Pope Clement VI (1342-1352).
An Armenian priest.Pope Clement VI
gave a very general permission
to Armenian priests
who had returned to the Catholic Church
to administer the sacraments among the schismatics,
not in approval of their schism,
- this is stated -
but to lead them back to obedience to the true Church.
(Source: Codificazione Canonica Orientale, Fonti, Serie III, Vol., IX, p. 150, n. 309).
This might require some clarification.
ReplyDeleteIn the 14-15th centuries, there was considerable doubt (on both sides) if the Armenian Church had formally broken communion with Rome.
There were some (again on both sides) who didn't consider a schism existed, and some who did.
At one point, about the 15th century, it seemed that the almost the entire hierarchy of the Armenian Church was in communion with Rome. It was at this time that the Western mitre (wtihout infulae) was adopted by Armenian bishops.
It's a confusing story...