In what year was the last ecumenical council? A few words from history. Continuation of the iconoclastic heresy

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 at first 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 Symbol of faith 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 Symbol of faith, 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.

The cathedral also approved Nikeotsaregradsky Symbol of faith 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 the excommunication was pronounced, among other heretics, by the Roman 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 image 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 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. The Fathers of the Council forever established 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 be made of paints, or mosaic tiles, or of any other substance , if only they were made in a decent way, and will they be in St. churches of God, on sacred vessels and robes, 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 and his hand to be cut off right hand and hang it in the town 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 gave away 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 “Three-Handed”.

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 " Exact statement 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 Hosius 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 from the Church by the Council, and the holy deacon of the Alexandrian Church Athanasius in his speech finally refuted the blasphemous fabrications of Arius. The Council Fathers rejected the creed proposed by the Arians.

The Orthodox Creed was approved. 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 teaching about the Divine dignity of the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity - the 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 it was not, or that it was not born before, or that it was from those who do not exist, or from another hypostasis or essence, saying that it was, or that the Son of God is transformable 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 of ​​the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Amen.

Which " Orthodox faith declared it universal and exalted your holy catholic and apostolic spiritual mother, the Roman Church, and together with other Orthodox emperors revered her as the head of all Churches.” Next, the pope discusses the primacy of the Roman Church, identifying Orthodoxy with its teaching; as a justification for the special significance of the department of ap. Peter, to whom “great veneration should be shown by all believers in the world,” the pope points out that to this “prince of the apostles... the Lord God has given the power to bind and solve sins in heaven and on earth... and given the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven” (cf. Matthew 16 18–19; the Greek version of the epistle, along with Apostle Peter, everywhere adds Apostle Paul). Having proved the antiquity of icon veneration with a lengthy quotation from the Life of Pope Sylvester, the pope, following St. Gregory I (the Great) Double-Speaker affirms the need for icons for the instruction of the illiterate and pagans. At the same time, he cites from the Old Testament examples of symbolic images created by man not according to his own understanding, but according to Divine inspiration (Ark of the Covenant, decorated with golden cherubim; a copper snake created by Moses - Ex 25; 37; 21). Citing passages from the patristic works (Blessed Augustine, Saints Gregory of Nyssa, Basil the Great, John Chrysostom, Cyril of Alexandria, Athanasius the Great, Ambrose of Milan, Epiphanius of Cyprus, Blessed Jerome) and a large fragment from the words of St. Stephen of Bostria "On the Holy Icons", the pope "on his knees begs" the Emperor and Empress to restore the holy icons, "so that our holy Catholic and Apostolic Roman Church will receive you into her arms."

In the final part of the message (known only in the original Latin and most likely not read to the Council), Pope Adrian sets the conditions under which he agrees to send his representatives: a curse on the iconoclastic false council; written guarantees (pia sacra) on the part of the emperor and empress, the patriarch and the synclite of the impartiality and safe return of papal envoys even if they disagree with the decisions of the Council; return of confiscated possessions of the Roman Church; restoration of papal jurisdiction over the ecclesiastical district seized under the iconoclasts. Stating that “the department of St. Peter enjoys primacy on earth and was established in order to be the head of all the Churches of God,” and that only the name “universal Church” can apply to her, the pope expresses bewilderment at the title of the Patriarch of Constantinople “universal” (universalis patriarcha) and asks that henceforth this title was never used. Further, the pope writes that he was pleased with the religion of Patriarch Tarasius, but was outraged that a secular man (apocaligus, literally - who had taken off his military boots) was elevated to the highest church rank, “for such are completely unfamiliar with the duty of teaching.” Nevertheless, Pope Adrian agrees with his election, since Tarasius participates in the restoration of the holy icons. In the end, promising the emperor and empress the patronage of St. Peter, the pope gives them as an example Charlemagne, who conquered “all the barbarian nations lying in the West” and returned to the Roman throne the “heritage of St. Peter" (patrimonia Petri).

In a response letter to Patriarch Tarasius himself (undated), Pope Adrian calls on him to contribute in every possible way to the restoration of icon veneration and delicately warns that if this is not done, he “will not dare to recognize his consecration.” In the text of this message the question of the title “ecumenical” is not raised, although there is also a phrase that the department of St. Peter “is the head of all the Churches of God” (the Greek version in key points exactly corresponds to the Latin original taken by Anastasius the Librarian in the papal archives).

Reaction of the Eastern Patriarchs

Embassy to the east Patriarchs (Polytian of Alexandria, Theodoret of Antioch and Elijah II (III) of Jerusalem), whose Churches were located on the territory of the Arab Caliphate, encountered significant difficulties. Despite the truce concluded after the devastating campaign of Bud. Caliph Harun al-Rashid in the city, relations between the empire and the Arabs remained tense. Having learned about the purpose of the embassy, ​​the Orthodox of the East, accustomed since the time of St. John of Damascus to defend the veneration of icons from the attacks of the Byzantines, they did not immediately believe in the sharp turn in the church policy of Constantinople. It was announced to the envoys that all sorts of officials. contacts with patriarchs are excluded, since due to the suspicion of Muslims they can lead to dangerous consequences for the Church. After much hesitation, east. the clergy agreed to send two hermits to the Council, John, former. syncella of the Patriarch of Antioch, and Thomas, abbot of the monastery of St. Arseny in Egypt (later Metropolitan of Thessalonica). They delivered a reply message to the Emperor and Empress and the Patriarch, drawn up on behalf of the “bishops, priests and monks of the East” (read to the Council in Act 3). It expresses joy about Orthodoxy. confessions of Patriarch Tarasius and praise is given to the Emperor. power, “which is the strength and stronghold of the priesthood” (in this regard, the beginning of the preamble to the 6th novel of Justinian is quoted), for the restoration of the unity of faith. The text more than once speaks of the difficult situation of Christians under the yoke of the “enemies of the cross” and reports that correspondence with the patriarchs is impossible; sending the hermits John and Thomas as representatives of all Eastern Orthodox Christians, the authors of the letter urge not to attach importance to the forced absence from the Council of the East. patriarchs and bishops, especially if representatives of the pope arrive (the VI Ecumenical Council is mentioned as a precedent). As a general opinion of the Orthodox of the East, attached to the letter is the text of the conciliar message of Theodore I, the former Patriarch of Jerusalem (d.), sent by him to the Patriarchs Cosmas of Alexandria and Theodore of Antioch. It sets out in detail the doctrine of the 6 Ecumenical Councils and, with appropriate theological justification, professes the veneration of holy relics and holy icons. A special role at the upcoming Council was assigned to the southern Italian clergy. Regions South Italy and Sicily, cut off from the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the pope under the iconoclast emperors, served as a place of refuge for numerous icon worshipers. The Sicilian hierarchs, subordinate to Constantinople, acted as mediators in resolving relations with the pope: imp. The message to Pope Adrian was delivered by Constantine, bishop. Leontinsky; patriarchal - delegation with the participation of Theodore, bishop. Katansky. In the conciliar acts, bishops from South. Italy, as well as Dia. Epiphanius of Catania, representative of Thomas, Met. Sardinian, are listed among the metropolitans and archbishops, above the bishops of other regions.

The representation of regions at the Council reflects the political realities of Byzantium. VIII century: most of the bishops came from the West. regions of M. Asia; from the east devastated by the Arabs. only a few provinces arrived. people, and the area of ​​continental Greece occupied by glory. tribes and only recently conquered by Stavraki (783–784), were not represented at all. Crete in the first 3 acts was represented only by Metropolitan. Elijah.

Opening of the Council in Constantinople and its disruption by the military

Both Peters asked the same question to the entire Council, to which the unanimous answer followed: “We admit and accept.” The representative of the East, John, thanked God for the unanimity of the “most holy patriarchs and ecumenical shepherds” Adrian and Tarasius and for the care for the Church shown by the imp. Irina. Following this, all participants in the Council (including Metropolitans Basil of Ancyra and Theodore of Mir, Archbishop Theodosius of Amoria) took turns expressing agreement with the teaching contained in the messages of the pope, pronouncing basically the following formula: “I confess in accordance with the read conciliar messages of Adrian, the most blessed pope ancient Rome, and I accept sacred and honest icons, according to ancient legend; I anathematize those who think otherwise.” At the request of the Council and Patriarch St. Tarasius, representatives of monasticism also had to join the confession of icon veneration.

3rd act.

28 Sep. (in Latin translation, September 29). Gregory of Neocaesarea, Hypatius of Nicea and other repentant bishops appeared. Gregory of Neocaesarea read out repentance and confession similar to that read in Act 1 by Basil of Ancyra. But St. Tarasius announced that he was under suspicion of beating up icon worshipers during the persecution, for which he would be defrocked. The Council proposed collecting evidence and investigating the matter, but Gregory categorically denied accusations of violence or persecution.

Then the message of the Patriarch St. Tarasiya to the east. to the patriarchs and a reply message sent by the bishops of the East, with attached to it a copy of the conciliar message of Theodore, Patriarch of Jerusalem. After reading them, the papal representatives expressed satisfaction that the Patriarch St. Tarasiy, and Vost. The bishops agree in the Orthodox Church. faith and teaching about the worship of honest icons with Pope Adrian, and pronounced anathema to those who thought differently. They agree with the confessions of Patriarch St. Tarasius and the “Eastern” and the anathema against dissenters was pronounced by metropolitans and archbishops, including those who had just been admitted into communion. Finally, the entire Council, declaring full agreement with the messages of Pope Adrian, the confession of the Patriarch St. Tarasius and the messages of the East. bishops, proclaimed the veneration of holy icons and anathema to the false council of 754 St. Tarasius thanked God for the unification of the Church.

4th act.

1 Oct. Became the longest. Restored Orthodoxy the teaching needed to be consolidated among the people, who, over many years of iconoclasm, had weaned themselves from the veneration of icons. In this regard, at the proposal of the Patriarch, the Council heard all those passages from the Holy Scriptures. Scriptures and St. fathers on whom the clergy could rely in preaching. As they read texts from books taken from the patriarchal library or brought to the Council by individual bishops and abbots, the fathers and dignitaries commented and discussed what they heard.

Texts from the Holy Scriptures about the images in the Old Testament temple were read (Exodus 25:1–22; Numbers 7:88–89; Ezekiel 41:16–20; Heb 9:1–5). The antiquity of the custom of icon veneration was attested from the works of Saints John Chrysostom (about the venerated icon of St. Meletius), Gregory of Nyssa and Cyril of Alexandria (about the depiction of the sacrifice of Isaac), Gregory the Theologian (about the icon of King Solomon), Antipater of Bostria (about the statue of Christ erected by a healed bleeding ), Asterius of Amasia (about the pictorial depiction of the martyrdom of St. Euphemia), Basil the Great (on Blessed Varlaam).

It was pointed out that the saint was kissing. Maximus the Confessor of the icons of the Savior and the Mother of God, along with the Gospel and the Honest Cross, read the rule of Trul. 82 (about the depiction of Christ on icons instead of the old lamb); at the same time St. Tarasy explained that the rules were adopted under the emperor. Justinian II is the same father who participated in the VI Ecumenical Council under his father, and “let no one doubt them.”

A large passage on the worship of images was read from the 5th book. "Apologies against the Jews" by Leontius, bishop. Naples of Cyprus. When reading the message of St. Nile to Eparch Olympiodor with recommendations for painting the temple, it turned out that it was read out at the iconoclastic false cathedral with notes and corrections - this allowed many to be misled. It turned out that the bishops were not shown the books themselves, but extracts were read out from some tablets (pittЈkia). Therefore, this time the fathers turned Special attention, so that when reading, books are shown, and not separate notebooks, and that the most important texts coincide in different codes.

Of important dogmatic significance for refuting the accusation of admirers of icons in the “bifurcation” of Christ were passages about the identity of the worship of the image and the prototype from the works of Saints John Chrysostom, Athanasius the Great and Basil the Great (“the honor of the image passes to the prototype”) and from the Epistle to the scholastic St. Anastasia I, Patriarch of Antioch (“worship is a manifestation of reverence”).

The final chord was the message of the primates of the Roman and Constantinople thrones: a certain Pope Gregory to St. Herman, Patriarch of Constantinople, approving his fight against heresy, and 3 letters from St. himself. Herman with an exposure and refutation of iconoclastic plans: to John, Metropolitan. Sinadsky, to Constantine, bishop. Nakoliysky, and to Thomas, Metropolitan. Claudiopolsky (the last two are heresiarchs of iconoclasm).

The meeting ended with a theological conclusion. Patriarch of St. Tarasius invited the participants to join “the teaching of the holy fathers, guardians of the Catholic Church.” The council replied: “The teachings of the God-according fathers have corrected us; Drawing from them, we are filled with truth; following them, we drove away lies; taught by them, we kiss the holy icons. Believing in one God, glorified in the Trinity, we kiss honest icons. Whoever does not follow this, let him be anathema." The following anathematisms were uttered:

1. accusers of Christians - persecutors of icons;
2. applying the sayings of Divine Scripture directed against idols to honest icons;
3. those who do not accept holy and honest icons with love;
4. calling sacred and honorable icons idols;
5. those who say that Christians resort to icons as if they were gods;
6. those who hold the same thoughts with those who disgrace and dishonor honest icons;
7. those who say that someone other than Christ our God delivered Christians from idols;
8. those who dare to say that Christ. The Church has ever accepted idols.

5th act.

Oct 4 Acquaintance with the works of the fathers continued with the aim of exposing the iconoclasts. After reading the 2nd Catechetical Word of St. Cyril of Jerusalem (about the crushing of the cherubim by Nebuchadnezzar), epistle of St. Simeon the Stylite the Younger to Justin II (demanding punishment for the Samaritans who violated the icons), “Words against the Gentiles” by John of Thessaloniki and “Dialogue of Jew and Christian”, it was recognized that those who reject icons are similar to Samaritans and Jews.

Particular attention was paid to refuting the arguments put forward against the veneration of icons. The apocryphal “Travels of the Apostles,” a passage from which (where the Apostle John condemns Lycomedes for installing an icon with his image in his bedroom) was read at the false council, as follows from another passage, turned out to contradict the Gospels. To the question of Patrician Petrona whether the participants in the false council saw this book, Metropolitan. Gregory of Neocaesarea and Archbishop. Theodosius of Amoria responded that only extracts on sheets of paper were read to them. The Council anathematized this work as containing Manichaean ideas about the illusory nature of the Incarnation, forbade rewriting it and ordered it to be burned. In this regard, a quotation was read from the work of St. Amphilochius of Iconium on books falsely inscribed by heretics.

Turning to the disapproving opinion about the icons of Eusebius of Caesarea, expressed in a letter to Constance, sister of the Emperor. Constantine the Great and his wife Licinius, the Council heard an excerpt from the 8th book by the same author. to Euphration and denounced him for his Arian views.

Next, excerpts from the church histories of Theodore the Reader and John Diakrinomenos and the Life of Savva the Sanctified were read; from them it followed that Philoxenus of Hierapolis, who did not approve of the icon, being a bishop, was not even baptized and at the same time was an ardent opponent of the Council of Chalcedon. His like-minded person, Sevier of Antioch, as follows from the appeal of the Antioch clergy to the Council of Constantinople, removed from the churches and appropriated gold and silver doves dedicated to the Holy Spirit.

Then the Council proclaimed anathemas to the iconoclasts and praises to the emperor and empress and the defenders of icon veneration. The following were personally anathematized: Theodosius of Ephesus, Met. Ephesian, Sisinius Pastilla, Met. Pergsky, Vasily Trikakkav, Metropolitan. Antioch of Pisidia - leaders of the iconoclastic false council; Anastasius, Constantine and Nikita, who occupied the see of Constantinople and condoned iconoclasm; John of Nicomedia and Constantine of Nakolia - heresy leaders. Eternal memory was proclaimed to the defenders of icons condemned at the false council: St. Herman I, Patriarch of Constantinople, Venerable. John of Damascus and George, Archbishop. Cyprus.

The council composed 2 appeals to the emperor and empress and the clergy of Constantinople. In the 1st, among other things, the identity of the concepts “kissing” and “worship” is asserted, based on the etymology of the verb “kiss”.

8th act.

Oct 23 The Emperor and Empress “considered it impossible not to attend the Council” and issued a special letter to the Patriarch St. Tarasius invited the bishops to the capital. “The God-protected Empress, shining with happiness,” Irina and her 16-year-old son Constantine VI met the participants of the Council in the Magnavra Palace, where the final meeting of the Council took place in the presence of dignitaries, military leaders and representatives of the people. After short speeches Patriarch and Emperor and Empress, the definition adopted by the Council was read out publicly, again unanimously confirmed by all the bishops. Then the scroll with the definition, presented to St. Tarasiy, was sealed with the signatures of the emperor. Irina and imp. Constantine VI and returned to the patriarch through the patrician Stavrakis, which was met with laudatory acclamations.

At the direction of the emperor and empress, the patristic testimonies about icons (from Act 4) were read again to those gathered. The council ended with universal thanksgiving praises to God. After this, the bishops, having received gifts from the emperor and empress, dispersed to their dioceses.

At the conclusion of the conciliar acts, 22 church rules adopted by the Council are given.

Consequences of the Council.

The decisions of the Council were largely in accordance with the wishes of Pope Hadrian. However, the demands of the Roman throne for the return of church areas seized from its jurisdiction in Italy and the Balkans were actually ignored (the corresponding passage from the pope’s message, as well as his reproaches regarding the elevation of St. Tarasius to the patriarchate from the laity and his title, were removed from the Greek text of the Acts and were probably not heard at the Council). Nevertheless, the conciliar acts were approved by his envoys and delivered to Rome, where they were placed in the papal office.

However, for a number of reasons, the Council met with decisive opposition from King Charlemagne. In conditions of aggravated relations with the imp. Irina, the powerful monarch took the ecclesiastical rapprochement between Rome and Constantinople extremely painfully. At his insistence, a document was compiled in the city known as the “Libri Carolini” (Charles Books); in it the Council was declared to be a local Council of “Greeks”, and its decisions were declared to have no force; The court theologians of King Charles rejected the justification for the worship of icons, based on the relationship between the image and the prototype, and recognized only the practical significance of icons as decoration for churches and a tool for the illiterate. The extremely low quality of the available armor also played an important role in the negative attitude towards the Council. translation of his deeds; in particular, the words of Constantine, Metropolitan. Kiprsky, about the inadmissibility of worshiping icons in the sense of service, were understood in the opposite sense, as an attempt to classify service and worship as befitting only the Holy Trinity as icons. The document was adopted at the Frankfurt Council of 794 with the participation of papal legates. Pope Hadrian and his successors defended themselves against attacks from the Franks, who again condemned the position of Rome and the “Greeks” regarding icons at the Council of Paris in 825; at the Council of Constantinople 869–870. (the so-called “eighth ecumenical”) envoys of Rome confirmed the definitions of the VII Ecumenical Council. In the West, the worship of icons has not received recognition as a universally binding dogma, although the theoretical justification for icon veneration in the Catholic Church. theology generally corresponded to the VII Ecumenical Council.

In Byzantium itself, after a “relapse” of iconoclasm (815–843), caused primarily by severe military failures under the icon-worshipping emperors, this heresy was finally eliminated under the emperor. St. Theodora and the Emperor Michael III; At the ceremony, called the Triumph of Orthodoxy (), the decisions of the VII Ecumenical Council were solemnly confirmed. With the victory over the last significant heresy, which is recognized as iconoclasm, comes the end of the era of Ecumenical Councils recognized in the Orthodox Church. Churches. The doctrine developed by them was consolidated in the “Synodikon on the Week of Orthodoxy.”

Theology of the Council

The VII Ecumenical Council was no less than a Council of “librarians and archivists.” Extensive collections of patristic quotations, historical and hagiographic evidence were supposed to show the theological correctness of icon veneration and its historical rootedness in tradition. It was also necessary to reconsider the iconoclastic florilegium of the Council of Hieria: as it turned out, the iconoclasts widely resorted to manipulation, for example, taking quotes out of context. Some references were easily dismissed by pointing out the heretical nature of the authors: for the Orthodox, the Arian Eusebius of Caesarea and the Monophysites Sevirus of Antioch and Philoxenus of Hierapolis (Mabbug) could not have authority. Theologically meaningful Refutation of the Jerian definition. “An icon is similar to a prototype not in essence, but only in name and in the position of the depicted members. A painter who paints someone’s image does not seek to depict the soul in the image... although no one thought that the painter separated the person from his soul.” It is all the more pointless to accuse icon-worshipers of claiming to depict the deity himself. Rejecting the accusation of icon venerators of the Nestorian division of Christ, the Refutation says: “The Catholic Church, confessing an unfused union, mentally and only mentally inseparably separates natures, confessing Emmanuel as one even after the union.” “An icon is another matter, and a prototype is another matter, and none of the prudent people will ever look for the properties of the prototype in an icon. The true mind recognizes nothing more in an icon other than its similarity in name, and not in essence, with the one depicted on it.” Responding to the iconoclastic teaching that the true image of Christ is the Eucharistic Body and Blood, the Refutation says: “Neither the Lord, nor the apostles, nor the fathers ever called the bloodless sacrifice offered by the priest an image, but called it the Body and the Blood itself.” Presenting the Eucharistic Views as an image, the iconoclasts mentally bifurcate between Eucharistic realism and symbolism. Icon veneration was approved at St. A tradition that does not always exist in written form: “Much has been handed down to us unwritten, including the preparation of icons; it has also been widespread in the Church since the time of the apostolic preaching." The word is a figurative means, but there are other means of representation. “Imaginativeness is inseparable from the gospel narrative and, conversely, the gospel narrative is inseparable from figurativeness.” Iconoclasts considered the icon an “ordinary object”, since no prayers were required for the consecration of icons. The VII Ecumenical Council responded to this: “Over many of these objects that we recognize as holy, no sacred prayer is read, because by their very name they are full of holiness and grace... denoting [the icon] famous name, we attribute its honor to the prototype; By kissing her and worshiping her with reverence, we receive sanctification.” Iconoclasts consider it an insult to attempt to depict the heavenly glory of saints by means of “inglorious and dead matter,” “dead and despicable art.” The Council condemns those who “consider matter vile.” If the iconoclasts had been consistent, they would have also rejected sacred garments and vessels. Man, belonging to the material world, cognizes the supersensible through the senses: “Since we, without a doubt, are sensual people, then in order to know every divine and pious tradition and to remember it, we need sensual things.”

“The Definition of the Holy Great and Ecumenical Council, the second in Nicaea” reads:

“...we preserve all church traditions, approved in writing or non-written. One of them commands us to make picturesque icon images, since this, in accordance with the history of the Gospel preaching, serves as confirmation that God the Word is true, and not ghostly incarnate, and serves for our benefit, because such things that mutually explain each other, without doubts and prove each other mutually. On this basis, we, who walk the royal path and follow the divine teaching of our holy fathers and the tradition of the Catholic Church - for we know that the Holy Spirit dwells in it - determine with all care and prudence that holy and honorable icons be offered (for veneration) accurately as well as the image of the honest and life-giving Cross, whether they be made of paints or (mosaic) tiles or from any other substance, as long as they are made in a decent manner, and whether they will be in the holy churches of God on sacred vessels and garments , on walls and on tablets, or in houses and along roads, and equally whether they will be icons of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, or our immaculate Lady, the Holy Mother of God, or honest angels and all 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 very prototypes, acquire more love for them and receive more incentives to give them kisses, veneration and worship, but not that true service that, according to our faith, it befits only the divine nature. They are excited to bring incense to the icons in honor of them and to consecrate them, just as they do this in honor of the image of the honest and life-giving Cross, holy angels and other sacred offerings, and as, out of pious desire, this was usually done in ancient times; because the honor given to an icon relates to its prototype, and the one who worships the icon worships the hypostasis of the person depicted on it. Such a teaching is contained in our holy fathers, that is, in the tradition of the Catholic Church, which received the Gospel from the ends to the ends [of the earth]... So we determine that those who dare to think or teach differently, or, following the example of obscene heretics, despise church traditions and invent what - innovations, or to reject anything that is dedicated to the Church, be it the Gospel, or the image of the cross, or icon painting, or the holy remains of a martyr, as well as (daring) with cunning and insidiousness to invent something for this purpose , in order to overthrow at least any of the legal traditions found in the Catholic Church, and finally (those who dare) to give ordinary use to sacred vessels and venerable monasteries, we determine that such, if they are bishops or clergy, should be deposed, if there are monks or laymen would be excommunicated"

The custom of convening Councils to discuss important church issues dates back to the first centuries of Christianity. The first of the famous Councils was convened in 49 (according to other sources - in 51) in Jerusalem and received the name Apostolic (see: Acts 15: 1-35). The Council discussed the issue of compliance by pagan Christians with the requirements of the Mosaic Law. It is also known that the apostles gathered to receive general solutions and earlier: for example, when the apostle Matthias was elected instead of the fallen Judas Iscariot or when seven deacons were elected.

The councils were both Local (with the participation of bishops, other clergy and sometimes laity of the Local Church) and Ecumenical.

Cathedrals Ecumenical convened on particularly important ecclesiastical issues of significance for the entire Church. Where possible, they were attended by representatives of all Local Churches, pastors and teachers from all over the Universe. Ecumenical Councils are the highest ecclesiastical authority; they are carried out under the leadership Holy Spirit active in the Church.

Orthodox Church recognizes seven Ecumenical Councils: I Nicaea; I of Constantinople; Ephesian; Chalcedonian; II of Constantinople; III of Constantinople; II Nicene.

First Ecumenical Council

It took place in June 325 in the city of Nicaea during the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great. The Council was directed against the false teaching of the Alexandrian presbyter Arius, who rejected the Divinity and the pre-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 condemned and rejected the heresy of Arius and approved the dogma of the Divinity of Jesus Christ: 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, one in essence with God the Father.

At the Council, the first seven members of the Creed were compiled.

At the First Ecumenical Council, it was also decided to celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after the full moon, which falls after the spring equinox.

The Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council (20th Canon) abolished prostrations on Sundays, since the Sunday holiday is a prototype of our stay in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Other important church rules.

It took place in 381 in Constantinople. Its participants gathered to condemn the heresy of Macedonius, the former Arian bishop. He denied the Divinity of the Holy Spirit; He taught that the Holy Spirit is not God, calling Him a created power and, moreover, a servant of God the Father and God the Son. The Council condemned the destructive false teaching of Macedonius and approved the dogma of the equality and consubstantiality of God the Holy Spirit with God the Father and God the Son.

The Nicene Creed was supplemented with five members. Work on the Creed was completed, and it received the name of Niceno-Constantinople (Constantinople was called Constantinople in Slavic).

The council was convened in the city of Ephesus in 431 and was directed against the false teaching of the Archbishop of Constantinople Nestorius, who claimed that the Blessed Virgin Mary gave birth to the man Christ, with whom God later united and dwelt in Him as in a temple. Nestorius called the Lord Jesus Christ himself a God-bearer, and not a God-man, and the Most Holy Virgin not the Mother of God, but the Mother of Christ. The Council condemned the heresy of Nestorius and decided to recognize that in Jesus Christ, from the time of the Incarnation, two natures were united: Divine And human. It was also determined to confess Jesus Christ perfect God And perfect Man, and the Blessed Virgin Mary - Mother of God.

The Council approved the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed and forbade changes to it.

The story in the “Spiritual Meadow” by John Moschus testifies to how evil Nestorius’s heresy is:

“We came to Abba Kyriakos, presbyter of the Kalamon Lavra, which is near the Holy Jordan. He told us: “Once in a dream I saw a majestic Woman dressed in purple, and with Her two husbands, shining with holiness and dignity. Everyone stood outside my cell. I realized that this was our Lady Theotokos, and the two men were Saint John the Theologian and Saint John the Baptist. Leaving the cell, I asked to come in and say a prayer in my cell. But She did not deign. I did not stop begging, saying: “May I not be rejected, humiliated and disgraced” and much more. Seeing the persistence of my request, She answered me sternly: “You have My enemy in your cell. How do you want Me to come in?” Having said this, she left. I woke up and began to grieve deeply, imagining whether I had sinned against Her at least in thought, since there was no one else in the cell except me. After testing myself for a long time, I did not find any sin against Her. Immersed in sadness, I stood up and took a book to dispel my grief by reading. I had in my hands the book of Blessed Hesychius, presbyter of Jerusalem. Having unfolded the book, I found at the very end of it two sermons of the wicked Nestorius and immediately realized that he was the enemy Holy Mother of God. I immediately got up, went out and returned the book to the one who gave it to me.

- Take your book back, brother. It brought not so much benefit as harm.

He wanted to know what the harm was. I told him about my dream. Filled with jealousy, he immediately cut out two words of Nestorius from the book and set it on fire.

“Let no enemy of our Lady, the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, remain in my cell,” he said!

It took place in 451 in the city of Chalcedon. The council was directed against the false teaching of the archimandrite of one of the Constantinople monasteries, Eutyches, who rejected human nature in the Lord Jesus Christ. Eutyches taught that in the Lord Jesus Christ human nature is completely absorbed by the Divine, and recognized in Christ only the Divine nature. This heresy was called Monophysitism (Greek. mono- the only one; physics- nature). The Council condemned this heresy and defined the teaching of the Church: the Lord Jesus Christ is True God and true man, like us in everything except sin. At the incarnation of Christ, Divinity and humanity were united in Him as one Person, unmerged and unchangeable, inseparable and inseparable.

In 553, the V Ecumenical Council was convened in Constantinople. The Council discussed the writings of three bishops who died in the 5th century: Theodore of Mopsuet, Theodoret of Cyrus and Willow of Edessa. The first was one of Nestorius' teachers. Theodoret sharply opposed the teachings of St. Cyril of Alexandria. Under the name of Iva there was a message addressed to Marius the Persian, which contained disrespectful comments about the decision of the Third Ecumenical Council against Nestorius. All three writings of these bishops were condemned at the Council. Since Theodoret and Iva renounced their false opinions and died in peace with the Church, they themselves were not condemned. Theodore of Mopsuetsky did not repent and was condemned. The Council also confirmed the condemnation of the heresy of Nestorius and Eutyches.

The council was convened in 680 in Constantinople. He condemned the false teaching of the Monothelite heretics, who, despite the fact that they recognized two natures in Christ - Divine and human, taught that the Savior had only one - Divine - will. The fight against this widespread heresy was courageously led by the Patriarch of Jerusalem Sophronius and the Constantinople monk Maximus the Confessor.

The Council condemned the Monothelite heresy and determined to recognize in Jesus Christ two natures - Divine and human - and two wills. The human will in Christ is not repulsive, but submissive Divine will. This is most clearly expressed in the Gospel story about the Savior’s Gethsemane prayer.

Eleven years later, conciliar sessions continued at the Council, which received the name Fifth-sixth, since it supplemented the acts of the V and VI Ecumenical Councils. It dealt mainly with issues of church discipline and piety. The rules according to which the Church should be governed were approved: the eighty-five rules of the holy apostles, the rules of six Ecumenical and seven Local Councils, as well as the rules of the thirteen fathers of the Church. These rules were subsequently supplemented by the rules of the VII Ecumenical Council and two more Local Councils and constituted the so-called Nomocanon - a book of church canonical rules (in Russian - “Kormchaya Book”).

This cathedral also received the name Trullan: it took place in the royal chambers, called Trullan.

It took place in 787 in the city of Nicaea. Sixty years before the Council, the iconoclastic heresy arose under the Emperor Leo the Isaurian, who, wanting to make it easier for the Mohammedans to convert to Christianity, decided to abolish the veneration of holy icons. The heresy continued under subsequent emperors: his son Constantine Copronymus and grandson Leo the Khazar. The VII Ecumenical Council was convened to condemn the heresy of iconoclasm. The council determined to venerate holy icons along with the image of the Cross of the Lord.

But even after the VII Ecumenical Council, the heresy of iconoclasm was not completely destroyed. Under three subsequent emperors there were new persecutions of icons, and they continued for another twenty-five years. Only in 842, under Empress Theodora, did the Local Council of Constantinople take place, which finally restored and approved the veneration of icons. A holiday was established at the Council Celebrations of Orthodoxy, which we have since celebrated on the first Sunday of Lent.

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 the 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 toward. 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 of 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 established 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 continues to guide the church to this day.

Third Holy Assembly

The Third Ecumenical Council was convened in Ephesus in 431, and about two hundred bishops gathered there. 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. 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 bishops mentioned were condemned by Emperor Justinian, but his decree was not recognized 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 distinguish the true adherents of the faith, the concept of orthodox Christians arose and Catholic Church. 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

First Church Council

While the state was in progress intense struggle on the problems of true interpretation of dogmas. To develop a common opinion on the most important issues, on the initiative of Emperor Constantine, a meeting was convened 1 church cathedral, which was supposed to lay the foundations of a united Christian church. The formalization of Christian dogmas took place thanks to the active work of the church fathers. These include those Christian teachers and writers whom the church has recognized as the most authoritative interpreters of Christianity. Studying their teachings patristics(the teaching of the church fathers themselves and the teaching about the church fathers). Prominent theologians called "universal teachers" were: Athanasius of Alexandria, Gregory of Nyssa, John Chrysostom, Augustine the Blessed and others. The works of the church fathers are integral partSacred Tradition, which together with Holy Scripture(The Bible) constituted the Christian doctrine.

1 The Council was held in Nicaea in 325. The main issue was devoted to the teaching of the Alexandrian priest Aria(d. 336). He and his followers (arianyo) recognized God the Father as a perfect closed unity, the essence of which cannot be transferred to anyone else. Therefore, God the Son is only the highest creation of God, alien and unlike God. This teaching was sharply criticized, and a clarification was made to the baptismal Creed about consubstantiality of God the Son with God the Father, which meant the equality of the Father and the Son in essence. The resolutions of the council were adopted not only on behalf of the holy fathers, but also on behalf of Emperor Constantine, which cemented the special role of the emperor in relations with the church.

At the council, in addition to dogmatic decisions, decisions of a canonical nature were adopted (on the procedure for selecting and approving provincial bishops, on the distribution of power between different episcopates, etc.).

However, the victory over the Arians was not final. IN last years During the reign of Constantine, the Arians defeated the supporters of the Nicene Creed, who had been persecuted for several decades. As the Christianization of the Germanic peoples took place during these decades, they accepted Christianity in the form of Arianism.

Ecumenical Council took place in 381 Constantinople. Here the Nicene Creed was confirmed and expanded, which was now called Niko-Tsaregradsky. It contained a brief formulation of the main provisions Trinitarian teaching: the unity of the nature of God and at the same time his trinity in persons was recognized as true ( hypostases): God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Persons of the Trinity are not subordinate, they are completely equal to each other, consubstantial. The council also adopted canonical decisions (rules for the admission of repentant heretics into the church; five eastern districts with special ecclesiastical courts were identified; the place of the see of Constantinople in the hierarchy of Christian bishops was determined; it was named second after Rome, since Constantinople was called New Rome) .

Ecumenical Council took place in Ephesus in 431. The focus was on the teachings of the Patriarch of Constantinople Nestoria, who rejected the divine and recognized only the human nature of Jesus Christ. According to Nestorius, Jesus Christ was only an instrument of human salvation, a God-bearer. The Council decided to balance of natures in the God-Man. The Council of Ephesus proclaimed the dogma of To the Most Holy Theotokos.

Fourth Ecumenical Council

IV Ecumenical Council was the most representative, 650 hierarchs arrived. It took place in 451 Chalcedon. The council discussed the teachings of the archimandrite of one of the Constantinople monasteries Eutychia. Unlike Nestorius, he affirmed the divine nature in Christ, believing that everything in him was swallowed up by the divine hypostasis and Jesus Christ had only apparent human flesh. This doctrine was called monophysitism(one nature). The Council adopted the dogma “About her two tests...”, asserting that God the Son had two incarnations: divine and human. The resolution stated that in one person Jesus Christ unites two natures, while each of them retains its inherent properties. Since many hierarchs did not sign the decision of the council, resolutions were adopted to punish laymen and clergy who did not accept this definition of religion (defrocking, excommunication, etc.). Among the canonical decisions of the council great importance had the 28th rule, which equalized the rights of the Patriarch of Constantinople for the eastern dioceses with the rights of the Roman for the western ones.

Fifth Ecumenical Council

V Ecumenical Council took place in Constantinople in 553 He continued to work on the formation of Christian dogma. Now the doctrine that in Jesus Christ there is one will in the presence of two essences has been examined. It got the name monothelitism(one will).

Sixth Ecumenical Council

This discussion continued on VI Ecumenical Council, which also took place in Constantinople in 680. The canonical issues resolved at the council concerned both intra-church life (hierarchy of departments eastern church, the duty of metropolitans to convene annual local councils), and the lives of the laity (excommunication from the church in case of failure to attend services three holidays, determining the rules of marriage, imposing penance on penitents, etc.).

Seventh Ecumenical Council

VII Ecumenical Council took place in Nicaea in 787 and was dedicated to the fight against iconoclasts. The Asia Minor white clergy was extremely concerned about the growing influence of the monasteries, as well as the rampant superstitions, which were spreading, among other things, due to the fact that the monasteries promoted the cult of saints. Emperor a lion decided to use this dissatisfaction to increase his own treasury. In 726, by a special edict, he declared the veneration of icons and relics of saints to be idolatry. A struggle with icon worshipers began, which lasted more than a century. During this struggle, monasteries were closed, monks were enlisted in the army, and forced to marry. Monastic treasures went into the imperial treasury. By the end of the 8th century. iconoclasm began to weaken. Its main tasks were completed. The VII Ecumenical Council proclaimed dogma on icon veneration. According to him, the honor given to the image goes back to the prototype and the one who worships the icon worships the hypostasis of the person depicted on it. Among the canonical decisions was a rule prohibiting simony(providing and receiving church positions for money; the name comes from the name of the Gospel character who wanted to buy the gifts of the Holy Spirit), alienation of church property of monasteries, appointment of lay people to church positions, etc.