Seventh Ecumenical Council. Its history and rulings

For many centuries, since the birth of the Christian faith, people have tried to accept the revelation of the Lord in all its purity, and false followers have distorted it with human speculation. Ecumenical councils were convened in the early Christian church to denounce them and discuss canonical and dogmatic problems. They united adherents of the faith of Christ from all corners of the Greco-Roman Empire, pastors and teachers from barbarian countries. The period from the 4th to the 8th centuries in church history is usually called the era of the strengthening of the true faith, the years of the Ecumenical Councils contributed to this in all their might.

Historical excursion

For Christians living today, the first Ecumenical Councils are very important, and their significance is revealed in a special way. All Orthodox and Catholics should know and understand what the early Christian church believed in, to which it was heading. In history, you can see the lies of modern cults and sects, claiming to be similar to dogmatic doctrine.

From the very beginnings of the Christian church there already existed an unshakable and harmonious theology based on the basic doctrines of faith - in the form of dogmas about the divinity of Christ, the spirit. In addition, there were some rules of the internal church order, the time and order of the services. The first Ecumenical Councils were created specifically in order to preserve the dogmas of the faith in their true form.

First holy meeting

The first Ecumenical Council was held in 325. Among those present at the holy meeting of the fathers, the most famous were Spyridon of Trimifuntsky, Archbishop Nicholas of Mirlikia, Bishop of Nisibia, Athanasius the Great and others.

At the council, the teaching of Arius, who rejected the divinity of Christ, was condemned and anathematized. The unchanging truth about the Person of the Son of God, his equality with the Father to God and the Divine essence itself were affirmed. Church historians note that at the council the definition of the very concept of faith was announced after lengthy trials and research, so that no opinions arose that would give rise to a split in the thoughts of Christians themselves. The Spirit of God brought the bishops to agreement. After the completion of the Council of Nicaea, the heretic Arius suffered a difficult and unexpected death, but his false teaching is still alive among the sectarian preachers.

All the decrees that were adopted by the Ecumenical Councils were not invented by its participants, but were approved by the church fathers through the participation of the Holy Spirit and solely on the basis of Holy Scripture. In order for all believers to have access to the true teaching that Christianity carries, it was set out clearly and concisely in the first seven terms of the Creed. This form is preserved to this day.

Second holy meeting

The second Ecumenical Council was held in 381 at Constantinople. The main reason was the development of the false teaching of the Bishop of Macedonia and his adherents, the Arian Dukhobors. Heretical statements ranked the son of God not as consubstantial God the father. The holy spirit was designated by heretics as the ministerial power of the Lord, like the angels.

At the second council, the true Christian doctrine was defended by Cyril of Jerusalem, Gregory of Nyssa, George the Theologian, consisting of 150 bishops present. The Holy Fathers approved the dogma of the consubstantiality and equality of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In addition, the church elders approved the Nicene Creed, which to this day is a guide for the church.

Third holy meeting

The Third Ecumenical Council was convened in Ephesus in 431, about two hundred bishops came to it. The Fathers decided to recognize the union of two natures in Christ: human and divine. It was decided to preach Christ as a perfect man and perfect God, and the Virgin Mary as the Mother of God.

Fourth Holy Meeting

The Fourth Ecumenical Council, held in Chalcedon, was convened specifically in order to eliminate all the Monophysite controversies that began to spread around the church. A holy congregation of 650 bishops identified the only true doctrine of the church and rejected all existing false doctrines. The Fathers decreed that the Lord Christ is the true, unshakable God and true man. According to his deity, he is eternally reborn from his father, according to humanity, he was born from the Virgin Mary, in all likeness to man, except for sin. During incarnation, the human and the divine were united in the body of Christ invariably, inseparably and inseparably.

It is worth noting that the heresy of the Monophysites brought a lot of evil to the church. False doctrine was not completely eradicated by conciliar condemnation, and for a long time disputes between the heretic followers of Eutychios and Nestorius developed. The main reason for the controversy was the writings of three followers of the church - Fyodor Mopsuyetsky, Iva of Edessa, Theodorite of Kirsky. The aforementioned bishops were condemned by Emperor Justinian, but his decree was not recognized by the Ecumenical Church. Therefore, a controversy arose about three chapters.

Fifth Holy Meeting

To resolve the controversial issue, the fifth council was held in Constantinople. The writings of the bishops were severely condemned. To highlight the true adherents of the faith, the concept of Orthodox Christians and the Catholic Church arose. The fifth council failed to produce the desired results. The Monophysites formed into societies that completely separated from the Catholic Church and continued to instill heresy, generate disputes within Christians.

Sixth Holy Meeting

The history of the Ecumenical Councils says that the struggle of orthodox Christians with heretics lasted for a long time. In Constantinople, the sixth council (Trulli) was convened, at which the truth was finally to be affirmed. At a meeting attended by 170 bishops, the teachings of the Monothelites and Monophysites were condemned and rejected. In Jesus Christ, two natures were recognized - divine and human, and, accordingly, two wills - divine and human. After this cathedral, Monothelianism fell, and for about fifty years the Christian church lived relatively quietly. New vague currents emerged later on the iconoclastic heresy.

Seventh Holy Meeting

The last 7th Ecumenical Council was held in Nicea in 787. It was attended by 367 bishops. The holy elders rejected and condemned the iconoclastic heresy and decreed that the icons should not be worshiped, which befits only God alone, but reverence and reverent worship. Those believers who worshiped icons as God himself were excommunicated. After the 7th Ecumenical Council was held, iconoclasm troubled the church for more than 25 years.

The Significance of Holy Meetings

The Seven Ecumenical Councils are of paramount importance in the development of the basic tenets of the Christian doctrine, on which all modern faith is based.

• The first - confirmed the divinity of Christ, his equality with the Father to God.
• The second - condemned the heresy of Macedon, rejecting the divine essence of the Holy Spirit.
• The third - eliminated the heresy of Nestorius, who preached about the split in the faces of the God-man.
• The fourth dealt the final blow to the false teaching of Monophysitism.
• Fifth - completed the defeat of heresy and confirmed the confession of two natures in Jesus - human and divine.
• Sixth - he condemned the Monothelites and decided to confess two wills in Christ.
• Seventh - overthrew the iconoclastic heresy.

The years of the Ecumenical Councils made it possible to introduce certainty and completeness into the orthodox Christian teaching.

Eighth Ecumenical Council

Instead of a conclusion

From 775 to 780 the son of Constantine Copronymus Leo IV Khazar ruled (his mother was the daughter of the Khazar Kagan). His wife was Irina, an Athenian woman. Before the wedding of his son, Constantine Copronymus took an oath from the Athenian beauty that she would not worship icons, to which she was accustomed at home. Irina took an oath, but did not change her heart. There is a known story when her husband found two icons under her pillow, and she hardly managed to justify herself. However, the relationship was all heating up, and if Leo had not died suddenly, Irina, most likely, would not have stayed in the palace.

After the death of her husband, she was appointed regent under the son of Leo Constantine VI. This was a challenge to the iconoclastic party. They tried, by means of a coup, to reign the son of Copronymus from his third wife. But the conspiracy was discovered, the conspirators were exiled, and the applicant and his brothers were tonsured into monasticism.

Having thus established herself on the throne, Irina abolished the persecution of veneration of icons and gradually began preparations for the Ecumenical Council. Before his death (784), Patriarch Paul spoke about the need to convene it.

The new patriarch was elected the imperial secretary Tarasius, who, as an indispensable condition of his consent to the patriarchate, decreed the restoration of communion between the Church of Constantinople and the Orthodox Church of the East and West through the mediation of the Ecumenical Council. The condition was accepted, and on December 25, 784, Tarasius was ordained patriarch. Measures were immediately taken to convene an Ecumenical Council. Peace was recently made with the Arabs (782), so it was possible to send invitations to the council on behalf of the patriarch and empress not only to Rome, but also to the eastern patriarchs.

Pope Adrian I sent a response message to the Empress, in which he spoke about the uselessness of the cathedral and put forward a number of requirements, incomprehensible and unacceptable for the Greeks.

The Pope strongly recommended the Empress to imitate Constantine and Helena, who "elevated your holy, catholic and apostolic, spiritual mother, the Roman Church, and revered with other Orthodox emperors as the head of all churches." Prosperity and glory are promised, "if, following the traditions of the Orthodox faith, you accept the judgment of the Church of Blessed Peter, Prince of the Supreme Apostles, and love their governor with all your heart." The Pope cites the legend of the baptism of St. Equal to the Apostles Constantine in Rome. The "Catholic and Apostolic Church of Rome" is declared "faultless, sinless and infallible" (irreprehensibilis).

There were other requirements in the pope's message: a) to begin the matter with a solemn anathema imposed on the Council of 754, in the presence of Pope Hadrian's legates; b) send him, the Pope, on behalf of the emperors, the patriarch and the senate, a written act with an oath guarantee that complete impartiality will be preserved at the upcoming council, there will be no violence for the papal legates, their honor will be guaranteed, and in case of failure, they will be safe will be sent home; c) if the emperors return to the Orthodox faith, then they must completely return the patrimonia Petri, i.e. the regions of southern Italy, selected by Leo the Isaurian under the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople, and to return to the popes also the ancient right to appoint bishops there. "The Roman Church had primacy over all the churches of the Universe, it belonged to the approval of councils"; d) the pope sharply objects to the usual title of the Patriarch of Constantinople - "ecumenical."

“We do not know whether the title“ ecumenical ”(in the imperial decree) was written out of ignorance, or because of the schism or heresy of the wicked. In any case, we earnestly ask your imperial might not to use the title universalis in your writings, for it is contrary to the decrees of the holy canons and the decisions of Sts. fathers. After all, if someone writes himself "ecumenical", placing himself above the superior holy Roman Church, which is the head of all the churches of God, then, obviously, he declares himself an enemy of holy councils and a heretic. Because if he is “universal,” then he has precedence over the pulpit even of our Church. And this is ridiculous for all faithful Christians, since in the whole universe by the Redeemer of the world Himself given the headship and authority (principatus ac potestas) to the blessed apostle Peter and through this apostle, whose substitutes, although unworthy, are we, the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of Rome. constantly, to this day and forever, contains the supremacy and authority of power ... This commandment of the Lord to the Apostle Peter about the government of the church should not be carried out to a greater extent by the primacy of the Roman pulpit, which each council confirms with its authority, and guards with continuous guidance. "

“Therefore, if someone would, which we do not even believe, call the Patriarch of Constantinople ecumenical, or agree to this, let him know that he is alien to the Orthodox faith and an enemy of our holy catholic and apostolic Church.”

What a striking change from St. Pope Gregory the Great, who also opposed the title "ecumenical" of the Patriarchs of Constantinople!

Of course, in Constantinople, all these statements were met with great surprise. However, dad was very much needed. In view of the precariousness of the situation and strong opposition to the veneration of icons, the authority of the pulpit of Old Rome could be decisive and tip the scales in the right direction. At the same time, people in Constantinople understood that the Eastern bishops would never accept this letter, and therefore they translated it very selectively, omitting all controversial points.

The first attempt to open a cathedral in Constantinople in 786 failed. The army remembered and honored Copronymus, so the council meetings had to be evacuated from the capital.

2. The VII Ecumenical Council was opened only in 787 in Nicaea, which was very symbolic. Up to 350 bishops and many monks attended. There were a total of 8 sessions of the Council; the first took place in Nicaea, in the church of St. Sophia, on September 24, 787, and the last - in the presence of the emperors in Constantinople on October 23. Thus, the Council was relatively brief.

The two legates of the Pope met and signed first; but the actual chairman, directing the course of the case, was Patriarch Tarasius. The Empress was not personally present: she was represented at the Council by two dignitaries who had no noticeable influence on the external procedure of meetings.

A gospel was laid in the middle of the temple. Only at the 5th meeting, at the suggestion of the Roman legates, was it decided to bring the icon and bow to it. This episode is very characteristic and showed how, over the years of persecution, everyone had become unaccustomed to the presence of icons in churches.

A special feature of the Council was the presence of several ordained but not yet ordained bishops in the rank of locum tenens of their dioceses, as well as the active participation of the abbots or their representatives in it: they signed the final Oros of the Council along with the bishops. This illustrates the important role played by the monastics at the Council.

At the Council, a very important from the canonical point of view, the question of accepting into communion bishops who expressed heretical views or were ordained heretics arose. This is the only case when a question of this kind was raised and investigated in detail at the Ecumenical Council. The bishops who were embroiled in iconoclastic turmoil were divided into three categories.

The bishops of the first category seem to have had so little involvement in iconoclasm that there was no difficulty in accepting them. They only brought their sincere repentance, professed the Orthodox faith and were immediately accepted into communion.

The adoption of the second category has been discussed for a long time. A thorough investigation was carried out. In the end, the Council came to the following opinion: the iconoclastic bishops, who were not “teachers of heresy” in the strict sense, should be accepted into communion in their existing dignity because of their repentance; if their conversion to Orthodoxy is a deception, then God judge them.

After that, the Council began to address the question of veneration of icons. Serious research theological work was carried out, preparing the basis for the Oros. Each quote was checked against the source. On October 5 (6), the Oros of the Copronymic Cathedral was read and an extremely detailed, "six-volume" refutation to it.

On October 13, at the 7th session of the Council, Bishop of Taurian (Southern Italy) Theodore read the Oros of the VII Ecumenical Council. Here it is:

“And to put it briefly, we keep all the church traditions established for us in writing or without writing without new introduction. One of them is an image in icon painting, as one that agrees with the story of the gospel sermon, serving us as a certificate of the true, and not ghostly, incarnation of God the Word; for things which mutually point to one another undoubtedly make one another clear.

Therefore, we, walking like a royal path and following the God-verbal teaching of Sts. Fathers and the tradition of the Catholic Church and the Holy Spirit who lives in it, with all care and discretion we determine: like the image of the Honorable and Life-giving Cross, to lay in the holy churches of God, on sacred vessels and clothes, on walls and on boards, in houses and on paths , honest and bright icons, painted with paints and made from mosaics and from other suitable substances, icons of the Lord and God and Savior of our Jesus Christ, the Immaculate Lady of our Holy Theotokos, also honest angels and all saints and reverend men. For the more often they are visible through the image on the icons, the more those gazing at them are prompted to remember the prototypes themselves and to love them, and to honor them with a kiss and reverent worship (femzfijkzn rspukensuin), not the one that is true according to our faith by service (lbfseYabn), which befits only the Divine nature, but veneration according to the same model as it is given to the image of the Honorable and Life-giving Cross and St. The Gospel and other shrines, incense and the lighting of candles, as was done according to the pious custom of the ancients.

For the honor given to the image goes back to the prototype, and the one who worships the icon worships the hypostasis of that depicted on it. This is the teaching of Sts. our father, i.e. the tradition of the Catholic Church, from end to end of the earth, which received the Gospel.

Those who dare to think differently or teach, or agree with wicked heretics, reject church traditions and invent some kind of innovation, or reject something from the sacred Church, the Gospel, or the image of the cross, or icon painting, or St. the remains of a martyr, or to plot something with cunning and deceit to overthrow any of the traditions accepted in the Catholic Church, or to give extensive use to sacred vessels or holy monasteries, we decree, if they are bishops or clergy, to be thrown out of dignity, if the monks or laymen - to excommunicate. "

Thus, the Oros indicates: 1) the basis for the veneration of icons is the tradition of the Church; 2) the indisputable example of icon veneration, which was not disputed by the iconoclasts, is the veneration of the Cross; 3) places where icons are supposed to be depicted; 4) materials for making icons (it is interesting that nothing is said about carved icons in Oros); 5) image objects; 6) the moral meaning of the veneration of icons; 7) his dogmatic norms; 8) and, finally, church bans on the disobedient.

Having signed the protocol, the fathers exclaimed: “This is our faith, such is the teaching of the apostles! Anathema to those who do not adhere to him, do not honor the icons, which they call idols and accuse Christians of idolatry for them. Many summers for the emperors! Eternal memory to the new Constantine and the new Elena! God bless their rule! Anathema to all heretics, Theodosius, the false bishop of Ephesus, Sisinius Pastille and Basil Trikokavu. Anathema to Anastasia, Constantine and Nikita, who were successively patriarchs of Constantinople. They are Arius II, Nestorius II, Dioscorus II! Anathema to the heresiarchs John of Nicomedia and Constantine of Nakoli! Eternal memory to Herman (Constantinople), John (Damascus), George (Cyprus) - these heroes of truth! "

The Orthodox teaching about the church image was not accepted by his opponents. As has often happened in the history of the Church, both before and after the iconoclasm, not everyone was willing or able to accept the solemnly proclaimed truth. The world lasted 27 years. This was followed by a second iconoclastic period.

Preparation for the convocation of the Council

In order to prepare for the Ecumenical Council, Irina in 784 organized the election of a new Patriarch of Constantinople to replace the deceased Patriarch Paul. When the candidates were discussed in the Mangavar Palace of Constantinople, after the empress's welcoming speech, exclamations were heard in support of Tarasius, who was not a clergyman, but held the post of asikrit (imperial secretary). Irina wished to see Tarasius as patriarch (“ we appoint him, but he does not obey”), And he, in turn, supported the idea of ​​holding an Ecumenical Council. The opposition present in the palace argued that the convocation of the Council was inexpedient, since at the Council of 754 a decision had already been made condemning the veneration of icons, but the voice of the iconoclasts was drowned out by the will of the majority.

Patriarch Tarasius

Tarasius was quickly elevated to all degrees of the priesthood, and on December 25, 784, on the feast of the Nativity of Christ, he was installed by the Patriarch of Constantinople, which he remained for the next 22 years. After that, the elected patriarch, according to tradition, sent out a statement of his confession to all the primates of the churches. Additionally, invitations to the Ecumenical Council were sent out, written on behalf of Irina, her son Emperor Constantine and Tarasius himself. An invitation was also sent to Rome to Pope Adrian I to take part in the upcoming Council:

First attempt to open the Cathedral in 786

The opening of the Council was set in Constantinople on August 7, 786. The iconoclastic bishops who arrived in the capital, even before the opening of the Cathedral, began to negotiate in the garrison, trying to enlist the support of the soldiers. On August 6, a rally was held in front of the Hagia Sophia with a demand to prevent the opening of the Cathedral. Despite this, Irina did not change the appointed date, and on August 7, the Cathedral of the Holy Apostles was opened. When they began to read the holy scriptures, armed soldiers, supporters of the iconoclasts, burst into the temple:

The bishops supporting Irina had no choice but to disperse. Having experienced a setback, Irina set about preparing for the convocation of a new Council. Under the pretext of war with the Arabs, the imperial court was evacuated to Thrace, and the garrison loyal to the iconoclasts was sent deep into Asia Minor (supposedly to meet the Arabs), where the veterans were retired and paid a generous salary. Constantinople was transferred under the protection of another guard, recruited from Thrace and Bithynia, where the views of the iconoclasts did not spread.

Having completed the preparations for the Council, Irina did not dare to hold it again in the capital, but chose for this purpose the distant Nicaea in Asia Minor, in which the First Ecumenical Council took place in 325.

The work of the Cathedral in 787

As a result of the work, the Oros of the Cathedral was adopted, which restored the veneration of icons and allowed the use of icons of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, Angels and Saints in churches and houses, to honor them with worship (but not in such a way that is appropriate for God), but by kissing, lighting lamps in front of them. and incense):

After the closure of the Council, the bishops were disbanded to their dioceses with gifts from Irene. The Empress ordered to make and place the image of Jesus Christ over the gates of Chalcopratia instead of the one destroyed 60 years ago under the Emperor Leo III the Isaurian. An inscription was made to the image: “ [the image], which was once overthrown by the sovereign Leo, was re-installed here by Irina».

The decisions of this council caused indignation among the Frankish king Charlemagne (the future emperor), and in 792 he sent the pope a list of 85 mistakes that were made at this council. Charles considered the approval of the Byzantine formula that “ The Holy Spirit comes from the Father"- the main" sin ", and insisted on adding the words:" and from the Son"(Filioque). This continued the old dogmatic controversy between the Eastern and Western Churches.

Theological controversy over the filioque has been part of a wider controversy between West and East.

Effects

The cathedral was unable to stop the movement of the iconoclasts. This was done only at the Council of Constantinople in 843 under the Empress Theodora. In commemoration of the final victory over the iconoclasts and all heretics, the feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy was established, which is supposed to be celebrated on the first Sunday of Great Lent and which is still celebrated in the Orthodox Church.

Notes (edit)

Links

• Dil S. Byzantine portraits(Chapter: Empress Irina)
• A. V. Kartashev Ecumenical Councils(Chapter: VII Ecumenical Council of 787)
• Lozinsky S.G. History of the papacy... (Chapter Two. Formation of the Papal State (VI-VIII centuries))

Ecumenical Councils- meetings of the Orthodox (priests and other persons) as representatives of the entire Orthodox (the entire totality), convened to address pressing issues in the field of and.

What is the practice of calling Councils based on?

The tradition of discussing and resolving the most important religious issues on the principles of conciliarity was laid down in the early Church by the apostles (). At the same time, the main principle of the adoption of conciliar definitions was formulated: "It is pleasing to the Holy Spirit and to us" ().

This means that conciliar decrees were formulated and approved by the fathers not according to the rule of a democratic majority, but in strict agreement with Holy Scripture and the Tradition of the Church, according to the Providence of God, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit.

As the Church developed and expanded, Councils were convened in various parts of the oecumene. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the reasons for the Councils were more or less particular issues that did not require representation of the entire Church and were resolved by the pastors of the Local Churches. Such Councils were called Local Councils.

The questions, which implied the need for general church discussion, were studied with the participation of representatives of the whole Church. The Councils convened in these circumstances, representing the fullness of the Church, acting in accordance with God's law and the norms of church government, secured the status of the Ecumenical. There were seven such Councils in total.

How did the Ecumenical Councils differ from each other?

Ecumenical Councils were attended by the heads of local Churches or their official representatives, as well as the episcopate representing their dioceses. The dogmatic and canonical decisions of the Ecumenical Councils are recognized as binding on the entire Church. For the Council to assimilate the status of "Ecumenical", it needs a reception, that is, a test of time, and the adoption of its decrees by all local Churches. It happened that under severe pressure from the emperor or an influential bishop, the participants in the Councils made decisions that contradicted the gospel truth and Church Tradition; over time, such Councils were rejected by the Church.

First Ecumenical Council took place under the emperor, in 325, at Nicaea.

It was dedicated to the exposure of the heresy of Arius, an Alexandrian priest who blasphemed the Son of God. Arius taught that the Son was created and that there was a time when He was not; he categorically denied that the Son was consubstantial with the Father.

The Council proclaimed the dogma that the Son is God, consubstantial with the Father. The Council adopted seven members of the Creed and twenty canon rules.

Second Ecumenical Council, convened under the Emperor Theodosius the Great, took place in Constantinople, in 381.

The reason was the spread of the heresy of the Bishop of Macedonia, who denied the Divinity of the Holy Spirit.

At this Council, the Symbol of Faith was corrected and supplemented, including by a member containing the Orthodox teaching on the Holy Spirit. The Fathers of the Council drew up seven canonical rules, one of which is forbidden to make any changes to the Symbol of Faith.

Third Ecumenical Council took place in Ephesus in 431, during the reign of the emperor Theodosius the Small.

It was dedicated to the exposure of the heresy of Patriarch Nestorius of Constantinople, who falsely taught about Christ as a man united with the Son of God by a grace-filled bond. In fact, he argued that there are two Persons in Christ. In addition, he called the Mother of God the Mother of God, denying Her Mother of God.

The council confirmed that Christ is the True Son of God, and Mary is the Mother of God, and accepted eight canonical rules.

Fourth Ecumenical Council took place under the emperor Marcian, in Chalcedon, in 451.

The fathers then gathered against the heretics: the Primate of the Church of Alexandria, Dioscorus, and Archimandrite Eutyches, who argued that as a result of the incarnation of the Son, two natures, Divine and Human, merged into one in His Hypostasis.

The Council ruled that Christ is the Perfect God and together the Perfect Man, One Person, containing in Himself two natures, united non-merged, immutable, inseparable and inseparable. In addition, thirty canonical rules were formulated.

Fifth Ecumenical Council took place in Constantinople, in 553, under Emperor Justinian I.

It confirmed the teaching of the Fourth Ecumenical Council, condemned the revolt and some of the writings of a Cyrus and Iva of Edessa. At the same time, Theodore of Mopsuest, the teacher of Nestorius, was convicted.

Sixth Ecumenical Council was in the city of Constantinople in 680, during the reign of Emperor Constantin Pogonatus.

His task was to refute the heresy of the Monothelites, who insisted that in Christ, not two wills, but one. By that time, this terrible heresy had been replicated by several Eastern Patriarchs and Pope Honorius.

The Council confirmed the ancient teaching of the Church that Christ has in Himself two wills - as God and as Man. At the same time, His will, according to human nature, agrees in everything with the Divine.

The cathedral, which took place in Constantinople eleven years later, called Trulli, is called the Fifth-Sixth Ecumenical Council. He accepted one hundred and two canon rules.

Seventh Ecumenical Council took place in Nicaea in 787, under the Empress Irene. It refuted the iconoclastic heresy. The Council Fathers compiled twenty-two canon rules.

Is the Eighth Ecumenical Council Possible?

1) The opinion widespread today about the completion of the era of the Ecumenical Councils has no dogmatic foundation. The activity of the Councils, including the Ecumenical Councils, is one of the forms of church self-government and self-organization.

Note that the Ecumenical Councils were convened as the need arose to make important decisions concerning the life of the entire Church.
Meanwhile, it will exist “until the end of the age” (), and nowhere is it reported that throughout this period the Ecumenical Church will not face new and re-emerging difficulties that require the representation of all Local Churches to resolve them. Since the right to carry out its activities on the principles of conciliarity was granted to the Church from God, and no one, as you know, took away this right from her, there is no reason to believe that the Seventh Ecumenical Council a priori should be called the latter.

2) In the tradition of the Greek Churches, since Byzantine times, it is widely believed that there were eight Ecumenical Councils, the last of which is considered to be the Council of 879 under St. ... The eighth ecumenical council was called, for example, St. (PG 149, col. 679), St. (Thessaloniki) (PG 155, col. 97), later St. Dositheus of Jerusalem (in his tomos of 1705), etc. That is, according to a number of saints, the eighth ecumenical council is not only possible, but already was. (a priest )

3) Usually the idea of ​​the impossibility of holding the Eighth Ecumenical Council is associated with two "main" reasons:

a) With the indication of the Book of Proverbs of Solomon about the seven pillars of the Church: “Wisdom built herself a house, hewed out its seven pillars, slaughtered the sacrifice, dissolved her wine and prepared a meal for herself; She sent her servants to proclaim from the high places of the city: "If anyone is foolish, turn here!" And to the feeble-minded she said: “Go, eat my bread and drink the wine that I have dissolved; leave foolishness, and live, and walk in the way of reason ”” ().

Considering that there were seven Ecumenical Councils in the history of the Church, this prophecy can, of course, with reservations, be correlated with Councils. Meanwhile, in strict understanding, the seven pillars do not mean seven Ecumenical Councils, but the seven Sacraments of the Church. Otherwise, we would have to admit that until the end of the Seventh Ecumenical Council it did not have a stable foundation, that it was a lame Church: first it lacked seven, then six, then five, four, three, two pillars. Finally, it was not until the eighth century that it was firmly established. And this despite the fact that it was the early Church that was glorified by the host of holy confessors, martyrs, teachers ...

b) With the fact that the Roman Catholic Church fell away from Ecumenical Orthodoxy.

As soon as the Ecumenical Church has split into Western and Eastern, the supporters of this idea argue, the convocation of a Council representing the One and True Church, alas, is impossible.

In reality, according to God's definition, the Universal Church has never been divided in two. Indeed, according to the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, if a kingdom or a house are divided within themselves, “that kingdom cannot stand” (), “that house” (). The Church of God stood, stands and will stand, "and the gates of hell will not prevail against her" (). Consequently, she has never shared, and will not divide.

In relation to Her unity, the Church is often called the Body of Christ (see:). Christ has not two Bodies, but one: "There is one bread, and we who are many are one body" (). In this respect, we cannot recognize the Western Church either as one with us, or as a separate, but equivalent Sister Church.

The rupture of the canonical unity between the Eastern Church and the Western is, in essence, not a division, but a falling away and secession of the Roman Catholics from Ecumenical Orthodoxy. The separation of any part of Christians from the One and True Mother Church does not make her either less One or less True, and does not constitute an obstacle to the convocation of new Councils.

The era of the seven Ecumenical Councils was marked by many breakaways. Nevertheless, by the Providence of God, all seven Councils took place and all seven received the recognition of the Church.

This Council was convened against the false teaching of the Alexandrian priest Arius, who rejected the Deity and the eternal birth of the second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Son of God, from God the Father; and taught that the Son of God is only the highest creation.

The Council was attended by 318 bishops, among whom were: St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, James Bishop of Nizibia, Spyridon of Trimyphus, St., who was still in the rank of deacon, and others.

The Council condemned and rejected the heresy of Arius and confirmed the immutable truth - dogma; The Son of God is the true God, born of God the Father before all ages and as eternal as God the Father; He was born, not created, and consubstantial with God the Father.

In order for all Orthodox Christians to know exactly the true doctrine of faith, it was clearly and succinctly stated in the first seven terms of the Creed.

At the same Council, it was decided to celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after the first spring full moon, the priests were also determined to be married, and many other rules were established.

At the Council, the heresy of Macedonia was condemned and rejected. The Council approved the dogma of the equality and consubstantiation of God the Holy Spirit with God the Father and God the Son.

The Council also supplemented the Nicene Creed with five members, which set forth the doctrine: about the Holy Spirit, about the Church, about the sacraments, about the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come. Thus, the Nikaotsaregrad Symbol of Faith was drawn up, which serves as a guide for the Church for all times.

THIRD UNIVERSAL COUNCIL

The Third Ecumenical Council was convened in 431, in the mountains. Ephesus, under the Emperor Theodosius the 2nd Younger.

The council was convened against the false teaching of Archbishop Nestorius of Constantinople, who impiously taught that the Most Holy Virgin Mary gave birth to a simple man Christ, with whom, then, God united morally, dwelt in Him as in a temple, just as he had previously dwelt in Moses and other prophets ... Therefore, Nestorius called the Lord Jesus Christ Himself a God-bearer, and not a God-man, and called the Most Holy Virgin the Mother of God, and not the Mother of God.

The Council was attended by 200 bishops.

The Council condemned and rejected the heresy of Nestorius and decided to recognize the union in Jesus Christ, from the time of the incarnation, of two natures: the Divine and the human; and determined: to confess Jesus Christ as a perfect God and a perfect Man, and the Blessed Virgin Mary - to be the Mother of God.

The Council also approved the Nikaotzaregrad Symbol of Faith and strictly forbade any changes or additions to be made in it.

FOURTH UNIVERSAL COUNCIL

The Fourth Ecumenical Council was convened in 451, in the mountains. Chalcedon, under the emperor Marcian.

The council was convened against the false teaching of the archimandrite of one of the Constantinople monastery Eutychios, who rejected human nature in the Lord Jesus Christ. Refuting heresy, and defending the divine dignity of Jesus Christ, he himself went to an extreme, and taught that in the Lord Jesus Christ human nature was completely absorbed by the Divine, why in Him only one Divine nature should be recognized. This false teaching is called Monophysitism, and its followers are called Monophysites (Monophysites).

The Council was attended by 650 bishops.

The Council condemned and rejected the false teaching of Eutyches and determined the true teaching of the Church, namely, that our Lord Jesus Christ is true God and true man: according to the Divine He is eternally born of the Father, according to humanity He was born of the Most Holy Virgin and is similar to us in everything, except sin ... During the incarnation (birth from the Virgin Mary), the Divine and humanity were united in Him as a single Person, unmerged and unchanging (against Eutychius), inseparable and inseparable (against Nestorius).

FIFTH UNIVERSAL COUNCIL

The Fifth Ecumenical Council was convened in 553, in the city of Constantinople, under the famous emperor Justinian I.

The council was convened over a dispute between the followers of Nestorius and Eutychios. The main subject of controversy was the writings of the three teachers of the Syrian Church, who were famous in their time, namely Theodore of Mopsuet, and Iva of Edessa, in which Nestorian errors were clearly expressed, and at the Fourth Ecumenical Council nothing was mentioned about these three writings.

In a dispute with the Eutychians (Monophysites), the Nestorians referred to these writings, and the Eutychians found in this an excuse to reject the 4th Ecumenical Council itself and to slander the Orthodox Ecumenical Church that she had allegedly deviated into Nestorianism.

The Council was attended by 165 bishops.

The council condemned all three works and Theodore of Mopsuet himself, as not repentant, and with respect to the other two, the condemnation was limited only to their Nestorian writings, but they themselves were pardoned, since they renounced their false opinions and died in peace with the Church.

The council again repeated the condemnation of the heresy of Nestorius and Eutychios.

SIXTH UNIVERSAL COUNCIL

The Sixth Ecumenical Council was convened in 680, in the city of Constantinople, under the Emperor Constantine Pogonatus, and consisted of 170 bishops.

The council was convened against the false teaching of the heretics - the Monothelites, who, although they recognized two natures in Jesus Christ, the Divine and the human, but one Divine will.

After the 5th Ecumenical Council, the unrest produced by the Monothelites continued and threatened the Greek Empire with great danger. Emperor Heraclius, desiring reconciliation, decided to persuade the Orthodox to concession to the Monothelites and, by the strength of his power, commanded to recognize in Jesus Christ one will with two natures.

The defenders and exponents of the true teaching of the Church were Sophronius, the patriarch of Jerusalem and the monk of Constantinople, whose tongue was cut out and his hand was cut off for his firmness of faith.

The Sixth Ecumenical Council condemned and rejected the heresy of the Monothelites, and determined to recognize in Jesus Christ two natures - the Divine and the human, - and according to these two natures - two wills, but in such a way that the human will in Christ is not contrary, but submissive to His Divine will.

It is noteworthy that at this Council excommunication was pronounced along with other heretics, and Pope Honorius, who recognized the doctrine of unanimity as Orthodox. The determination of the Council was also signed by the Roman legates: the presbyters Theodore and George, and the deacon John. This clearly indicates that the supreme authority in the Church belongs to the Ecumenical Council, and not to the Pope.

Eleven years later, the Council reopened meetings in the royal chambers called Trulli, to resolve issues primarily related to ecclesiastical deanery. In this respect, it seems to have supplemented the Fifth and Sixth Ecumenical Councils, and therefore is called the Fifth-Sixth.

The Council approved the rules by which the Church should be governed, namely: the 85 rules of the Holy Apostles, the rules of the 6 Ecumenical and 7 local Councils, and the rules of the 13 Church Fathers. These rules were subsequently supplemented by the rules of the Seventh Ecumenical Council and two more Local Councils, and made up the so-called "Nomokanon", and in Russian "The Helm Book", which is the basis of the church administration of the Orthodox Church.

At this Council, some innovations of the Roman Church were condemned that did not agree with the spirit of the decrees of the Ecumenical Church, namely: the compulsion to celibacy of priests and deacons, strict fasting on the Saturdays of Great Lent, and the image of Christ in the form of a lamb (lamb).

SEVENTH UNIVERSAL COUNCIL

The Seventh Ecumenical Council was convened in 787, in the mountains. Nicaea, under Empress Irina (widow of Emperor Leo Khozar), and consisted of 367 fathers.

The council was convened against the iconoclastic heresy that arose 60 years before the council, under the Greek emperor Leo the Isaurian, who, wishing to convert Mohammedans to Christianity, considered it necessary to destroy the veneration of icons. This heresy continued under his son Constantine Copronymus and grandson Lev Khozar.

The Council condemned and rejected the iconoclastic heresy and determined - to supply and lay in St. temples, together with the image of the Honorable and Life-giving Cross of the Lord, and holy icons, to honor and worship them, raising the mind and heart to the Lord God, the Mother of God and the Saints depicted on them.

After the 7th Ecumenical Council, the persecution of holy icons was again erected by the subsequent three emperors: Leo the Armenian, Michael Balboi and Theophilus, and for about 25 years the Church worried.

Veneration of St. icons was finally restored and approved at the Local Council of Constantinople in 842, under Empress Theodore.

At this Council, in gratitude to the Lord God, who granted the Church victory over the iconoclasts and all heretics, the feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy was established, which is supposed to be celebrated on the first Sunday of Great Lent and which is celebrated to this day in the entire Ecumenical Orthodox Church.

NOTE: Roman Catholics, instead of seven, recognize more than 20 Ecumenical Councils, incorrectly including those that were in the Western Church after its fall, and some Protestant denominations, despite the example of the Apostles and the recognition of the entire Christian Church, do not recognize a single Ecumenical Council.