumenical of the East, whereas Gregory, the Pope, is Ecumenical of the whole Christian world.”

“I have ever held firm faith to Rome,” Olaf said, “and in this dissension my voice is with Gregory. When I went in my youth to Russia, I brought the faith of Christ to King Vladimir, who is now named as an apostle for his zeal, and he too turned to Rome and was always obedient to the Pope. The Christian rulers whom I do most reverence and would be like were faithful to the See of Peter. There was Charlemagne! I would I could journey to Rome and kneel at the feet of Gregory, as Charlemagne knelt to Leo, when the Byzantine dominion was given to the West,