Second--That one of them assembled in the East, viz: in
Constantinople; and, Third--That in every one of them the Oriental and the
Western Bishops met for the purpose of reunion.

The Eighth General Council, held in Constantinople in 869, contains the
following solemn profession of faith: "Salvation primarily depends upon
guarding the rule of right faith. And since we cannot pass over the words
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who says, 'Thou art Peter, and on this rock I
will build My Church,' what was said is confirmed by facts, because in the
Apostolic See the Catholic religion has always been preserved immaculate,
and holy doctrine has been proclaimed. Not wishing, then, to be separated
from this faith and doctrine, we hope to merit to be in the one communion
which the Apostolic See preaches, in which See is the full and true
solidity of the Christian religion."

This Council clearly declares that _immaculate doctrine_ has always _been
preserved and preached in the Roman See_. But how could this be said of
her, if the Roman See ever fell into error, and how could that See be
preserved from error, if the Roman Pontiffs presiding over it ever erred
in faith?

In the Second General Council of Lyons (1274), the Greek Bishops made the
following profession of faith: "The holy Roman Church possesses full
primacy and principality over the universal Catholic Church, which
primacy, with the plenitude of power, she truly and humbly acknowledges to
have received from our Lord Himself, in the person of Blessed Peter,
Prince or Head of the Apostles, whose successor the Roman Pontiff is; and
as the Roman See, above all others, is bound to defend the truth of faith,
so, also, _if any questions on faith arise, they ought to be defined by
her judgment_."

Here the Council of Lyons avows that the Roman Pontiffs have the power to
determine definitely, and without appeal, any questions of faith which may
arise in the Church; in other words, the Council acknowledges them to be
the supreme and infallible arbiters of faith.

"We define," says the Council of Florence (1439), at which also were
present the Bishops of the Greek and the Latin Church, "we define that the
Roman Pontiff is the successor of the Blessed Peter, Prince of the
Apostles, and _the true Vicar of Christ, the Head_ of the whole Church,
the Father and Doctor of all Christians, and we declare that to him, in
the person of Blessed Peter, was given, by Jesus Christ our Savior, fu