The Ecumenical Councils

An ecumenical council (Greek, Oikumene/Οικυμενη, "World-wide" or "General") is a meeting of the bishops of the whole church headed by the Pope of Rome or ratified by him. They are convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice. The doctrinal definitions of the ecumenical councils are considered infallible under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and as such are binding to the faithful. Both the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church do recognize the validity of all the early ecumenical councils before the Great Schism (i.e. the first seven ecumenical councils). In the early centuries, councils were also held at local levels (bishops within the same country) or regional levels (bishops within the same region). These are sometimes called "synods" but they are not binding for the whole church. Today regional and local conferences of bishops do meet regularly to discuss and regulate issues of importance to the local church. In the tradition of the Eastern churches, each church has its own synod, headed by its Patriarch, which regulates its internal affairs. Following the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), the Synod of Bishops was established as an advisory body to the Pope. It consists of the Eastern Patriarchs and representative bishops from all local churches in the Catholic Church and meets every four years to study issues that affect the universal church.
First Ecumenical Council -- Nicea I. SITE: Nicea (in N.W. Asia Minor)
YEAR: A.D. 325 POPE: St. Sylvester I, 314 - 335
EMPEROR: Constantine I, The Great, Western Roman Emperor 306-337; Sole Emperor 324 – 337 ACTION: Called by the emperor and ratified by the Pope, this council condemned the heresy of Arius (priest of Alexandria, d. 336) by defining the CONSUBSTANTIALITY of God the Son with God the Father. The Son is of the "same substance," homo-ousion, as the Father (St. Athanasius); not merely a "like substance," homoi-ousion (as with the semi-Arians); nor is He (as Arius taught) some sort of super-creature. NOTE: St. Athanasius, Doctor of the Church (d. 373), Bishop of Alexandria, was the main defender of faith, present as deacon and peritus at Nicaea; exiled five times and excommunicated by the Arians. St. Ephrem, Doctor of the Church (d. 373), deacon, was also present at Nicaea as peritus.
HERESIARCH: ARIUS.
Second Ecumenical Council -- Constantinople I  SITE: Constantinople (renamed Istanbul by the Ottomans)
YEAR: A.D. 381 POPE: St. Damasus I, 367 - 384
EMPEROR: Theodosius I, the Great, 379 - 395
ACTION: It appears that Pope St. Damasus I was not contacted in regard to this council attended by about 186 bishops. Called by the emperor, it was not attended by the pope or his legates or any bishops from the West. Nevertheless, it is listed as a General Council of the 4th century by papal decrees of the 6th century, by which time its doctrinal definitions were accepted throughout the Church (Murphy, pg. 41). This council condemned the heresy of Macedonius by clearly defining the divinity of the Holy Spirit: He is not created like the angels no matter how high an order is attributed to such a "creature." The council also reaffirmed the faith of Nicaea.
NOTE: St. Gregory Nazianzen, Doctor of the Church (d. 389), was the bishop presiding. St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Doctor of the Church (d. 386), was also in attendance.
HERESIARCH: MACEDONIUS.
 Third Ecumenical Council -- Ephesus SITE: Ephesus (S. of Smyrna in SW Asia Minor).
YEAR: A.D. 431 POPE: St. Celestine I, 423 - 432
EMPEROR: Theodosius II, 408 - 450 ACTION: Called by the Eastern Emperor, Theodosius II, influenced by his pious sister, St. Pulcheria and ratified by Pope Celestine I, this council condemned the heresy of Nestorius by clearly defining the Divine maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. There are two natures in Christ (Divine and Human) united in only one Person (Divine). Mary is the Mother of this one Divine Person, the eternal Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. Nestorius was deposed as bishop of Constantinople. This council also briefly affirmed the condemnation of the Pelagians (see local Council of Carthage, A.D. 416). NOTE: St. Cyril of Alexandria, Doctor of the Church (d.444), was the bishop presiding.
HERESIARCH: NESTORIUS.
Fourth Ecumenical Council -- Chalcedon SITE: Chalcedon, (north of Constatinople)
YEAR: A.D. 451 POPE: St. Leo I, the Great, 440 - 461
EMPEROR: Marcian, 450 - 457
ACTION: Called by Emperor Marcian, and ratified by Pope St. Leo the Great, the council condemned the heresy of the Abbot Eutyches, MONOPHYSITISM, which claimed that there existed only "one nature" (the divine) in Christ from the Incarnation onward. Though the council had approved the assertion that Constantinople should be ranked first after Rome ecclesiastically, Pope St. Leo did not. The primacy of the See of Rome was due to its possession of the Chair of Peter, not to any political power. In his "Dogmatic Epistle," read by his legates at the end of the second session of the council (Oct. 10, 451), Pope St. Leo I also declared invalid all that had been done at the "Robber Synod of Ephesus" (a false Ephesus II): " ....we see no Council, but a den of thieves (Latrocinium)." In the greatest testimony of the Eastern Council to the primacy of the Pope, the bishops cried out: "Behold the faith of the fathers, the faith of the Apostles; thus through Leo has Peter spoken!" Eutyches was excommunicated.
NOTE: Pope St. Leo I, Doctor of the Church (d. 461), was called the "Soul" of Chalcedon.
HERESIARCH / HERETICS: EUTYCHES - MONOPHYSITES.
Fifth Ecumenical Council -- Constantinople II SITE: Constantinople
YEAR: A.D. 553 POPE: Vigilius, 537 - 555 EMPEROR: Justinian I, 527 - 565
ACTION: Effectively called by Justinian I and eventually ratified by Pope Vigilius, Constantinople II condemned a collection of statements known as the "Three Chapters": 1) the person and the writings of Theodore of Mopsuestia, Master of Nestorius, originator of that heresy; 2) the writings of Theodoret of Cyrrhus; 3) the writings of Ibas of Edessa. The last two friends of Nestorius had been restored to their sees by Chalcedon when they no longer opposed the teachings of St. Cyril of Alexandria (d. 444) and of Ephesus. Chalcedon was not discredited here (as the Monophysites had hoped) since it had been concerned with men. Constantinople II was concerned with their writings, although a hundred years after they had died. NOTE: Two important local councils condemning heresies: Carthage (416) solemnly approved by Pope Innocent II, (401 - 417), and then in 418 by Pope Zosimus (417 - 418), condemned Pelagianism (Pelagius, a British Monk), which heresy denied original sin calling it only "bad example." Orange (429) France, solemnly approved by Pope Boniface II (530 - 532), condemned Semi-Pelagianism (an over-reaction to St. Augustine on grace), which claimed man needed grace only after his first supernatural act. St. Augustine made it clear that God's grace is first.
NOTE: Council referred much to St. Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria, Doctor of the Church (d. 444). HERESIARCH: THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA ("3 Chapters").
Sixth Ecumenical Council -- Constantinople III SITE: Constantinople
YEARS: A.D. 680 - 681 POPES: St. Agatho, 678 - 681, and St. Leo II, 682 - 683 EMPEROR: Constantine IV, 668 - 685
ACTION: Called by Emperor Constantine IV, and its calling authorized by Pope St. Agatho, this council condemned the heresy of the Monothelites (Mono-one thelema-will), which attributed only one will, to Christ (the divine), instead of two wills (divine and human), the two wills are in perfect accord within the one divine person, Jesus. Constantinople III also reconfirmed Chalcedon. Pope St. Leo II, 682 - 683, approved the decrees of Constantinople III
NOTE: Pope St. Leo II also condemned Pope Honorius I (625 - 638) for negligence of duty in the face of heresy, in that he should have ascertained that Sergius was teaching not a mere harmony (oneness) of wills in Christ but literally one will in Christ, the divine will. Honorius had not spoken ex cathedra, so infallibility had not been involved.
HERESY/HERESIARCH: MONOTHELITISM originated by SERGIUS (patriarch of Constantinople, 610 A.D.).
Seventh Ecumenical Council -- Nicaea II SITE: Nicaea
YEAR: A.D. 787 POPE: Hadrian I, 772 - 795 EMPERORS: Constantine VI, 780 - 797 and Empress Irene (797 - 802)
ACTION: This council, called by Empress Irene, with its doctrinal decree ratified by Pope Hadrian I, condemned ICONOCLASM (Iconoclasm called for the destruction of all icons and statues of saints as idolatrous objects. The church condemned iconoclasm stating that it does not worship icons and bodies of saints but only venerates them as representing the saints who were true temples of the Holy Spirit.) NOTE: Iconoclasm had been fostered by Emperor Leo III (717 - 741), who was opposed by Popes Gregory II (715 - 731) and Gregory III (731 - 741) and by St. John Damascene (d.749), priest and Doctor of the Church, who published three discourses in defense of images.
HERESY: ICONOCLASM.
Eighth Ecumenical Council -- Constantinople IV SITE: Constantinople YEARS: A.D. 869 - 870 POPE: Hadrian II, 867 - 872 EMPEROR: Basil, 867 - 886 ACTION: Called by Emperor Basil and ratified by Pope Hadrian II, this council condemned and deposed Photius (820 - 891), patriarch of Constantinople. NOTE: In 1054 the Greek schism was actually consummated by Michael Cerularius, Patriarch of Constantinople at that time. PHOTIUS attacked enforced clerical celibacy, the addition by the West of the "FILIOQUE" to the Creed, and the crowning of Charlemagne in the West.
HERESIARCH: PHOTIUS. (Here end the Eastern Councils and begin the Western)
Ninth Ecumenical Council -- Lateran I SITE: The Basilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome
YEAR: A.D. 1123 POPE: Callistus II, 1119 - 1124
EMPEROR: Henry V, 1106 - 1125
ACTION: Called and ratified by Pope Callistus II, this council confirmed the Concordat of Worms (1122) between Emperor Henry V and Pope Callistus II, which secured that all elections of Bishops and Abbots should be made freely by the proper ecclesiastical authorities (electors). In Germany the emperor was to preside over these free elections and then bestow temporal power on the bishop so chosen. Outside Germany the emperor was to have no part in any elections.
NOTE: Also dealt with at this council was the subject of clerical marriages. It was decided that once ordained, a priest may not marry in either Latin or Eastern Rites.
CONTROVERSY: LAY INVESTITURE.
Tenth Ecumenical Council -- Lateran II SITE: The Basilica of Saint John Lateran (Rome)
YEAR: A.D. 1139 POPE: Innocent II, 1130 - 1143 EMPEROR: Conrad III, 1137 - 1152
ACTION: Called and ratified by Pope Innocent II, this council voided the acts of the deceased antipope, Anacletus II (d. 1138), ending the Papal schism of the time. It also condemned the heresies of: 1) Peter Bruys (Bruis) and his NEO-MANICHEANS, who denounced the Mass as a "vain show," opposed the Eucharist, marriage, and the baptism of children -- all this leading to Albigensianism ("Material things are evil in themselves"); 2) Arnold of Brescia, who contended that the Church was an "invisible body," not of this world, and should own no property.
NOTE: St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church (d. 1153), preached against the abuses and laxity attendant upon lay investiture, and the Lateran Council set down laws to remove them.
HERESIARCHS: PETER BRUYS and ARNOLD of BRESCIA.
Eleventh Ecumenical Council -- Lateran III SITE: The Basilica of Saint John Lateran (Rome)
YEAR: A.D. 1179 POPE: Alexander III, 1159 - 1181 EMPEROR: Frederick Barbarossa, 1152 - 1190 ACTION: Called and ratified by Pope Alexander III, this council regulated the election of popes (two-thirds majority vote by the College of Cardinals was required for the Pope to be elected, and the emperor was excluded from voting). It annulled the acts of three antipopes. One of its chapters excommunicated the Albigensians, but dealing with them in greater detail was Lateran IV Council, under Pope Innocent III. Twelfth Ecumenical Council -- Lateran IV SITE : The Basilica of Saint John Lateran (Rome)
YEAR: A.D. 1215 POPE: Innocent III, 1198 - 1216
EMPEROR: Otto IV, 1208 - 1215 ACTION: Called and ratified by Pope Innocent III. Lateran IV prescribed at least annual confession and communion for all the faithful and made official the use of the word, "TRANSUBSTANTIATION." Its only failure was the Fourth Crusade. It reformed discipline and condemned the heresies of: 1) ALBIGENSIANISM (NEO-MANICHEANISM), which opposed marriage and all sacraments and belief in the resurrection of the body; 2) WALDENSIANISM (anti-clerical heresy), which claimed that laymen living an apostolic life could forgive sins, while a priest in the state of sin could not absolve. Waldensianism also held that oath taking and assigning death penalties were held to be mortal sins. They also held that the Evangelical Counsel of poverty was a commandment, thus they forbade all private ownership of property.
HERESIES: ALBIGENSIANISM and WALDENSIANISM.
Thirteenth Ecumenical Council -- Lyons I SITE: Lyons, France
YEAR: 1245 POPE: Innocent IV, 1243 - 1254
EMPEROR: Frederick II, 1215 - 1250
ACTION: Called and ratified by Pope Innocent IV, this council excommunicated Emperor Frederick II, grandson of Frederick Barbarossa, for his contumacious attempt to make the Church merely a department of the state. Lyons I also directed a new crusade (the 6th) under the command of King St. Louis IX (1226 - 1270) of France against the Saracens and the Mongols.
HERETIC: EMPEROR FREDERICK II.
Fourteenth Ecumenical Council -- Lyons II SITE: Lyons, France
YEAR: 1274 POPE: Blessed Gregory X, 1271 - 1276
EMPEROR: Rudolph I of Hapsburg, 1273 - 1291
ACTION: Called and ratified by Pope Gregory X, this council declared the double procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son: "Qui ex Patre Filioque procedit." The return of the Eastern Church to union with Rome, sought by the popes, reunion failed.
NOTE: St. Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church (d. 1274), died on his way to Lyons II. St. Bonaventure, Cardinal and Doctor of the Church (d.1274), was prominent at Lyons II, died there, and was buried by the council. FILIOQUE DEFINED and added to Nicene Creed.
Fifteenth Ecumenical Council -- Vienne SITE: Vienne (South of Lyons), France
YEARS: 1311 - 1312 POPE: Clement V, 1305 - 1314
EMPEROR: Henry VII, 1308 - 1313
ACTION: Called and ratified by Pope Clement V, first of the Avignon Popes (The "Avignon Captivity" lasted from 1305 until 1377, when Pope Gregory XI returned the Holy See to Rome), this council suppressed the Knights Templars (Master: Jacques de Molay) for crimes charged by King Philip IV of France. Their confiscated property was given to the Hospitalers or, in Spain, to national orders that had fought against the Moors. The council also declared that anyone who obstinately holds "that the rational or intellectual soul is not the form of the human body in itself and essentially, must be regarded as a heretic." (Denz. 481) The council also condemned the Beghards (males) and Beguines (females), who so stressed "inner union with God"; Quietism, that prayer and fasting became unimportant. Quietism taught that the "spiritual" person is so perfect that he or she can give free reign to fleshly desires.
HERESIES: The Errors of Peter John of Olivi and QUIETISM.
Sixteenth Ecumenical Council -- Constance SITE: Constance, Germany
YEARS: 1414 - 1418 POPES: Gregory XII, 1406 - 1415; Martin V, 1417 - 1431
EMPEROR: Sigismund of Luxembourg, 1410 - 1437
ACTION: Called by Emperor Sigismund and Pope Gregory XII who authorized the convocation as he abdicated the Papacy. The anti-Popes Benedict XIII (Avignon) and John XXIII (Pisa) also agreed to "abdicate" in the interests of unity. The council elevated Martin V to the Chair of Peter to end the confusion of the Western Schism. Pope Martin ratified the council ...except the decrees which proposed conciliarism. In addition to ending the Western Schism, Constance also condemned the heresies of: 1) John Wycliffe, who rejected the Holy sacrifice of the Mass, emphasized scripture as the sole rule of faith, subscribed to Donatism, asserted the Pope is not the head of the Church, and bishops have no authority; and, 2) John Huss, who preached the above after Wycliffe's death.
HERETICS: WYCLIFFE and HUSS.
Seventeenth Ecumenical Council -- Florence SITES: Ferrera and Florence
YEARS: Basel (Switzerland, near France), 1431 - 1437; Ferrara (Italy, north of Bologna, southwest of Venice), 1438; Florence (Italy, south of Bologna, north of Rome), 1439 - 1445
POPE: Eugene IV, 1431 - 1447
EMPERORS: Albrecht II, 1438 - 1439; Frederick III, 1440 - 1493.
ACTION: This council was called in 1431 for Basel, Switzerland, by Pope Martin V. In 1438, it was moved to Ferrara then to Florence by Pope Eugene IV. The Council was aimed at restoring union with the Eastern Churches. On June 8, 1439, the Greeks accepted the double procession of the Holy Spirit and, by July 5, agreed on some other points, but lasting union failed: On May 29, 1453, Constantinople fell to the Muslims and the union was revoked.
Eighteenth Ecumenical Council -- Lateran V SITE: The Basilica of Saint John Lateran (Rome)
YEARS: 1512 - 1517 (March). (Luther's theses posted 31 October, 1517) POPES: Julius II, 1503 - 1513; Leo X, 1513 - 1521
EMPEROR: Maximilian I, 1493 - 1519
ACTION: In 1438 the King of France, Charles VII, had issued an edict, declaring a general council superior to the Pope and denying his right to nominate bishops in France. A later King, Louis XI, had abolished this decree in 1461, but Louis XII (1498 - 1515) had attempted to reintroduce it. This council clearly rejected the teaching contained in the edict.
CONDEMNED: PRAGMATIC SANCTION OF BOURGES (Charles VII/Louis XII).
Nineteenth Ecumenical Council -- Trent SITE: Trent, Italy.
YEARS: 1545 - 1549 POPES: Paul III, 1534 - 1549 & 1551 - 1552; Julius III, 1550 - 1555; Pius IV, 1559 - 1565
EMPERORS: Charles V, 1519 - 1556;  Ferdinand I, 1556 - 1564
ACTION: Called by Pope Paul III, this council was continued by Pope Julius III, and, after 18 years and 25 sessions in all, Pope Pius IV concluded it and solemnly confirmed its decrees. Trent condemned the errors of Luther, Calvin, and others including justification by faith alone, and teaching by Scripture alone, and their denial of the ecclesial priesthood. It issued decrees on the Eucharist, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Sacraments (notably Baptism and Holy Orders) and teachings on marriage, purgatory, indulgences and the use of images. Following the Council, the Pope continued reforms of the Missal, writing of the Catechism based on the decrees of Trent, appointing a commission to issue a more exact edition of the Vulgate, and the reforming of morals.
NOTE: St. Peter Canisius, Priest, Doctor of the Church (d. 1597), represented the Pope at Trent, and was an opponent of Melancthon.
HERESY: PROTESTANTISM
Twentieth Ecumenical Council -- Vatican I SITE: The Vatican (St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City-State, Rome). YEARS: 1869 - 1870 POPE: Blessed Pius IX, 1846 - 1878
ACTION: Convened and ratified by Pope Pius IX, the First Vatican Council defined the INFALLIBILITY of the Pope when, as Supreme Pontiff, he speaks from the Seat of Peter (ex cathedra), on a matter of Faith and Morals, pronouncing a doctrine to be believed by the whole Church.
Twenty-first Ecumenical Council -- Vatican II SITE: The Vatican (St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City-State, Rome). YEARS: 1962 - 1965 POPES: John XXIII, 1958 - 1963 Paul VI, 1963 - 1978 · ACTION: Called by Pope John XXIII and ratified by Pope Paul VI, the Second Vatican Council was a Reform Council with 16 documents. It ushered a renewal in the Church including active zeal in defense of human dignity and poor nations, the development of doctrine, participation of laymen in Church mission, reform of the liturgy, promotion of the ecumenical movement (dialogue with other Christian communions), and dialogue with the world philosophies. This has infused renewed vigor in the testimony reflected in many new lay Christian movements.
NOTE: There was no heresy condemned at Vatican Council II, however the Council promulgated important articles of faith in its Constitutions.