[Mad Dawg]

at that point in time, Rome was of the opinion that Orthodoxy was not part of The Church whose boundries were co-extensive with the bishops in communion with Rome only.

Caution, I have not had my coffee yet. This is a side note: WHen I did Aquinas on the Sacrament I seem to recall that he acknowledged the validity of Orthodox orders. So whatever we thought of you, I'd venture to say that we didn't think you weren't in the sho' 'nuff Church. Or maybe Aquinas wasn't representative?

[Kolokotronis]

"WHen I did Aquinas on the Sacrament I seem to recall that he acknowledged the validity of Orthodox orders."

Could be; I've never heard that.

"Or maybe Aquinas wasn't representative?"

That's certainly possible. Aquinas wasn't representative of a lot of what the Latin Church believed both before and after his death, the Immaculate Conception for example.

I think you will find that for many centuries, Rome looked at the Orthodox as being wholly outside the Church because our bishops were not in communion with the pope and would not submit to his claimed universal immediate jurisdiction.