Nicaea (325)
Constantinople I (381)
Ephesus (431)
Chalcedon (451)
were given a special place in the traditions of the church.
Constantinople II (553)
Constantinople III (680-681)
Nicaea II (787)
Constantinople IV (869-870)
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From the very early church, Christian communities gathered together to discuss problems. By mid-second century this practice had been institutionalized. These meetings were called councils or synods. There is not much information about synods before the fourth century. | Canon means rule in Greek. Has no meaning in Roman and Greek Law |
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After the Emperor Constantine began the
process of tolerating then adopting Christianity, councils flourished. The
Council of Nicaea is the first Ecumenical (universal) council. The first
four ecumenical councils, Nicaea (325) Constantinople I (381) Ephesus (431) Chalcedon (451) were given a special place in the traditions of the church. |
Pope Gregory the Great (590-604)
compared the first four councils to the four Gospels. From the mid-fifth
century, the papacy claimed the right to approve the acts of councils. The
first eight Ecumenical Councils were held in the Greek speaking Mediterranean: Constantinople II (553) Constantinople III (680-681) Nicaea II (787) Constantinople IV (869-870) |