Yes, that is very helpful. Thank you very much for your answer. The way you described the "first among equals" idea reminded me of the Chief Justice of the SCOTUS. He has some additional administrative functions and has some extra influence over some things, but he still has only one vote. Is that a fair or accurate comparison? So if the Bishop of Constantinople is like this, then the Bishop of Rome is really more like a king?
One of the objections of the Orthodox is that papism became caesaropapism -- imperial papism; that the Pope assumed powers and honors of a King, Prince of Apostles, a Viccar of Christ, and all that, whereas the popesuntil the end of the 4th century simple called themselves "Bishop of Rome."
Technically speaking, the Pope presides over the College of Cardinals (a Synod of Bishops) and has one vote, but he also has a preprogative no other bishop has -- to proclaim dogma ex-cathedra and to ask no one for approval.
Kolokotronis has in the past posted the famous "Dictatus Papae" which the catholic Church never officially accepted but in practice there were elements of such rule.
The move by +Benedict XVI that seems to aim to decentralize and reorganize the western Church according to the patristic model (once again) is aimed at making the pope "primus inter pares" by choice and not by divine right (which he may have -- but not in the jurisdictional sense).