How many ecumenical councils of the Orthodox Church are there? A Brief History of Christianity: Ecumenical Councils

BRIEF INFORMATION ABOUT THE AUTHOR Leonid Andreevich Belyaev (born 1948), Doctor of Historical Sciences, head of the sector at the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Specialist in urban archeology, ancient Russian culture, history of architecture and construction, iconography. Has extensive

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Brief information about the Bible The Bible consists of seventy-seven books - fifty books of the Old Testament and twenty-seven books of the New Testament. Despite the fact that it was written down over several thousand years by dozens of holy people on different languages, she, unlike the Koran,

Ecumenical councils(in Greek: Synod of Oikomeniki) - councils, compiled with the assistance of secular (imperial) power, from representatives of the entire Christian Church, convened from various parts of the Greco-Roman Empire and the so-called barbarian countries, to establish binding rules regarding the dogmas of faith and various manifestations of church life and activity. The emperor usually convened the council, determined the place of its meetings, assigned a certain amount for the convocation and activities of the council, exercised the right of honorary chairmanship at it and affixed his signature to the acts of the council and (in fact) sometimes exerted influence on its decisions, although in principle he did not have the right to judge in matters of faith. Bishops, as representatives of various local churches, were full members of the council. The dogmatic definitions, rules or canons and judicial decisions of the council were approved by the signature of all its members; The consolidation of the conciliar act by the emperor gave him the binding force of church law, the violation of which was punishable by secular criminal laws.

Only those whose decisions were recognized as binding in the entire Christian Church, both Eastern (Orthodox) and Roman (Catholic) are recognized as true Ecumenical Councils. There are seven such cathedrals.

The era of the Ecumenical Councils

1st Ecumenical Council (Nicene 1st) met under Emperor Constantine the Great in 325, in Nicaea (in Bithynia), regarding the teaching of the Alexandrian presbyter Arius that the Son of God is the creation of God the Father and therefore is not consubstantial with the Father ( Arian heresy ). Having condemned Arius, the council drew up a symbol of the true teaching and approved the “consubstantial” (ohm O usia) Son with the Father. Of the many lists of rules of this council, only 20 are considered authentic. The council consisted of 318 bishops, many presbyters and deacons, of which one, the famous Afanasy, led the debate. The council was presided over, according to some scholars, by Hosea of ​​Corduba, and according to others, by Eustathius of Antioch.

First Ecumenical Council. Artist V.I. Surikov. Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow

2nd Ecumenical Council – Constantinople, gathered in 381, under Emperor Theodosius I, against the Semi-Arians and the Bishop of Constantinople Macedonius. The first recognized the Son of God not as consubstantial, but only “similar in essence” (ohm And usios) Father, while the latter proclaimed the inequality of the third member of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, declaring him only the first creation and instrument of the Son. In addition, the council examined and condemned the teaching of the Anomeans - followers of Aetius and Eunomius, who taught that the Son is not at all like the Father ( anomoyos), but consists of a different entity (etherousios), as well as the teaching of the followers of Photinus, who renewed Sabellianism, and Apollinaris (of Laodicea), who argued that the flesh of Christ, brought from heaven from the bosom of the Father, did not have a rational soul, since it was replaced by the Divinity of the Word.

At this council, which issued that Creed, which is now accepted in Orthodox Church, and 7 Rules (the count of the latter is not the same: they are counted from 3 to 11), 150 bishops of one eastern church were present (it is believed that Western bishops were not invited). Three chaired it successively: Meletius of Antioch, Gregory the Theologian and Nektarios of Constantinople.

Second Ecumenical Council. Artist V. I. Surikov

3rd Ecumenical Council , Ephesus, gathered in 431, under Emperor Theodosius II, against the Archbishop of Constantinople Nestorius, who taught that the incarnation of the Son of God was His simple dwelling in the man Christ, and not the union of Divinity and humanity in one person, why, according to the teachings of Nestorius ( Nestorianism), and the Mother of God should be called “Christ Mother of God” or even “Mother of Man”. This council was attended by 200 bishops and 3 legates of Pope Celestine; the latter arrived after the condemnation of Nestorius and only signed the conciliar definitions, while Cyril of Alexandria, who presided over it, had the voice of the pope during the meetings of the council. The Council adopted 12 anathematisms (curses) of Cyril of Alexandria, against the teachings of Nestorius, and 6 rules were included in his circular message, to which two more decrees were added on the cases of Presbyter Charisius and Bishop Regina.

Third Ecumenical Council. Artist V. I. Surikov

4th Ecumenical Council . image, so that after the union in Jesus Christ there remained only one divine nature, which in visible human form lived on earth, suffered, died and was resurrected. Thus, according to this teaching, the body of Christ was not of the same essence as ours and had only one nature - divine, and not two inseparably and unmergedly united - divine and human. From the Greek words “one nature” the heresy of Eutyches and Dioscorus received its name Monophysitism. The council was attended by 630 bishops and, among them, three legates of Pope Leo the Great. The Council condemned the previous Council of Ephesus of 449 (known as the “robber” Council for its violent actions against the Orthodox) and especially Dioscorus of Alexandria, who presided over it. At the council, a definition of the true teaching was drawn up (printed in the “book of rules” under the name of the dogma of the 4th Ecumenical Council) and 27 rules (the 28th rule was compiled at a special meeting, and the 29th and 30th rules are only extracts from Act IV).

5th Ecumenical Council (Constantinople 2nd), met in 553, under Emperor Justinian I, to resolve the dispute about the orthodoxy of the bishops Theodore of Mopsuestia, Theodoret of Cyrus and Willow of Edessa, who, 120 years earlier, in their writings turned out to be partly supporters of Nestorius (such recognized as scriptures: Theodore - all the works, Theodoret - criticism of the anathematisms adopted by the 3rd Ecumenical Council, and Iva - a letter to Mara, or Marin, Bishop of Ardashir in Persia). This council, consisting of 165 bishops (Pope Vigilius II, who was at that time in Constantinople, did not go to the council, although he was invited, due to the fact that he sympathized with the views of those against whom the council was meeting; despite this, however, he , as well as Pope Pelagius, recognized this council, and only after them and until the end of the 6th century the Western church did not recognize it, and the Spanish councils did not even mention it in the 7th century; West). The Council did not issue rules, but was engaged in considering and resolving the dispute “On Three Chapters” - this was the name of the dispute caused by the emperor’s decree of 544, in which, in three chapters, the teaching of the three aforementioned bishops was considered and condemned.

6th Ecumenical Council (Constantinople 3rd), met in 680 under Emperor Constantine Pogonatus, against heretics- monothelites, who, although they recognized two natures in Jesus Christ (like the Orthodox), but at the same time, together with the Monophysites, allowed only one will, conditioned by the unity of personal self-consciousness in Christ. This council was attended by 170 bishops and legates of Pope Agathon. Having drawn up a definition of the true teaching, the council condemned many Eastern patriarchs and Pope Honorius for their adherence to the teaching of the Monothelites (the latter’s representative at the council was Macarius of Aptiochi), although the latter, as well as some of the Monothelite patriarchs, died 40 years before the council. The condemnation of Honorius was recognized by Pope Leo II (Agatho had already died at this time). This council also did not issue rules.

Fifth-Sixth Cathedral. Since neither the 5th nor the 6th Ecumenical Councils issued rules, then, as if in addition to their activities, in 692, under Emperor Justinian II, a council was convened in Constantinople, which was called the Fifth-Sixth or after the meeting place in the hall with round vaults (Trullon) Trullan. The council was attended by 227 bishops and a delegate from the Roman Church, Bishop Basil from the island of Crete. This council, which did not draw up a single dogmatic definition, but issued 102 rules, is very important, since it was the first time on behalf of the entire church that a revision of all canon law in force at that time was carried out. Thus, the apostolic decrees were rejected, the composition of the canonical rules, collected in collections by the works of private individuals, was approved, the previous rules were corrected and supplemented, and, finally, rules were issued condemning the practice of the Roman and Armenian churches. The Council forbade “forging, or rejecting, or adopting rules other than the proper ones, with false inscriptions compiled by some people who dared to trade in the truth.”

7th Ecumenical Council (Nicene 2nd) convened in 787 under Empress Irene, against heretics- iconoclasts, who taught that icons are attempts to depict the unrepresentable, offensive to Christianity, and that their veneration should lead to heresies and idolatry. In addition to the dogmatic definition, the council drew up 22 more rules. In Gaul, the 7th Ecumenical Council was not immediately recognized.

The dogmatic definitions of all seven Ecumenical Councils were recognized and accepted by the Roman Church. In relation to the canons of these councils, the Roman Church adhered to the view expressed by Pope John VIII and expressed by the librarian Anastasius in the preface to the translation of the acts of the 7th Ecumenical Council: it accepted all conciliar rules, with the exception of those that contradicted papal decretals and “good Roman customs.” " But in addition to the 7 councils recognized by the Orthodox, the Roman (Catholic) Church has its own councils, which it recognizes as ecumenical. These are: Constantinople 869, anathematized Patriarch Photius and declaring the pope “an instrument of the Holy Spirit” and not subject to the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Councils; Lateran 1st (1123), on ecclesiastical investiture, ecclesiastical discipline and the liberation of the Holy Land from infidels (see Crusades); Lateran 2nd (1139), against doctrine Arnold of Breshian about the abuse of spiritual power; Lateran 3rd (1179), against the Waldensians; Lateran 4th (1215), against the Albigensians; 1st Lyon (1245), against Emperor Frederick II and the appointment of a crusade; 2nd Lyon (1274), on the issue of uniting the Catholic and Orthodox churches ( union), proposed by the Byzantine emperor Mikhail Paleolog; at this council, the following was added to the Creed in accordance with Catholic teaching: “The Holy Spirit also comes from the son”; Viennese (1311), against the Templars, Beggards, Beguins, Lollards, Waldensians, Albigensians; Pisa (1404); Constance (1414 - 18), at which Jan Hus was convicted; Basle (1431), on the issue of limiting papal autocracy in church affairs; Ferraro-Florentine (1439), at which a new union of Orthodoxy and Catholicism took place; Trent (1545), against the Reformation and Vatican (1869 - 70), which established the dogma of papal infallibility.

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 distorted it with human speculation. To expose them and discuss canonical and dogmatic problems in the early Christian church, Ecumenical Councils were convened. They united adherents of the faith of Christ from all corners of the Greco-Roman Empire, shepherds and teachers from barbarian countries. The period from the 4th to the 8th centuries in church history is usually called the era of strengthening true faith, the years of the Ecumenical Councils contributed to this in all their strength.

Historical excursion

For living Christians, 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 and what it was moving towards. In history one can see the lies of modern cults and sects that claim to have similar dogmatic teachings.

From the very beginnings of the Christian church, there was already 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, certain rules of internal church structure, time and order of services were established. The first Ecumenical Councils were created specifically in order to preserve the dogmas of faith in their true form.

First holy meeting

The first Ecumenical Council took place in 325. Among the fathers present at the holy meeting, the most famous were Spyridon of Trimifuntsky, Archbishop Nicholas of Myra, Bishop of Nisibius, Athanasius the Great and others.

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

All the decisions that the Ecumenical Councils adopted 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 Holy Scripture. In order for all believers to have access to the true teaching that Christianity brings, it was set out clearly and briefly in the first seven members of the Creed. This form continues to this day.

Second Holy Assembly

The Second Ecumenical Council was held in 381 in Constantinople. The main reason was the development of the false teaching of Bishop Macedonius and his adherents of the Arian Doukhobors. Heretical statements ranked the Son of God as not consubstantial with God the Father. The Holy Spirit was designated by heretics as the ministering power of the Lord, like angels.

At the second council, the true Christian teaching was defended by Cyril of Jerusalem, Gregory of Nyssa, and George the Theologian, who were among the 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 the guide for the church.

Third Holy Assembly

The Third Ecumenical Council was convened in Ephesus in 431, and about two hundred bishops gathered. 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 a perfect God, and the Virgin Mary as the Mother of God.

Fourth Holy Assembly

The Fourth Ecumenical Council, held in Chalcedon, was convened specifically in order to eliminate all the Monophysite disputes that began to spread around the church. The Holy Assembly, consisting of 650 bishops, defined the only true teaching of the church and rejected all existing false teachings. 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 his humanity, he was brought into the world from the Virgin Mary, in all likeness to man, except for sin. At the Incarnation, the human and the divine were united in the body of Christ unchangeably, inseparably and inseparably.

It is worth noting that the heresy of the Monophysites brought a lot of evil to the church. The false teaching was not completely eradicated by conciliar condemnation, and for a long time disputes continued to develop between the heretical followers of Eutyches and Nestorius. The main reason for the controversy was the writings of three followers of the church - Fyodor of Mopsuet, Willow of Edessa, Theodoret of Cyrus. The mentioned bishops were condemned by Emperor Justinian, but his decree was not recognized by the Universal Church. Therefore, a dispute arose about the three chapters.

Fifth Holy Assembly

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

Sixth Holy Assembly

The history of the Ecumenical Councils says that the struggle of orthodox Christians with heretics lasted for quite a long time. The sixth council (Trullo) was convened in Constantinople, at which the truth was finally to be established. At the meeting, which brought together 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 council, Monothelianism fell, and for about fifty years the Christian church lived relatively calmly. New vague trends appeared later regarding the iconoclastic heresy.

Seventh Holy Assembly

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

The Meaning of Holy Assemblies

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

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

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

Eighth Ecumenical Council

Instead of a conclusion

Ecumenical councils are meetings of bishops (and other representatives of the highest clergy of the world) of the Christian Church at the international level.

At such meetings, the most important dogmatic, political-ecclesiastical, and disciplinary-judicial issues are brought up for general discussion and agreement.

What are the signs of Ecumenical Christian Councils? Names and brief descriptions seven official meetings? When and where did it happen? What was decided at these international meetings? And much more - this article will tell you about it.

Description

Orthodox Ecumenical Councils were initially important events for the Christian world. Each time, issues were considered that subsequently influenced the course of the entire church history.

There is less need for such activities in the Catholic faith because many aspects of the church are regulated by a central religious leader, the Pope.

The Eastern Church - the Orthodox - has a deeper need for such unifying meetings of a large-scale nature. Because quite a lot of questions also accumulate and they all require solutions at an authoritative spiritual level.

In the entire history of Christianity, Catholics currently recognize 21 Ecumenical Councils that have taken place, while Orthodox Christians recognize only 7 (officially recognized) ones, which were held back in the 1st millennium after the Nativity of Christ.

Each such event necessarily examines several important religious topics, different opinions of authoritative clergy are brought to the attention of participants, and the most important decisions are made unanimously, which then have an impact on the entire Christian world.

A few words from history

In the early centuries (from the Nativity of Christ), any church meeting was called a cathedral. A little later (in the 3rd century AD), this term began to refer to meetings of bishops to resolve important issues of a religious nature.

After Emperor Constantine proclaimed tolerance towards Christians, the highest clergy were able to periodically meet in a general cathedral. And the church throughout the empire began to hold Ecumenical Councils.

Representatives of the clergy of all local churches took part in such meetings. The head of these councils, as a rule, was appointed by the Roman Emperor, who gave all important decisions made during these meetings the level of state laws.

The emperor was also authorized to:

• convene councils;
• make monetary contributions towards some of the costs associated with each meeting;
• designate a venue;
• maintain order through the appointment of their officials and so on.

Signs of the Ecumenical Council

There are some distinctive features, which are unique to the Ecumenical Council:

Jerusalem

It is also called the Apostolic Cathedral. This is the first such meeting in the history of the church, which took place approximately in 49 AD (according to some sources - in 51) - in Jerusalem.

The issues that were considered at the Jerusalem Council concerned the Jews and observance of the custom of circumcision (all the pros and cons).

The apostles themselves, disciples of Jesus Christ, were present at this meeting.

First Cathedral

There are only seven ecumenical councils (officially recognized).

The very first was organized in Nicaea - in 325 AD. This is what they call it - the First Council of Nicaea.

It was at this meeting that Emperor Constantine, who was not a Christian at that time (but changed paganism to faith in the One God only before his death, by being baptized) declared his identity as the head of the state church.

He also appointed Christianity as the main religion of Byzantium and the Eastern Roman Empire.

At the first Ecumenical Council the Creed was approved.

And this meeting also became epoch-making in the history of Christianity, when there was a break between the church and the Jewish faith.

Emperor Constantine established principles that reflected the attitude of Christians towards the Jewish people - this is contempt and separation from them.

After the first Ecumenical Council, the Christian Church began to submit to secular governance. At the same time, it lost its main values: the ability to give people spiritual life and joy, to be a saving force, to have a prophetic spirit and light.

In essence, the church was made into a “murderer,” a persecutor who persecuted and killed innocent people. It was a terrible time for Christianity.

Second Council

The second Ecumenical Council took place in the city of Constantinople in 381. I of Constantinople was named in honor of this.

Several important issues were discussed at this meeting:

1. About the essence of the concepts of God the Father, God the Son (Christ) and God the Holy Spirit.
2. Affirmation of the inviolability of the Nicene Symbol.
3. General criticism of the judgments of Bishop Apollinaris from Syria (a fairly educated man of his time, an authoritative spiritual personality, a defender of Orthodoxy against Arianism).
4. The establishment of a form of conciliar court, which implied the acceptance of heretics into the bosom of the church after their sincere repentance (through baptism, confirmation).

A serious event of the Second Ecumenical Council was the death of its first chairman, Meletius of Antioch (who combined meekness and zeal for Orthodoxy). This happened in the very first days of the meetings.

After which Gregory of Nazianzus (the Theologian) took the rule of the cathedral into his own hands for some time. But he soon refused to take part in the meeting and left the department in Constantinople.

As a result, Gregory of Nyssa became the main person of this cathedral. He was an example of a man leading a holy life.

Third Council

This official Christian event of international scale took place in the summer, in 431, in the city of Ephesus (and therefore called Ephesus).

The Third Ecumenical Council took place under the leadership and with the permission of Emperor Theodosius the Younger.

The main topic of the meeting was the false teaching of Patriarch Nestorius of Constantinople. His vision was criticized that:

• Christ has two hypostases - divine (spiritual) and human (earthly), that the Son of God was born initially as a man, and then Divine power united with him.
• The Most Pure Mary must be called Christ Mother (instead of Theotokos).

With these bold assurances, Nestorius, in the eyes of other clergy, rebelled against the previously established opinions that Christ was born from the virgin birth and that he atoned for human sins with his life.

Even before the convening of the council, the Patriarch of Alexandria, Kirill, tried to reason with this obstinate Patriarch of Constantinople, but in vain.

About 200 clergy arrived at the Council of Ephesus, among them: Juvenal of Jerusalem, Cyril of Alexandria, Memon of Ephesus, representatives of St. Celestine (Pope of Rome) and others.

At the end of this international event, the heresy of Nestorius was condemned. This was clothed in the corresponding entries - “12 anathematisms against Nestorius” and “8 rules”.

Fourth Council

The event took place in the city of Chalcedon - in 451 (Chalcedonian). At that time, the ruler was Emperor Marcian - the son of a warrior by birth, but who won the glory of a brave soldier, who, by the will of the Almighty, became the head of the empire by marrying the daughter of Theodosius - Pulcheria.

About 630 bishops were present at the Fourth Ecumenical Council, among them: Patriarch of Jerusalem - Juvenaly, Patriarch of Constantinople - Anatoly and others. A clergyman also arrived - the envoy of the Pope, Leo.

There were also negative church representatives among the rest. For example, Patriarch Maximus of Antioch, whom Dioscorus sent, and Eutyches with like-minded people.

The following issues were discussed at this meeting:

• condemnation of the false teaching of the Monophysites, who claimed that Christ possessed an exclusively divine nature;
• decree that the Lord Jesus Christ is true God as well as true Man.
• about representatives of the Armenian Church, who in their vision of faith united with the religious movement - the Monophysites.

Fifth Council

The meeting took place in the city of Constantinople - in 553 (that is why the cathedral was called II of Constantinople). The ruler at that time was the holy and blessed king Justinian I.

What was decided at the Fifth Ecumenical Council?

First of all, the orthodoxy of the bishops was examined, who during their lifetime reflected Nestorian thoughts in their works. This:

• Willow of Edessa;
• Theodore of Mopsuetsky;
• Theodoret of Cyrus.

Thus, the main topic of the council was the question “On the Three Chapters.”

Even at the international meeting, the bishops considered the teachings of Presbyter Origen (he once said that the soul lives before incarnation on earth), who lived in the 3rd century after the Nativity of Christ.

They also condemned heretics who did not agree with the opinion about the general resurrection of people.

165 bishops gathered here. The cathedral was opened by Eutyches, the Patriarch of Constantinople.

The Pope, Virgil, was invited to the meeting three times, but he refused to attend. And when the cathedral council threatened to sign a decree excommunicating him from the church, he agreed with the opinion of the majority and signed a conciliar document - an anathema regarding Theodore of Mopsuet, Iva and Theodoret.

Sixth Council

This international meeting was preceded by history. The Byzantine government decided to annex the Monophysite movement to the Orthodox Church. This led to the emergence of a new movement - the Monothelites.

At the beginning of the 7th century, the emperor Byzantine Empire was Heraclius. He was against religious divisions, and therefore made every effort to unite everyone in one faith. He even intended to assemble a cathedral for this purpose. But the issue was not completely resolved.

When Constantine Pagonat ascended the throne, the division between Orthodox Christians and Monothelites again became noticeable. The emperor decided that Orthodoxy must triumph.

In 680, the sixth Ecumenical Council (also called III Constantinople or Trullo) was assembled in the city of Constantinople. And before that, Constantine deposed the Patriarch of Constantinople named Theodore, who belonged to the Monothelite movement. And instead he appointed Presbyter George, who supported the dogmas of the Orthodox Church.

A total of 170 bishops came to the Sixth Ecumenical Council. Including representatives of the Pope, Agathon.

Christian teaching supported the idea of ​​two wills of Christ - divine and earthly (and the Monothelites had a different vision on this matter). This was approved at the council.

The meeting lasted until 681. There were 18 bishops' meetings in total.

Seventh Council

Held in 787 in the city of Nicaea (or II Nicaea). The Seventh Ecumenical Council was convened by Empress Irina, who wanted to officially restore the right of Christians to venerate holy images (she herself secretly worshiped icons).

At an official international meeting, the heresy of iconoclasm was condemned (which allowed icons and faces of saints to be legally placed in churches next to the holy cross), and 22 canons were restored.

Thanks to the Seventh Ecumenical Council, it became possible to venerate and worship icons, but it is important to direct your mind and heart to the living Lord and Mother of God.

About the councils and holy apostles

Thus, in just the first millennium from the birth of Christ, 7 Ecumenical Councils were held (official and several more local ones, which also resolved important issues of religion).

They were necessary in order to protect church servants from mistakes and lead to repentance (if any were committed).

It was at such international meetings that not just metropolitans and bishops gathered, but real holy men, spiritual fathers. These individuals served the Lord with all their lives and with all their hearts, made important decisions, and established rules and canons.

Marrying them meant a serious violation of the understanding of the teachings of Christ and his followers.

The first such rules (in Greek “oros”) were also called “Rules of the Holy Apostles” and Ecumenical Councils. There are 85 points in total. They were proclaimed and officially approved at the Trullo (Sixth Ecumenical) Council.

These rules originate from the apostolic tradition and were initially preserved only in oral form. They were passed on from mouth to mouth - through the apostolic successors. And thus, the rules were conveyed to the fathers of the Trullo Ecumenical Council

Holy Fathers

In addition to the Ecumenical (international) meetings of clergy, local meetings of bishops were also organized - from a specific area.

The decisions and decrees that were approved at such councils (of local significance) were also subsequently accepted by the entire Orthodox Church. Including the opinions of the holy fathers, who were also called the “Pillars of the Church.”

Such holy men include: Martyr Peter, Gregory the Wonderworker, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, Athanasius the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, Cyril of Alexandria.

And their provisions regarding the Orthodox faith and the entire teaching of Christ were summarized in the “Rules of the Holy Fathers” of the Ecumenical Councils.

According to the predictions of these spiritual men, the official eighth international meeting will not be of a genuine nature, it will rather be a “gathering of the Antichrist.”

Recognition of cathedrals by the church

According to history, the Orthodox, Catholic and other Christian churches have formed their opinions regarding international level councils and their number.

Therefore, only two have official status: the first and second Ecumenical Councils. These are the ones recognized by all churches without exception. Including the Assyrian Church of the East.

The first three Ecumenical Councils are recognized by the Ancient Eastern Orthodox Church. And the Byzantine - all seven.

According to the Catholic Church, 21 world councils have taken place in 2 thousand years.

Which cathedrals are recognized by the Orthodox and Catholic churches?

1. Far Eastern, Catholic and Orthodox (Jerusalem, I Nicaea and I Constantinople).
2. Far Eastern (with the exception of Assyrian), Catholic and Orthodox (Cathedral of Ephesus).
3. Orthodox and Catholic (Chalcedonian, II and III Constantinople, II Nicene).
4. Catholic (IV Constantinople 869-870; I, II, III Lateran XII century, IV Lateran XIII century; I, II Lyons XIII century; Vienne 1311-1312; Constance 1414-1418; Ferraro-Florentine 1438- 1445; V Lateran 1512-1517; Vatican I 1869-1870; Vatican II 1962-1965);
5. Councils that were recognized by Ecumenical theologians and representatives of Orthodoxy (IV Constantinople 869-870; V Constantinople 1341-1351).

Robbers

The history of the church also knows such councils that claimed to be called Ecumenical. But they were not accepted by all historical churches for a number of reasons.

The main robber cathedrals:

• Antioch (341 AD).
• Milan (355).
• Ephesian Robber (449).
• the first iconoclastic (754).
• the second iconoclastic (815).

Preparation of Pan-Orthodox Councils

In the 20th century, the Orthodox Church tried to prepare for the Eighth Ecumenical Council. This was planned in the 20s, 60s, 90s of the last century. And also in 2009 and 2016 of this century.

But, unfortunately, all attempts so far have ended in nothing. Although the Russian Orthodox Church is in a state of spiritual activity.

As follows from practical experience regarding this event of international scale, only the same one that will be subsequent can recognize the council as Ecumenical.

In 2016, it was planned to organize a Pan-Orthodox Council, which was to be held in Istanbul. But so far only a meeting of representatives of Orthodox churches has taken place there.

24 bishops - representatives of local churches - will participate in the planned eighth Ecumenical Council.

The event will be held by the Patriarchate of Constantinople - in the Church of St. Irene.

The following topics are planned to be discussed at this council:

• the meaning of Fasting, its observance;
• obstacles to marriage;
• calendar;
• church autonomy;
• the relationship of the Orthodox Church to other Christian denominations;
• Orthodox faith and society.

This will be a significant event for all believers, as well as for the Christian world as a whole.

Conclusions

Thus, summing up everything stated above, Ecumenical Councils are truly important for the Christian Church. At these meetings significant events take place that affect the entire teaching of the Orthodox and Catholic faith.

And these cathedrals, which are characterized by an international level, have serious historical value. Since such events occur only in cases of particular importance and necessity.

There were Ecumenical Councils in the true Orthodox Church of Christ seven: 1. Nicene, 2. Constantinople, 3. Ephesian, 4. Chalcedonian, 5.Constantinople 2nd. 6. Constantinople 3rd and 7. Nicene 2nd.

FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

The First Ecumenical Council was convened in 325 city, in the mountains Nicaea, under Emperor Constantine the Great.

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

318 bishops took part in the Council, among whom were: St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, James Bishop of Nisibis, Spyridon of Trimythous, St. Athanasius the Great, who was at that time still in the rank of deacon, etc.

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

So that all Orthodox Christians can accurately know the true teaching of the faith, it has been clearly and concisely stated in the first seven clauses Creed.

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

SECOND ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

The Second Ecumenical Council was convened in 381 city, in the mountains Constantinople, under Emperor Theodosius the Great.

This Council was convened against the false teaching of the former Arian bishop of Constantinople Macedonia, who rejected the Divinity of the third Person of the Holy Trinity, Holy Spirit; he taught that the Holy Spirit is not God, and called Him a creature or created power and, moreover, serving God the Father and God the Son like Angels.

150 bishops were present at the Council, among whom were: Gregory the Theologian (he was the chairman of the Council), Gregory of Nyssa, Meletius of Antioch, Amphilochius of Iconium, Cyril of Jerusalem and others.

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

The Council also complemented the Nicene Creed five members, in which the teaching is set out: about the Holy Spirit, about the Church, about the sacraments, about the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Thus, the Nikeotsaregradsky was compiled Creed, which serves as a guide for the Church for all times.

THIRD ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

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

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

200 bishops were present at the Council.

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: Divine and human; and determined: to confess Jesus Christ as perfect God and perfect Man, and the Most Holy Virgin Mary as the Mother of God.

Cathedral also approved Nikeotsaregradsky Creed and strictly forbade making any changes or additions to it.

FOURTH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

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

The Council was convened against the false teaching of the archimandrite of a Constantinople monastery Eutyches who denied human nature in the Lord Jesus Christ. Refuting heresy and defending the Divine dignity of Jesus Christ, he himself went to extremes and taught that in the Lord Jesus Christ human nature was completely absorbed by the Divine, why only one Divine nature should be recognized in Him. This false teaching is called monophysitism, and his followers are called Monophysites(same-naturalists).

650 bishops were present at the Council.

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 Divinity He is eternally born of the Father, according to humanity He was born from the Blessed Virgin and is like us in everything except sin . At the Incarnation (birth from the Virgin Mary) Divinity and humanity were united in Him as one Person, unmerged and unchangeable(against Eutyches) inseparably and inseparably(against Nestorius).

FIFTH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

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

The council was convened over disputes between the followers of Nestorius and Eutyches. The main subject of controversy was the writings of three teachers of the Syrian Church, who enjoyed fame in their time, namely Theodore of Mopsuetsky, Theodoret of Cyrus And Willow of Edessa, in which Nestorian errors were clearly expressed, and at the Fourth Ecumenical Council nothing was mentioned about these three works.

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

165 bishops were present at the Council.

The council condemned all three works and Theodore of Mopset himself as unrepentant, and regarding the other two, the condemnation was limited only to their Nestorian works, but they themselves were pardoned, because they renounced their false opinions and died in peace with the Church.

The Council again repeated its condemnation of the heresy of Nestorius and Eutyches.

SIXTH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

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

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

After the 5th Ecumenical Council, the unrest caused by the Monothelites continued and threatened the Greek Empire with great danger. Emperor Heraclius, wanting reconciliation, decided to persuade the Orthodox to make concessions to the Monothelites and, by the force 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 Sophrony, Patriarch of Jerusalem and Constantinople monk Maxim the Confessor, whose tongue was cut out and his hand 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 - Divine and human - and according to these two natures - two wills, but so that The human will in Christ is not contrary, but submissive to His Divine will.

It is worthy of note that at this Council excommunication was pronounced among other heretics, and Pope Honorius, who recognized the doctrine of unity of will as Orthodox. The Council's resolution was also signed by the Roman legates: Presbyters Theodore and George, and Deacon John. This clearly indicates that the highest authority in the Church belongs to the Ecumenical Council, and not to the Pope.

After 11 years, the Council again opened meetings in the royal chambers called Trullo, to resolve issues primarily related to church deanery. In this respect, it seemed to complement the Fifth and Sixth Ecumenical Councils, which is why it is called Fifth-sixth.

The Council approved the rules by which the Church should be governed, namely: 85 rules of the Holy Apostles, rules of 6 Ecumenical and 7 local Councils, and rules of 13 Fathers of the Church. These rules were subsequently supplemented by the rules of the Seventh Ecumenical Council and two more Local Councils, and constituted the so-called " Nomocanon"and in Russian" Helmsman's Book", which is the basis of the church government 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 Universal Church, namely: forced celibacy of priests and deacons, strict fasts on the Saturdays of Great Lent, and the depiction of Christ in the form of a lamb (lamb).

SEVENTH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

Memory of the Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council. The memory takes place on October 11th according to Art. (on the day when the seventh Ecumenical Council ended). If October 11th happens on one of the days of the week, then the service to the fathers of the VII Ecumenical Council will take place on the next Sunday.

The reason for the convening of the Seventh Ecumenical Council by the pious Queen Irene and Patriarch Tarasius of Constantinople was the so-called heresy of the iconoclasts. It appeared under Emperor Leo III the Isaurian. He issued a decree ordering the removal of holy icons from churches and houses, burning them in squares, as well as destroying images of the Savior, the Mother of God and saints placed in open places in cities or on the walls of churches.

When the people began to interfere with the execution of this decree, they were ordered to be killed. The emperor then ordered the closure of the higher theological school of Constantinople; they even say that he burned the rich library she had with her. Everywhere the persecutor encountered sharp contradiction to his orders.

Saint John of Damascus wrote against them from Syria. From Rome - Pope Gregory II, and then his successor, Pope Gregory III. And from other places they even responded to them with open uprisings. Leo's son and successor, Emperor Constantine Copronymus, convened a Council, later called the false ecumenical council, at which the veneration of icons was condemned.

Many monasteries were turned into barracks or destroyed. Many monks were tortured. At the same time, they usually smashed the heads of the monks on the very icons in whose defense they spoke.

From the persecution of icons, Copronymus moved on to the persecution of holy relics. During the reign of Copronymus' successor, Emperor Leo IV, icon worshipers could breathe a little more freely. But the complete triumph of icon veneration took place only under Empress Irina.

Due to the early childhood of her son Constantine, she took the throne of her husband Leo IV after his death. Empress Irina first of all returned from exile all the monks exiled for icon veneration, gave most of the episcopal sees to zealous icon venerators, and returned to the holy relics all the honors that had been taken from them by the iconoclasts. However, the empress realized that all this was not enough to completely restore icon veneration. It was necessary to convene an ecumenical council, which, having condemned the recent council convened by Copronymus, would restore the truth of icon veneration.

The cathedral opened in the fall of 787 in Nicaea, in the church of St. Sofia. At the council, a revision of all passages from the Holy Scriptures, from the patristic works and from descriptions of the lives of saints, from stories of miracles emanating from holy icons and relics, which could serve as the basis for the approval of the dogma of icon veneration, was made. Then one venerable icon was brought into the middle of the meeting room, and in front of it all the fathers present at the council, kissing it, said twenty-two short sayings, repeating each of them three times.

All the main iconoclastic positions in them were condemned and condemned. Fathers of the Council on eternal times approved the dogma of icon veneration: We determine that holy and honest icons should be offered for veneration in the same way as the image of the honest and life-giving Cross, whether they are made from paints, or mosaic tiles, or from any other substance, as long as they are made in a decent manner, and will they be in St. churches of God, on sacred vessels and garments, on walls and tablets, or in houses and along roads, and whether these are icons of the Lord and God, our Savior Jesus Christ or our Immaculate Lady Holy Mother of God, or honorable Angels and all the saints and righteous men. The more often, with the help of icons, they become the object of our contemplation, the more those who look at these icons are awakened to the memory of the originals themselves, acquire more love for them and receive more incentives to give them kisses, veneration and worship, but not that true service, which, according to our faith, befits the Divine nature alone. Those looking at these icons are excited to bring incense to the icons and light candles in their honor, as was done in ancient times, because the honor given to the icon relates to its prototype, and the one who worships the icon worships the hypostasis of the person depicted on it. Those who dare to think or teach differently, if they are bishops or clergy, should be deposed, but if they are monks or laymen, they should be excommunicated.

Thus the Seventh Ecumenical Council solemnly ended, which restored the truth of icon veneration and is still commemorated annually by the entire Orthodox Church on October 11th. If October 11th happens on one of the days of the week, then the service to the fathers of the VII Ecumenical Council will take place on the next Sunday. However, the Council was unable to completely stop the movement of the iconoclasts.

(Word of St. Demetrius of Rostov in memory of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, with abbreviations)

Venerable John of Damascus (the Church celebrates his memory on December 4 (17)) born around 680 in Damascus, into a Christian family. His father was treasurer at the court of the caliph. John had an adopted brother, the orphaned youth Cosmas, whom they took into their home (the future St. Cosmas of Maium, the author of many church hymns). When the children grew up, the father took care of their education. They were taught by a learned monk, ransomed by their father from captivity at the Damascus slave market. The boys discovered extraordinary abilities and easily mastered the course of secular and spiritual sciences. Cosmas became the Bishop of Maium, and John took the position of minister and city governor at court. Both of them were remarkable theologians and hymnographers. And both spoke out against the heresy of iconoclasm, which was rapidly spreading at that time in Byzantium, writing many works against the iconoclasts.

John forwarded letters to his many acquaintances in Byzantium in which he proved the correctness of icon veneration. The inspired letters of John of Damascus were secretly copied, passed from hand to hand, and contributed greatly to the exposure of the iconoclastic heresy.

This infuriated the Byzantine emperor. But John was not a Byzantine subject; he could neither be imprisoned nor executed. Then the emperor resorted to slander. A forged letter was drawn up in which the Damascus minister allegedly offered the emperor his assistance in conquering the Syrian capital. Leo the Isaurian sent this letter to the caliph. He immediately ordered John to be removed from office, his right hand to be cut off and hanged in the city square. That same day, by evening, John’s severed hand was returned. The monk began to pray to the Most Holy Theotokos and ask for healing. Having fallen asleep, he saw the icon of the Mother of God and heard Her voice, telling him that he was healed, and at the same time commanding him to work tirelessly with his healed hand. When he woke up, he saw that his hand was unharmed.

The news of the miracle quickly spread throughout the city. The ashamed caliph asked John of Damascus for forgiveness and wanted to return him to his former position, but the monk refused. He distributed his wealth and, together with his adopted brother and fellow student Cosmas, went to Jerusalem, where he entered the monastery of Saint Sava the Sanctified as a simple novice. Here the monk brought an icon of the Mother of God, which sent down healing to him. In memory of the miracle, he attached to the lower part of the icon an image of his right hand, cast in silver. Since then, such a right hand has been depicted on all lists of the miraculous image, called the “Three-Handed One.”

The experienced elder became his spiritual leader. In order to instill in the student a spirit of obedience and humility, he forbade John to write, believing that success in this field would cause pride. And only much later, the Most Holy Virgin Herself, in a vision, commanded the elder to lift this ban. John kept his promise. Until the end of his days, he spent his time writing spiritual books and composing church hymns in the Lavra of St. Savva the Sanctified. John left the monastery only to denounce the iconoclasts at the Council of Constantinople in 754. He was subjected to imprisonment and torture, but he endured everything and, by the grace of God, remained alive. He died around 780, at the age of 104.

John of Damascus died before the Seventh Ecumenical Council, but his book "An Exact Exposition Orthodox faith"became the basis on which the judgment of the holy fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council was formed.

What is the meaning of victory over the heresy of iconoclasm?

A true understanding of the meaning of the icon was established in the Church. Icon painting grew out of the Gospel understanding of the world. Since Christ became incarnate, God, invisible, unimageable and indescribable, became definable, visible, because He is in the flesh. And as the Lord said: “He who has seen Me, has seen the Father also.”

The Seventh Ecumenical Council approved the veneration of icons as the norm of life of the Church. This is the greatest merit of the Seventh Ecumenical Council.

Russian icon painting adheres to the canon, which was developed at the VII Ecumenical Council, and Russian icon painters preserved the Byzantine tradition. Not all Churches were able to do this.

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MEMORY OF THE HOLY FATHERS OF THE 1st Ecumenical Council

SYMBOL OF FAITH

The memory of the First Ecumenical Council has been celebrated by the Church of Christ since ancient times. The Lord Jesus Christ left a great promise to the Church: “I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against It” (Matthew 16:18). In this joyful promise there is a prophetic indication that, although the life of the Church of Christ on earth will take place in a difficult struggle with the enemy of salvation, victory is on Her side. The holy martyrs testified to the truth of the Savior's words, enduring suffering for the confession of the Name of Christ, and the sword of the persecutors bowed before the victorious sign of the Cross of Christ.

Since the 4th century, the persecution of Christians ceased, but heresies arose within the Church itself, and the Church convened Ecumenical Councils to combat them. One of the most dangerous heresies was Arianism. Arius, the Alexandrian presbyter, was a man of immense pride and ambition. He, rejecting the Divine dignity of Jesus Christ and His equality with God the Father, falsely taught that the Son of God is not Consubstantial with the Father, but was created by the Father in time. The Local Council, convened at the insistence of Patriarch Alexander of Alexandria, condemned the false teaching of Arius, but he did not submit and, having written letters to many bishops complaining about the determination of the Local Council, spread his false teaching throughout the East, for he received support in his error from some eastern bishops.

To investigate the troubles that had arisen, the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine (May 21) sent Bishop Hosea of ​​Corduba and, having received from him a certificate that the heresy of Arius was directed against the most fundamental dogma of the Church of Christ, he decided to convene an Ecumenical Council. At the invitation of Saint Constantine, 318 bishops—representatives of Christian Churches from different countries. Among the arriving bishops there were many confessors who had suffered during the persecution and bore marks of torture on their bodies. Participants in the Council were also the great luminaries of the Church—St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra of Lycia (December 6 and May 9), St. Spyridon, Bishop of Trimifunt (December 12), and other holy fathers revered by the Church.

Patriarch Alexander of Alexandria arrived with his deacon Athanasius, later Patriarch of Alexandria (May 2), called the Great, as a zealous fighter for the purity of Orthodoxy. Emperor Constantine, Equal to the Apostles, attended the meetings of the Council. In his speech, delivered in response to the greeting of Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea, he said: “God helped me to overthrow the wicked power of the persecutors, but incomparably more regrettable for me is any war, any bloody battle, and incomparably more destructive is the internal internecine warfare in the Church of God.”

Arius, having 17 bishops as his supporters, held himself proudly, but his teaching was refuted and he was excommunicated by the Council from the Church, and the holy deacon Alexandria Church Athanasius in his speech finally refuted the blasphemous fabrications of Arius. The Council Fathers rejected the creed proposed by the Arians.

Was approved Orthodox Symbol faith. Equal to the Apostles Constantine proposed to the Council that the word “Consubstantial” be added to the text of the Creed, which he often heard in the speeches of bishops. The Council Fathers unanimously accepted this proposal. In the Nicene Creed, the holy fathers formulated the apostolic doctrine of the Divine dignity of the Second Person Holy Trinity- Lord Jesus Christ. The heresy of Arius, as a delusion of a proud mind, was exposed and rejected. After resolving the main dogmatic issue, the Council also established twenty canons (rules) on issues of church government and discipline. The issue of the day of celebration of Holy Easter was resolved. According to the resolution of the Council, Holy Easter should be celebrated by Christians not on the same day as the Jewish one and certainly on the first Sunday after the vernal equinox (which in 325 fell on March 22).

The heresy of Arius concerned the main Christian dogma, on which the whole faith and the entire Church of Christ is based, which constitutes the only foundation of the entire hope of our salvation. If the heresy of Arius, which rejected the Divinity of the Son of God Jesus Christ, which then shook the entire Church and carried away with it a great multitude of both shepherds and flocks, had overcome the true teaching of the Church and become dominant, then Christianity itself would have long ceased to exist, and the whole world would have plunged into the former darkness of unbelief and superstition. Arius was supported by the Bishop of Nicomedia Eusebius, very influential at the royal court, so the heresy became very widespread at that time. To this day, the enemies of Christianity (for example, the sect of Jehovah's Witnesses), taking the Arius heresy as a basis and giving it a different name, confuse the minds and lead into temptation of many people.

Troparion of St. to the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council, tone 8:
Most glorified are you, Christ our God, / who founded our fathers as a light on the earth, / and taught us all to true faith, / Most gracious, glory to you.

Since the times of the apostles... Christians have used "articles of faith" to remind themselves of the basic truths of the Christian faith. The ancient Church had several short creeds. In the fourth century, when false teachings about God, the Son and the Holy Spirit appeared, the need arose to supplement and clarify the previous symbols. Thus, the symbol of faith now used by the Orthodox Church arose.

It was compiled by the Fathers of the First and Second Ecumenical Councils. First Ecumenical Council accepted the first seven members of the Symbol, Second- the other five. Based on the two cities in which the fathers of the First and Second Ecumenical Councils gathered, the Symbol is called Nicene-Constantinopolitan. When studied, the Creed is divided into twelve parts. The first speaks about God the Father, then through the seventh inclusive - about God the Son, in the eighth term - about God the Holy Spirit, in the ninth - about the Church, in the tenth - about baptism, in the eleventh and twelfth - about the resurrection of the dead and eternal life.

SYMBOL OF FAITH
three hundred and ten saints, father of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea.

We believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father, that is, from the essence of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not created, consubstantial with the Father, by whom all things were, even in heaven and on earth; For our sake, man and for our salvation came down, and became incarnate and became human, suffered, and rose again on the third day, and ascended into heaven, and will again come to judge the living and the dead. And in the Holy Spirit. Those who say about the Son of God that there was a time when there was no time, or that there was no first being born before, or that they were from those who do not exist, or from another hypostasis or essence who say that they were, or that the Son of God is convertible or changeable, these are anathematized by the Catholic Church and Apostolic Church.

SYMBOL OF FAITH
(now used in the Orthodox Church)
one hundred and fifty saints father of the Second Ecumenical Council, Constantinople

We believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not created, consubstantial with the Father, by whom all things were; for our sake, man, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human; crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried; and rose again on the third day according to the scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and again the one who comes will judge the living and the dead with glory, and His kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the life-giving Lord, who proceeds from the Father, who is with the Father and the Son, is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets. Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. We confess one baptism for the remission of sins. Tea resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Amen.