The Union of Lyon (1274-1281):

Michel Stavrou's article focuses on the Union of Lyon (1274-1281), an episode in the history of relations between the Byzantine and Latin Churches that has remained largely unknown. Through a historical and theological study, the author analyzes the conditions under which this agreement was reached, primarily under the political impetus of the Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos, who was concerned with protecting his empire against Western threats. The article examines the weakness of the doctrinal preparation for this union, the brutality of its partial implementation in Constantinople, and the resistance it provoked among the defenders of Orthodoxy. It also retraces the circumstances of its abandonment in 1281, as a result of the combined opposition of Orthodox confessors and the disengagement of Pope Martin IV. The contribution of the article lies in shedding light on the distortions that any political instrumentalization of ecumenical dialogue can generate.