Saint Gennadius Scholarius, patriarch of Constantinople. “A brief apology against the opponents of union” (introduction to the publication and translation)

To the reader is presented the translation of the apologetic work of St. Gennadius Scholarius against the Florentine Union. The polemicist appeals to a wide mass of ordinary believers, wishing to strengthen their commitment to Orthodox dogma in the context of the active preaching of Uniatism by the imperial authorities. In his apologetics, Scholarius relies on the Conciliar tradition of the Byzantine Church and emphasizes the universal authority of Orthodox teaching as opposed to «Latin», and also solves the main difficulties concerning support of Roman Catholic teachings by patristic sources. At the same time, despite the popular nature of this work, St. Gennady does not stoop to populism.