Kiliziya na Leta mu bwami bwa Byzance

UWASHINZE Ubukristo yagaragaje mu buryo busobanutse neza cyane itandukaniro rikomeye ryagombaga kuba hagati y’abigishwa be n’isi y’abantu bitandukanyije n’Imana. Yesu yabwiye abigishwa be ati “iyo muba ab’isi, ab’isi baba babakunze: ariko kuko mutari ab’isi, ahubwo nabatoranyije mu b’isi, ni cyo gituma ab’isi babanga” (Yohana 15:19). Yesu yabwiye Pilato, wari uhagarariye ubutegetsi bwa politiki bwo mu gihe cye, ati “ubwami bwanjye si ubw’iyi si.”—Yohana 18:36.

Kugira ngo Abakristo basohoze inshingano bahawe yo kubwiriza “kugeza ku mpera y’isi,” bagombaga kwirinda kurangazwa n’ibintu byo mu isi (Ibyakozwe 1:8). Kimwe na Yesu, Abakristo ba mbere ntibivangaga muri politiki (Yohana 6:15). Byarigaragazaga ko Abakristo bizerwa batajyaga mu myanya y’ubuyobozi bw’abaturage cyangwa ngo babe abategetsi. Amaherezo ariko, ibyo byaje guhinduka.

 “Ab’Isi”

Hashize igihe runaka nyuma y’aho uwa nyuma mu ntumwa apfiriye, abayobozi ba kidini batangiye guhindura ku bwende ibitekerezo bari bafite ku birebana n’isano umwanya wabo wari ufitanye n’isi. Batangiye gutekereza “ubwami” butabaga mu isi gusa, ahubwo nanone bukaba bwari bumwe mu bigize isi. Gusuzuma ukuntu idini na politiki byaje kwivanga mu bwami bwa Byzance—ni ukuvuga Ubwami bwa Roma bw’i Burasirazuba, bwari bufite umurwa mukuru i Byzance, (ubu akaba ari Istanbul)—biri butume tumenya byinshi.

Mu muryango w’abantu aho idini ryamye rigira uruhare rukomeye mu mibereho yabo, Kiliziya yo mu bwami bwa Byzance yari ifite icyicaro gikuru i Byzance, yari ifite ububasha bukomeye. Umuhanga mu by’amateka ya Kiliziya witwa Panayotis Christou, yigeze kuvuga ati “abaturage bo mu bwami bwa Byzance batekerezaga ko ubwami bwabo bwo ku isi bwari ishusho y’Ubwami bw’Imana.” Icyakora, abategetsi b’ibwami bo si ko buri gihe babaga babona ibintu batyo. Ibyo byatumaga rimwe na rimwe Kiliziya na Leta bigirana amakimbirane. Igitabo cyitwa The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium, kigira kiti “abepisikopi ba Constantinople [cyangwa Byzance] bagiye bagaragaza imyifatire inyuranye cyane, hakubiyemo n’ubugwari bwo guhakirizwa ku mutegetsi ukomeye . . . , gufatanya n’umwami w’abami mu buryo busesuye . . . , no kurwanya ibyifuzo by’umwami w’abami bashize amanga.”

Umwepisikopi mukuru wa Constantinople, ari na ho hari icyicaro gikuru cya Kiliziya y’i Burasirazuba, yaje kuba umuntu ukomeye cyane. Ni we wimikaga umwami w’abami, bityo akaba yarabaga amwitezeho ko yazashyigikira Kiliziya ya Orutodogisi yivuye inyuma. Nanone kandi, umwepisikopi mukuru yabaga ari umukire cyane, kubera ko ari we wagenzuraga umutungo wa kiliziya wari utubutse. Ahanini ububasha bwe bwaturukaga ku kuba ari we wategekaga abihaye Imana batabarika,  nanone bugaturuka ku kuba yarabaga yarifatiye abayoboke basanzwe.

Umwepisikopi mukuru akenshi yabaga ashobora guhangara umwami w’abami. Yashoboraga kumukangisha ko azamufungira amasakaramentu, agategeka ko ibyo ashaka bikorwa mu izina ry’Imana, cyangwa agakoresha ubundi buryo bwose bwashoboraga gutuma abami b’abami bahirikwa.

Kubera ko ubutegetsi bwa leta bwakomezaga kugenda budohoka hanze y’umurwa mukuru, akenshi wasangaga abepisikopi bakuru ari bo bantu bakomeye cyane mu mijyi yabo, bafite ububasha bungana n’ubw’abategetsi b’intara, dore ko abo bepisikopi babaga baragize uruhare mu kubashyiraho. Abepisikopi babaga bari mu nkiko bakurikirana imanza bakivanga no mu bikorwa bya leta igihe cyose byabaga bireba kiliziya, ndetse n’igihe byabaga bitayireba. Ibyo byaterwaga n’uko abapadiri n’abandi bihaye Imana, abo bose bakaba barategekwaga n’abepisikopi bo mu karere k’iwabo, bageraga mu bihumbi bibarirwa muri za mirongo.

Politiki n’Ubusimoni

Nk’uko ibyo tubonye haruguru bibigaragaza, umurimo w’ubushumba waje kugera  ubwo uhoberana na politiki ku buryo bitashoboraga gutandukana. Byongeye kandi, umubare munini w’abayobozi ba kidini hamwe n’ibikorwa byabo byo mu rwego rw’idini, byose byasabaga amafaranga menshi. Abayobozi ba kiliziya bo mu rwego rwo hejuru biberaga mu iraha ry’akataraboneka. Uko kiliziya yagendaga igira ububasha n’amafaranga, ni na ko ibyo gusaba ko abihaye Imana babaho mu bukene kandi bakaba abera, byagendaga bicika. Abapadiri n’abepisikopi bamwe na bamwe bashyirwaga kuri uwo mwanya babanje gutanga amafaranga. Ubusimoni bwari bwiganje mu nzego zose, kugeza mu nzego zo hejuru cyane. Abihaye Imana babaga bashyigikiwe n’abantu bakize, bapiganirwaga imyanya ya kiliziya imbere y’umwami w’abami.

Nanone kandi, hari abatangaga ruswa kugira ngo bigarurire abayobozi bakuru ba kiliziya. Igihe Umwamikazi Zoe (wabayeho kuva mu wa 978 kugeza mu wa 1050 I.C.) yicishaga umugabo we Romanus wa III ashaka kurongorwa n’ihabara rye, ryari kuzaba umwami w’abami ryitwaga Michel wa IV, yatumije Umwepisikopi mukuru Alexis igitaraganya ngo aze mu ngoro y’ibwami. Uwo mwepisikopi mukuru agezeyo, yamenye ko Romanus yapfuye kandi ko bari biteze ko abasomera misa y’ishyingiranwa. Icyo kibazo nticyoroheye Alexis, kubera ko kiliziya yagombaga kwizihiza uwa Gatanu mutagatifu kuri uwo mugoroba. Ariko kandi, yemeye impano zitubutse yahawe n’umwamikazi maze amwemerera ibyo yasabaga.

Guhakirizwa ku Mwami w’Abami

Rimwe na rimwe mu mateka y’Ubwami bwa Byzance, umwami w’abami yakoreshaga ububasha yari afite bwo gushyiraho abantu mu gihe yabaga agomba guhitamo umwepisikopi mukuru wa Constantinople. Mu bihe nk’ibyo, nta muntu washoboraga kuba umwepisikopi mukuru cyangwa ngo atinde kuri uwo mwanya umwami w’abami atamushaka.

Umwami w’abami Andronic wa II (1260-1332) yasanze ari ngombwa guhindura abepisikopi bakuru incuro icyenda zose. Muri izo ncuro hafi ya zose, icyo yabaga agamije kwari ukugira ngo ku ntebe y’ubushumba ahashyire umukandida washoboraga kuzamwumvira kurusha abandi bose. Dukurikije uko igitabo cyitwa The Byzantines kibivuga, hari umwepisikopi umwe wasezeranyije umwami w’abami mu nyandiko “ko yari kuzajya akora icyo amusabye cyose, nubwo cyaba kinyuranyije n’amategeko gite, kandi ko yari kwirinda gukora ikintu icyo ari cyo cyose cyamubabaza.” Incuro ebyiri zose, abami b’abami bagerageje gutuma ibyo bashaka bikorwa muri kiliziya binyuriye mu kweza igikomangoma cyo mu muryango w’ibwami kugira ngo kizabe umwepisikopi mukuru. Umwami w’abami witwaga Romanus wa I yakujije umuhungu we witwaga Theophylact, umwana wari ufite imyaka 16 gusa, amugira umwepisikopi mukuru.

Iyo umwepisikopi mukuru yananirwaga gushimisha umwami w’abami, yamuhatiraga kwegura cyangwa agategeka sinodi kumusezerera. Igitabo cyitwa Byzantium kigira kiti “uko igihe cyagendaga gihita mu mateka y’ubwami bwa Byzance, abategetsi bakuru, ndetse n’ububasha butaziguye bw’Umwami w’abami, [byaje] kugira uruhare rukomeye cyane mu guhitamo abepisikopi bakuru.”

Nanone kandi, umwami w’abami yayoboraga imirimo y’inama z’abakuru ba kiliziya ari kumwe n’umwepisikopi mukuru. Ni we wayoboraga ibiganiro mpaka, agatanga ingingo z’amategeko arebana no kwizera, kandi yajyaga impaka n’abepisikopi kimwe n’ababaga baratandukiriye amahame ya kiliziya, izo mpaka zikaba zarabaga ari zo za nyuma, kuko nyuma y’aho yabamanikaga ku giti. Nanone, umwami w’abami ni we wemezaga amategeko yabaga yatorewe mu nama y’abepisikopi akaba ari na we ureba ko yubahirizwa. Abamusuzuguraga ntiyabahaniraga ko babaga basuzuguye umwami w’abami gusa, ahubwo yanabahaniraga ko babaga ari abanzi ba kiliziya n’ab’Imana. Umwepisikopi mukuru wo mu kinyejana cya gatandatu yagize ati “nta kintu na kimwe Umwami w’Abami adashaka kandi kinyuranyije n’amategeko ye kigomba gukorerwa muri  Kiliziya.” Abepisikopi bagendaga ibwami, bari abantu bashoboye guhakirizwa, bemeraga icyo avuze cyose, bashoboraga gukora ikintu cyose mu gihe babaga bagaragarijwe ikimenyetso cy’uko batoneshejwe kandi bakabisabwa mu buryo burangwa n’ubucakura, muri rusange ntibari bacyirirwa bagira icyo banga kuko n’uwari ubakuriye na we yari uko.

Urugero, igihe Umwepisikopi mukuru Ignatius (wabayeho mu wa 799-878 I.C.) yangaga guha amasakaramentu umutegetsi wari ukomeye witwaga Bardas, uwo mutegetsi yamwihimuyeho. Bardas yashinje Ignatius ko yari mu mugambi wo kugambanira ingoma y’umwami. Uwo mwepisikopi mukuru yarafashwe acirwa ishyanga. Mu gihe cyo gushaka uwo kumusimbura, uwo mutegetsi yashoboye gutoresha uwitwaga Photius, umugabo utari usanzwe ari n’umupadiri, ariko mu minsi itandatu gusa yazamuwe mu ntera zose zo mu gipadiri, amaherezo agera ku rwego rw’umwepisikopi mukuru. Mbese, Photius yari afite imico yo mu buryo bw’umwuka isabwa umuntu ugomba kujya mu mwanya nk’uwo? Hari abavuze ko yari umugabo “w’indarikizi kabombo, ufite ubwirasi budasanzwe, kandi wari ufite ubutiriganya budashyikirwa muri politiki.”

Inyigisho za Kiliziya Zikoreshwa Muri Politiki

Akenshi inyuma y’impaka zerekeranye n’ibihuje n’amahame ya kiliziya n’ibiyatandukira, habaga hihishe amakimbirane ya politiki, kandi ibibazo byo mu rwego rwa politiki ni byo byasunikaga abami b’abami benshi aho kuba icyifuzo cyo kuzana inyigisho nshya. Muri rusange, umwami w’abami yari afite uburenganzira bwo gushyiraho inyigisho za kiliziya no gusaba ko kiliziya yubahiriza ibyo ashaka.

Urugero, Umwami w’abami Héraclès (575-641 I.C.) yagerageje n’imbaraga ze zose gukemura ikibazo cy’amacakubiri yari ashingiye ku mitekerereze itandukanye abantu bari bafite ku bihereranye na kamere ya Kristo, ikibazo cyari kigiye gusenya ubwami bwe bwari busanzwe bwaranegekaye kandi bugeze habi. Mu gihe yageragezaga kubona igitekerezo bose bakumvikanaho, yazanye inyigisho nshya yitwa monothélisme. * Hanyuma, kugira ngo Héraclès yizere ko intara zo mu majyepfo y’ubwami bwe zitazamutenguha, yatoranyije umwepisikopi mushya wa Alexandrie witwaga Cyrus w’i Phasis, wemeye iyo nyigisho umwami w’abami yari ashyigikiye. Umwami w’abami ntiyagize Cyrus umwepisikopi mukuru gusa, ahubwo yanamugize umukuru w’intara ya Misiri, amuha ububasha bwo gutegeka abandi batware bose. Cyrus yashoboye kwemeza Kiliziya ya Misiri abanje kuyikangara ho gato.

Umusaruro Usharira

Ni gute ibyo bintu byose byashoboraga kugaragaza igitekerezo cyari gikubiye mu isengesho rya Yesu, aho yavuze ko abigishwa be bagombaga ‘kutaba ab’isi’?—Yohana 17:14-16.

Abayobozi biyitaga ko ari Abakristo bo mu gihe cy’ubwami bwa Byzance n’abo hanyuma yaho, babonye ingaruka zibabaje zikwiriye ukwivanga kwabo mu bibazo bya politiki n’ibya gisirikare by’iyi si. Ni iki iri suzuma rigufi ry’ibyabaye mu mateka rikubwira? Mbese, abayobozi ba Kiliziya ya Byzance baba baremewe n’Imana na Yesu Kristo?—Yakobo 4:4.

Ubukristo bw’ukuri nta nyungu bwigeze buvana kuri bariya bayobozi ba kidini b’indarikizi no ku mashumi yabo y’abanyapolitiki. Urwo ruvange rwanduye rw’idini na politiki rwatumye abantu batabona neza idini ritanduye ryigishijwe na Yesu. Nimucyo tuvane isomo ku byabaye mu mateka kandi dukomeze ‘kutaba ab’isi.’

[Ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji]

[Agasanduku/Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 10]

“NK’IMANA IKIMBAGIRA MU IJURU”

Ibintu byabayeho mu gihe cy’umwepisikopi mukuru witwaga Michel Cérulaire (1000-1059 I.C.) bigaragaza muri rusange uruhare abayobozi ba kiliziya bose bashoboraga kugira mu bibazo bya Leta, n’ukuntu babaga bafite ibyo bararikiye. Igihe Cérulaire yari amaze kugera ku rwego rw’umwepisikopi mukuru, yari afite intego yo kugera ku mwanya urenze uwo. Bamwerekejeho bavuga ko yari umuntu w’umwirasi, w’umwibone kandi utarakurwaga ku izima—“mu myifatire ye, yari ameze nk’imana ikimbagira mu ijuru.”

Cérulaire abitewe n’icyifuzo yari afite cyo kwikuza, mu mwaka wa 1054 yakuruye amacakubiri hagati ye n’umupapa wari i Roma, maze ahatira umwami w’abami kwemera ko bitandukanya. Kubera ko Cérulaire yari ashimishijwe n’uko atsinze, yakoze uko ashoboye kugira ngo ashyire Michel wa VI ku ngoma, kandi yamufashije gukomeza ubutegetsi bwe. Hashize umwaka umwe nyuma y’aho, Cérulaire yahatiye uwo mwami w’abami kwegura maze yimika Isaac Comnenus (1005-1061).

Amakimbirane hagati y’ubwepisikopi bukuru n’ubwami yariyongereye cyane. Cérulaire wari ushyigikiwe na rubanda, yakoreshaga iterabwoba, agasaba ko ibyo ashaka bikorwa kandi agakoresha n’urugomo. Umuhanga mu by’amateka wabayeho mu gihe cye, yagize ati “yahanuye ko Umwami w’abami azahirikwa, abivugira ku karubanda, kandi akoresheje imvugo nyandagazi, aramubwira ati ‘ni jye wagushyize ku ngoma, wa gicucu we; ariko nzayikuvanaho.’ ” Ariko kandi, Isaac Comnenus yaramufashe aramufunga, maze amucira ku kirwa cya Imbros.

Izo ngero zigaragaza ukuntu umwepisikopi wa Constantinople yashoboraga guteza akaga gakomeye n’ukuntu yashoboraga kurwanya umwami w’abami ashize amanga. Incuro nyinshi, umwami w’abami yagombaga guhangana na bene abo bagabo babaga ari abanyapolitiki b’abahanga, bashoboraga kurwanya umwami w’abami n’ingabo ze.

[Ikarita/Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 9]

(Niba wifuza kureba uko bimeze, reba mu Munara w’Umurinzi)

Aho ubwami bwa Byzance bwagarukiraga

Ravenne

Roma

MAKEDONIYA

Constantinople

Inyanja Yirabura

Nice

Efeso

Antiyokiya

Yerusalemu

Alexandrie

Inyanja ya Mediterane

[Aho ifoto yavuye]

Ikarita: Mountain High Maps® Copyright © 1997 Digital Wisdom, Inc.

[Amafoto yo ku ipaji ya 10 n’iya 11]

Comnenus

Romanus wa III (ibumoso)

Michel wa IV

Umwamikazi Zoe

Romanus wa I (ibumoso)

[Aho amafoto yavuye]

Comnenus, Romanus wa III, na Michel wa IV: uburenganzira bwatanzwe na Classical Numismatic Group, Inc.; Umwamikazi Zoe: Hagia Sophia; Romanus wa I: ifoto yatanzwe na Harlan J. Berk, Ltd.

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 12]

Photius

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 12]

Héraclès n’umuhungu we

[Aho amafoto yavuye]

Héraclès n’umuhungu we: ifoto yatanzwe na Harlan J. Berk, Ltd.; ibishushanyo byose biri ku ipaji ya 8-12: byavuye mu gitabo cyitwa L’Art Byzantin III Ravenne Et Pompose