WI: Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome?

The idea of the Pentarchy was rarely a reality due to the various conflicting claims for the each seat based on sectarian lines. Even today, there are four overlapping Alexandrian Patriarchs (Coptic Catholic, Coptic Orthodox, Melkite Greek Catholic, Eastern Orthodox) and five Antiochean Patriarchs (Melkite Greek, Syriac Maronite, Syriac Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox). What would happen if, early in the timeline of Christianity in the Byzantine Empire, a schism in the Church lead to the creation of a separate Eastern Orthodox patriarch in Rome rivaling the claim of the Pope? Their see would cover Italy in name but most likely would be whatever areas Byzantium still controlled in practice like the Mezzogiorno, Ravenna, and Venice. Is this viable at all? What are the ramifications of such a development on Christianity as a whole?
 
I believe that for this you need a Rhomaic (Byzantine) hold of portions of Italy at least. Should Charlemagne and Pippin give Latium and Romagna to the Pope,then surely the Orthoodx Patriarch of Rome will not reside in neither of these areas. Most probably, he would nhave resided either in Venice, or in Calabria or Apulia. Anyhow, his very eistence would have slowed down the latinization of the Mezzogiorno/ Magna Grecia
 
Back then, there could only be one. They may briefly overlap, but such a major schism could only result in one side ousting the other and laying sole claim to Rome.

Not that I can easily imagine a scenario for that.
 
Top