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88-411: Autocephaly recognized by some autocephalous Churches de jure : Autocephaly and canonicity recognized by Constantinople and 3 other autocephalous Churches: Spiritual independence recognized by Georgian Orthodox Church: Semi-Autonomous: The ruling of the council stated: We all teach harmoniously [that he is] the same perfect in godhead, the same perfect in manhood, truly God and truly man,

176-493: A patriarchate , one of the five patriarchates known as the pentarchy , when the title of patriarch was created in 531 by Justinian . The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, s.v. patriarch (ecclesiastical) , also calls it "a title dating from the 6th century, for the bishops of the five great sees of Christendom". Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, says: "Five patriarchates, collectively called

264-672: A present participle of the verb 'to be' , two main corresponding variants occurred. Since the Aristotelian term ousia was commonly translated in Latin as essentia ( essence ) or substantia ( substance ), the Greek term homoousios was consequently translated into Latin as coessentialis or consubstantialis , hence the English terms coessential and consubstantial . Some modern scholars say that homoousios

352-596: A superior abbot ( hegumenos , Greek : ἡγούμενος , present participle of the verb meaning "to lead") whom a bishop appointed to supervise several "ordinary" abbots and monasteries , or as the abbot of some especially great and important monastery. In the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches , "archimandrite" is most often used purely as a title of honor (with no connection to any actual monastery) and

440-686: A Sabellian tendency." This was because Sabellius also considered the Father and the Son to be "one substance", meaning that, to Sabellius, the Father and the Son were "one essential Person", though operating in different faces, roles, or modes. This notion, however, was also rejected at the Council of Nicaea, in favor of the Nicene Creed , which holds the Father and Son to be distinct yet also coequal, coeternal, and consubstantial divine persons. The use of

528-484: A book handed him by Aetius, the synodical letter of Leo to Flavian (Leo's Tome). After the reading of the letter, the bishops cried out: "This is the faith of the fathers, this is the faith of the Apostles. So we all believe, thus the orthodox believe. ... Peter has spoken thus through Leo. So taught the Apostles. Piously and truly did Leo teach, so taught Cyril. Everlasting be the memory of Cyril. Leo and Cyril taught

616-487: A clear statement on the two natures of Christ, human and divine: We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach people to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly man, of a reasonable [rational] soul and body; consubstantial [co-essential] with the Father according to the Godhead, and consubstantial with us according to

704-527: A committee of bishops appointed to study the orthodoxy of the Tome using Cyril's letters (which included the twelve anathemas) as their criteria unanimously determined it to be orthodox, and the council, with few exceptions, supported this. It approved the creed of Nicaea (325), the creed of Constantinople (381; subsequently known as the Nicene Creed), two letters of Cyril against Nestorius, which insisted on

792-663: A dogma of the still-united Western and Eastern churches for the next two millennia when its use was confirmed by the First Council of Constantinople (381). The struggle over the understanding of Christ's divinity was not solely a matter for the Church. The Roman Emperor Theodosius had published an edict, prior to the Council of Constantinople, declaring that the Nicene Creed was the legitimate doctrine and that those opposed to it were heretics. It has also been said that

880-452: A formal and authoritative decision of the question. Eutyches appealed against the decision, labeling Flavian a Nestorian, and received the support of Pope Dioscorus I of Alexandria . John Anthony McGuckin sees an "innate rivalry" between the Sees of Alexandria and Constantinople. Dioscurus, imitating his predecessors in assuming a primacy over Constantinople, held his own synod which annulled

968-452: A friendly spirit ( hos oikeia te kai phila ). For your legates have made a violent stand against it, desiring, no doubt, that this good deed should proceed, in the first instance, from your provident hand. But we, wishing to gratify the pious Christian emperors, and the illustrious Senate, and the capital of the empire, have judged that an Ecumenical Council was the fittest occasion for effecting this measure. Hence we have made bold to confirm

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1056-434: A local synod regarding a point of discipline connected with the province of Sardis . At the end of the session of this synod one of those inculpated, Eusebius, Bishop of Dorylaeum , brought a counter charge of heresy against the archimandrite . Eusebius demanded that Eutyches be removed from office. Flavian preferred that the bishop and the archimandrite sort out their differences, but as his suggestion went unheeded, Eutyches

1144-462: A monastic priest possess a university degree in theology before he is elevated to the rank of archimandrite. Sometimes, the requirement is waived if the priest can show outstanding achievement in other academic fields, such as the humanities or science. An archimandrite who does not function as an abbot has the style "The Very Reverend Archimandrite" whilst one with abbatial duties uses the style "The Right Reverend Archimandrite". The word occurs in

1232-533: A pro-monophysite mob to enter the church which assaulted Flavian as he clung to the altar. Flavian died three days later. Dioscorus then placed Eusebius of Dorylaeum under arrest and demanded the assembled bishops approve his actions. Fearing the mob, they all did. The papal legates refused to attend the second session at which several more orthodox bishops were deposed, including Ibas of Edessa, Irenaeus of Tyre, Domnus of Antioch, and Theodoret. Dioscorus then had Cyril of Alexandria's Twelve Anathemas declared orthodox with

1320-417: A second letter to John of Antioch. The bishops responded, "We all so believe: Pope Leo thus believes ... we all thus believe. As Cyril so believe we, all of us: eternal be the memory of Cyril: as the epistles of Cyril teach such is our mind, such has been our faith: such is our faith: this is the mind of Archbishop Leo, so he believes, so he has written." Beronician, clerk of the consistory, then read from

1408-635: A speedy end, and asked the council to make a pronouncement on the doctrine of the Incarnation before continuing the trial. The council fathers, however, felt that no new creed was necessary, and that the doctrine had been laid out clearly in Leo's Tome. They were also hesitant to write a new creed as the First Council of Ephesus had forbidden the composition or use of any new creed. Aetius, deacon of Constantinople then read Cyril's letter to Nestorius, and

1496-625: Is New Rome". In the early 5th century, this status was challenged by the bishops of Alexandria, but the Council of Chalcedon confirmed in Canon XXVIII: For the Fathers rightly granted privileges to the throne of old Rome, because it was the royal city. And the One Hundred and Fifty most religious Bishops, actuated by the same consideration, gave equal privileges ( ἴσα πρεσβεῖα ) to the most holy throne of New Rome, justly judging that

1584-567: Is a Christian theological term, most notably used in the Nicene Creed for describing Jesus ( God the Son ) as "same in being" or "same in essence" with God the Father ( ὁμοούσιον τῷ Πατρί ). The same term was later also applied to the Holy Spirit in order to designate him as being "same in essence" with the Father and the Son. Those notions became cornerstones of theology in Nicene Christianity , and also represent one of

1672-460: Is bestowed on a hieromonk as a mark of respect or gratitude for service to the Church. This title is only given to those priests who have been tonsured monks, while distinguished non-monastic (typically married) priests would be given the title of archpriest . The term archimandrite derives from the Greek: the first element from ἀρχι- archi- meaning "highest" or from archon "ruler"; and

1760-561: Is evident in his writings that he considered the Son's divinity lesser than the Father's, since he even calls the Son "a creature". It was by Athanasius of Alexandria and the Nicene Council that the Son was taken to have exactly the same essence with the Father, and in the Nicene Creed the Son was declared to be as immutable as his Father. While it is common to find statements that Origen and other early apologist Church fathers held subordinationist views, Ilaria Ramelli discussed

1848-568: Is only one physis , since it is the Incarnation, of God the Word." Cyril apparently thought that the Greek word physis meant approximately what the Latin word persona (person) means, while most Greek theologians would have interpreted that word to mean natura (nature). The energy and imprudence with which Eutyches asserted his opinions led to his being misunderstood. Thus, many believed that Eutyches

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1936-455: Is properly translated as coessential , while consubstantial has a much wider spectrum of meanings. The Book of Common Prayer renders the term as "being of one substance with the Father." From ὁμοούσιος (coessential), the theological term ὁμοουσιότης (coessentiality) was also derived. It was used by Greek-speaking authors, like Didymus of Alexandria and other theologians. The term ὁμοούσιος had been used before its adoption by

2024-624: Is rejected by the Oriental Orthodox Churches , the latter teaching rather that "The Lord Jesus Christ is God the Incarnate Word . He possesses the perfect Godhead and the perfect manhood. His fully divine nature is united with His fully human nature yet without mixing, blending or alteration." The Oriental Orthodox contend that this latter teaching has been misunderstood as monophysitism , an appellation with which they strongly disagree but, nevertheless, refuse to accept

2112-640: The First Council of Constantinople in AD 381, three distinct and infinite hypostases , or divine persons, the Father , the Son , and the Holy Spirit , fully possess the very same divine ousia . This doctrine was formulated in the 4th century, during the Arian controversy over Christology between Arius and Athanasius. The several distinct branches of Arianism which sometimes conflicted with each other as well as with

2200-477: The First Council of Ephesus (431). About two years after Cyril of Alexandria 's death in 444, an aged monk from Constantinople named Eutyches began teaching a subtle variation on the traditional Christology in an attempt to stop what he saw as a new outbreak of Nestorianism . He claimed to be a faithful follower of Cyril's teaching, which was declared orthodox in the Union of 433. Cyril had taught that "There

2288-680: The Nicene Creed ), two letters of St. Cyril of Alexandria against Nestorius , and the Tome of Pope Leo I . The Christology of the Church of the East may be called " non-Ephesine " for not accepting the Council of Ephesus, but did finally gather to ratify the Council of Chalcedon at the Synod of Mar Aba I in 544. Through the 1994 Common Christological Declaration between the Catholic Church and

2376-710: The Roman Empire . The Eastern position could be characterized as being political in nature, as opposed to a doctrinal view. In practice, all Christians East and West addressed the papacy as the See of Peter and Paul or the Apostolic See rather than the See of the Imperial Capital. Rome understands this to indicate that its precedence has always come from its direct lineage from the apostles Peter and Paul rather than its association with Imperial authority. After

2464-583: The Russian Orthodox Church organized its monasteries and ranked them in one of three classes, awarding only the abbots at the head of monasteries of the second or first class the title of archimandrite. Abbots of third class monasteries were to be styled "hegumen". In the Russian tradition, an archimandrite wears a mitre . Churches under the spiritual jurisdiction of the four ancient Eastern Orthodox Patriarchates generally require that such

2552-514: The See of Rome . No reference was made in Canon 28 to the bishops of Rome or Constantinople having their authority from being successors to Peter or Andrew respectively. Instead, the stated reasons in the actual text of the Canon that the episcopacy of these cities had been granted their status was the importance of these cities as major cities of the empire of the time. The Confession of Chalcedon provides

2640-545: The first seven ecumenical councils . All the sessions were held in the church of St. Euphemia , Martyr, outside the city and directly opposite Constantinople. As to the number of sessions held by the Council of Chalcedon there is a great discrepancy in the various texts of the Acts, also in the ancient historians of the council. Either the respective manuscripts must have been incomplete; or the historians passed over in silence several sessions held for secondary purposes. According to

2728-599: The magister militum , to marry Marcian. Leo had pressed for it to take place in Italy , but Emperor Marcian instead called for it to convene at Chalcedon, because it was closer to Constantinople, and would thus allow him to respond quickly to any events along the Danube, which was being raided by the Huns under Attila. The council opened on 8 October 451. Marcian had the bishops deposed by Dioscorus returned to their dioceses and had

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2816-717: The "anti-subordinationism" of Origen. Both the Nicene and Athanasian creeds affirm the Son as both begotten of, and equal to his Father. If so, many concepts of the Holy Trinity would appear to have already existed relatively early while the specific language used to affirm the doctrine continued to develop. Some theologians preferred the use of the term ὁμοιούσιος ( homoioúsios or alternative uncontracted form ὁμοιοούσιος homoiοoúsios ; from ὅμοιος , hómoios , "similar", rather than ὁμός , homós , "same, common") in order to emphasize distinctions among

2904-470: The 2nd-century Gnostics, and through their works it became known to the orthodox heresiologists , though this Gnostic use of the term had no reference to the specific relationship between Father and Son, as is the case in the Nicene Creed . The Nicene Creed is the official doctrine of most Christian churches—the Catholic Church , Eastern Orthodox Church , Oriental Orthodox Churches, Church of

2992-477: The 4th century as applied to Saint Pachomius . When the supervision of monasteries passed to another episcopal official—the Great Sakellarios (" sacristan ")—the title of archimandrite became an honorary one for abbots of important monasteries (compared to an ordinary abbot, a hegumenos ). The Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches commonly select their bishops from the ranks of

3080-546: The Assyrian Church of the East, the Assyrian Church of the East and the Catholic Church each accepted and confessed the same doctrine of Christology. In 325, the first ecumenical council ( First Council of Nicaea ) determined that Jesus Christ was God, " consubstantial " with the Father, and rejected the Arian contention that Jesus was a created being. This was reaffirmed at the First Council of Constantinople (381) and

3168-483: The East , Lutheran Churches , Moravian Church , Anglican Communion , and Reformed Churches as well as other mainline Protestant and evangelical churches with regard to the ontological status of the three persons or hypostases of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Origen seems to have been the first ecclesiastical writer to use the word homoousios in a nontrinitarian context, but it

3256-587: The East and the West. The claims that bishops being forced to approve actions, were challenged by Pope Dioscorus and the Egyptian Bishops at Chalcedon. The situation continued to deteriorate, with Leo demanding the convocation of a new council and Emperor Theodosius II refusing to budge, all the while appointing bishops in agreement with Dioscorus. All this changed dramatically with the Emperor's death and

3344-466: The First Council of Nicaea. The Gnostics were the first to use the word ὁμοούσιος , while before the Gnostics there is no trace at all of its existence. The early church theologians were probably made aware of this concept, and thus of the doctrine of emanation , taught by the Gnostics. In Gnostic texts, the word ὁμοούσιος is used with the following meanings: For example, Basilides ,

3432-668: The Lord Jesus Christ Himself has taught us, and the Creed of the holy Fathers has handed down to us. The full text of the definition reaffirms the decisions of the Council of Ephesus and the pre-eminence of the Creed of Nicea (325). It also canonises as authoritative two of Cyril of Alexandria 's letters and the Tome of Leo written against Eutyches and sent to Archbishop Flavian of Constantinople in 449. The work of

3520-707: The Manhood; in all things like unto us, without sin; begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead, and in these latter days, for us and for our salvation, born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, according to the Manhood; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, only begotten, to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably; ( ἐν δύο φύσεσιν ἀσυγχύτως, ἀτρέπτως, ἀδιαιρέτως, ἀχωρίστως  – in duabus naturis inconfuse, immutabiliter, indivise, inseparabiliter )

3608-463: The Tome, but a group of thirteen Egyptians refused, saying that they would assent to "the traditional faith". As a result, the Emperor's commissioners decided that a credo would indeed be necessary and presented a text to the fathers. No consensus was reached. Paschasinus threatened to return to Rome to reassemble the council in Italy. Marcian agreed, saying that if a clause were not added to the credo ,

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3696-543: The archimandrites. As abbots, the duties of both a hegumen and an archimandrite are the same; however, during the Divine Service , a hegumen wears a simple mantle , while the mantle of an archimandrite is decorated with sacral texts; an archimandrite also bears a pastoral staff ( pateritsa ). Initially, in some cases it served as an extra title: for example, manuscripts of 1174 mention Hegumen Polikarp of Kiev Cave Monastery as "Hegumen Archimandrite". In 1764,

3784-414: The bishops would have to relocate. The Committee then sat in the oratory of the most holy martyr Euphemis and afterwards reported a definition of faith which while teaching the same doctrine was not the Tome of Leo. Although it could be reconciled with Cyril's Formula of Reunion, it was not compatible in its wording with Cyril's Twelve Anathemas. In particular, the third anathema reads: "If anyone divides in

3872-427: The body of Flavian brought to the capital to be buried honorably. The Emperor asked Leo to preside over the council, but Leo again chose to send legates in his place. This time, Bishops Paschasinus of Lilybaeum and Julian of Cos and two priests Boniface and Basil represented the western church at the council. The council was attended by about 520 bishops or their representatives and was the largest and best-documented of

3960-576: The canon, Bishop Anatolius of Constantinople conceded, "Even so, the whole force of confirmation of the acts was reserved for the authority of Your Blessedness. Therefore, let Your Holiness know for certain that I did nothing to further the matter, knowing always that I held myself bound to avoid the lusts of pride and covetousness." However, the Canon has since been viewed as valid by the Eastern Orthodox Church. According to some ancient Greek collections, canons 29 and 30 are attributed to

4048-558: The city which is honoured with the Sovereignty and the Senate and enjoys equal privileges with the old imperial Rome, should in ecclesiastical matters also be magnified as she is, and rank next after her. In making their case, the council fathers argued that tradition had accorded "honor" to the see of older Rome because it was the first imperial city. Accordingly, "moved by the same purposes" the fathers "apportioned equal prerogatives to

4136-631: The council by order of the emperor was whether Flavian, in a synod held by him at Constantinople in November, 448, had justly deposed and excommunicated the Archimandrite Eutyches for refusing to admit two natures in Christ. Dioscorus began the council by banning all members of the November 448 synod which had deposed Eutyches from sitting as judges. He then introduced Eutyches who publicly professed that while Christ had two natures before

4224-670: The council indicated their understanding that Pope Leo's ratification was necessary for the canon to be binding, writing, "we have made still another enactment which we have deemed necessary for the maintenance of good order and discipline, and we are persuaded that your Holiness will approve and confirm our decree. ... We are confident you will shed upon the Church of Constantinople a ray of that Apostolic splendor which you possess, for you have ever cherished this church, and you are not at all niggardly in imparting your riches to your children. ... Vouchsafe then, most Holy and most Blessed Father, to accept what we have done in your name, and in

4312-602: The council was completed by a series of 30 disciplinary canons , the Ancient Epitomes of which are: Canon 28 grants equal privileges ( isa presbeia ) to Constantinople as of Rome because Constantinople is the New Rome as renewed by canon 36 of the Quinisext Council . Pope Leo declared the canon 28 null and void and only approved the canons of the council which were pertaining to faith. Initially,

4400-403: The council) a seat at the council. As a result, he was moved to the nave of the church. Paschasinus further ordered the reinstatement of Theodoret and that he be given a seat, but this move caused such an uproar among the council fathers, that Theodoret also sat in the nave, though he was given a vote in the proceedings, which began with a trial of Dioscorus. Marcian wished to bring proceedings to

4488-501: The council: canon 29, which states that an unworthy bishop cannot be demoted but can be removed, is an extract from the minutes of the 19th session; canon 30, which grants the Egyptians time to consider their rejection of Leo's Tome , is an extract from the minutes of the fourth session. In all likelihood an official record of the proceedings was made either during the council itself or shortly afterwards. The assembled bishops informed

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4576-418: The deacon Rusticus, there were in all sixteen sessions; this division is commonly accepted by scholars, including Karl Josef von Hefele , historian of the councils. If all the separate meetings were counted, there would be twenty-one sessions; several of these meetings, however, are considered as supplementary to preceding sessions. Paschasinus refused to give Dioscorus (who had excommunicated Leo leading up to

4664-559: The decrees of the council. Many Anglicans and most Protestants consider it to be the last authoritative ecumenical council. These churches, along with Martin Luther , hold that both conscience and scripture preempt doctrinal councils and generally agree that the conclusions of later councils were unsupported by or contradictory to scripture. The Council of Chalcedon issued the Chalcedonian Definition , which repudiated

4752-489: The distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one Person ( prosopon ) and one Subsistence ( hypostasis ), not parted or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son, and only begotten God ( μονογενῆ Θεόν ), the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ; as the prophets from the beginning [have declared] concerning Him, and

4840-420: The elevation of Marcian to the imperial throne. To resolve the simmering tensions, Marcian announced his intention to hold a new council to set aside the 449 Second Council of Ephesus which was named the "Latrocinium" or "Robber Council" by Pope Leo. Pulcheria , the sister of Theodosius, may have influenced this decision, or even made the convention of a council a requirement during her negotiations with Aspar ,

4928-402: The first known Gnostic thinker to use ὁμοούσιος in the first half of the 2nd century AD, speaks of a threefold sonship consubstantial with the god who is not. The Valentinian Gnostic Ptolemy says in his letter to Flora that it is the nature of the good God to beget and bring forth only beings similar to, and consubstantial with, himself. The term ὁμοούσιος was already in current use by

5016-473: The first session of this synod were read at the Council of Chalcedon, 451, and are thus preserved. The remainder of the Acts (the first session being wanting) are known through a Syriac translation by a Miaphysite monk, written in the year 535 and published from a manuscript in the British Museum. Nonetheless, there are somewhat different interpretations as to what actually transpired. The question before

5104-444: The incarnation, the two natures had merged to form a single nature after the incarnation. Of the 130 assembled bishops, 111 voted to rehabilitate Eutyches. Throughout these proceedings, Hilary (one of the papal legates) repeatedly called for the reading of Leo's Tome, but was ignored. The Eastern Orthodox Church has very different accounts of The Second Council of Ephesus. Pope Dioscorus requested deferring reading of Leo's Tome, as it

5192-477: The intent of condemning any confession other than one nature in Christ. According to a letter to the Empress Pulcheria collected among the letters of Leo I, Hilary apologized for not delivering to her the pope's letter after the synod, but owing to Dioscurus, who tried to hinder his going either to Rome or to Constantinople, he had great difficulty in making his escape in order to bring to the pontiff

5280-404: The most holy see of new Rome" because "the city which is honored by the imperial power and senate and enjoying privileges equaling older imperial Rome should also be elevated to her level in ecclesiastical affairs and take second place after her". The framework for allocating ecclesiastical authority advocated by the council fathers mirrored the allocation of imperial authority in the later period of

5368-462: The most important theological concepts within the Trinitarian doctrinal understanding of God . The term ὁμοούσιον , the accusative case form of ὁμοούσιος ( homoousios , "consubstantial"), was adopted at the First Council of Nicaea (325) in order to clarify the ontology of Christ . From its Greek original, the term was translated into other languages. In Latin , which is lacking

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5456-485: The news of the result of the council. Hilary, who later became pope and dedicated an oratory in the Lateran Basilica in thanks for his life, managed to escape from Constantinople and brought news of the council to Leo who immediately dubbed it a "synod of robbers" – Latrocinium  – and refused to accept its pronouncements. The decisions of this council now threatened schism between

5544-470: The notice must prevent the presence of any other bishop of the West. He provided his legates, one of whom died en route, with a letter addressed to Flavian explaining Rome's position in the controversy. Leo's letter, now known as Leo's Tome , confessed that Christ had two natures, and was not of or from two natures. On August 8, 449 the Second Council of Ephesus began its first session. The Acts of

5632-573: The notion of a single nature in Christ, and declared that he has two natures in one person and hypostasis . It also insisted on the completeness of his two natures: Godhead and manhood. The council also issued 27 disciplinary canons governing church administration and authority. In a further decree, later known as canon 28, the bishops declared that the See of Constantinople (New Rome) had the patriarchal status with "equal privileges" ( τῶν ἴσων ἀπολαύουσαν in Greek, aequalibus privilegiis in Latin) to

5720-436: The one Christ the hypostases after the union, joining them only by a conjunction of dignity or authority or power, and not rather by a coming together in a union by nature, let him be anathema." This appeared to some to be incompatible with Leo's definition of two natures hypostatically joined . However, the council would determine (with the exception of 13 Egyptian bishops) that this was an issue of wording and not of doctrine;

5808-399: The orthodoxy of Leo's Tome, judging it by the standard of Cyril's Twelve Chapters, as some of the bishops present raised concerns about their compatibility. This committee was headed by Anatolius, Patriarch of Constantinople, and was given five days to carefully study the matter. The committee unanimously decided in favor of the orthodoxy of Leo, determining that what he said was compatible with

5896-823: The passage of the Canon 28, Rome filed a protest against the reduction of honor given to Antioch and Alexandria. However, fearing that withholding Rome's approval would be interpreted as a rejection of the entire council, in 453 the pope confirmed the council's canons while declaring the 28th null and void. This position would change and later be accepted in 1215 at the Fourth Council of the Lateran . Homoousion Homoousion ( / ˌ h ɒ m oʊ ˈ uː s i ɒ n , ˌ h oʊ m -/ HO(H)M -oh- OO -see-on ; Ancient Greek : ὁμοούσιον , lit.   'same in being, same in essence', from ὁμός , homós , "same" and οὐσία , ousía , "being" or "essence")

5984-477: The pentarchy, were the first to be recognized by the legislation of the emperor Justinian (reigned 527–565)". In a canon of disputed validity, the Council of Chalcedon also elevated the See of Constantinople to a position "second in eminence and power to the Bishop of Rome ". The Council of Nicaea in 325 had noted that the Sees of Rome , Alexandria and Antioch should have primacy over other, lesser dioceses. At

6072-572: The pope that a copy of all the "Acta" would be transmitted to him; in March 453, Pope Leo commissioned Julian of Cos, then at Constantinople, to make a collection of all the Acts and translate them into Latin. Most of the documents, chiefly the minutes of the sessions, were written in Greek; others, e.g. the imperial letters, were issued in both languages; others, again, e.g. the papal letters, were written in Latin. Eventually nearly all of them were translated into both languages. The metropolitan of Jerusalem

6160-404: The privileges of the aforementioned city (tharresantes ekurosamen) as if your holiness had taken the initiative, for we know how tenderly you love your children, and we feel that in honoring the child we have honored its parent. ... We have informed you of everything with a view of proving our sincerity, and of obtaining for our labors your confirmation and consent." Following Leo's rejection of

6248-401: The pro-Nicene homoousian creed can be roughly broken down into the following classifications: All of these positions and the almost innumerable variations on them which developed in the 4th century were strongly and tenaciously opposed by Athanasius and other pro-Nicenes, who insisted on the doctrine of homoousion or consubstantiality, eventually prevailing in the struggle to define this as

6336-646: The same of a reasonable soul and body; homoousios with the Father in godhead, and the same homoousios with us in manhood ... acknowledged in two natures without confusion, without change, without division, without separation. Whilst this judgment marked a significant turning point in the Christological debates, it also generated heated disagreements between the council and the Oriental Orthodox Church, who did not agree with such conduct or proceedings. This disagreement would later inform

6424-407: The same thing, ... This is the true faith ... This is the faith of the fathers. Why were not these things read at Ephesus?" However, during the reading of Leo's Tome, three passages were challenged as being potentially Nestorian, and their orthodoxy was defended by using the writings of Cyril. Due to such concerns, the council decided to adjourn and appoint a special committee to investigate

6512-467: The second root from μάνδρα mandra meaning "enclosure" or "corral", "pen" and denoting a "monastery" (compare the usage of "flock" for "congregation"). The title has been in common use since the 5th century, but is mentioned for the first time in a letter to Epiphanius , prefixed to his Panarium ( c.  375 ), but the Lausiac History of Palladius may evidence its common use in

6600-527: The sentence of Flavian, and absolved Eutyches. Through the influence of the court official Chrysaphius, godson of Eutyches, in 449, the competing claims between the Patriarchs of Constantinople and Alexandria led Emperor Theodosius II to call a council which was held in Ephesus in 449, with Dioscorus presiding. Pope Leo sent four legates to represent him and expressed his regret that the shortness of

6688-481: The separation of the Oriental Orthodox Churches from the rest of Christianity , and led to the council being regarded as Chalcedon, the Ominous . The council's other responsibilities included addressing controversy, dealing with issues such as ecclesiastical discipline and jurisdiction, and approving statements of belief such as the Creed of Nicaea (325), the Creed of Constantinople (381, subsequently known as

6776-404: The teaching of Cyril. A number of other bishops also entered statements to the effect that they believed that Leo's Tome was not in contradiction with the teaching of Cyril as well. The council continued with Dioscorus' trial, but he refused to appear before the assembly. However, historical accounts from the Eastern Orthodox Church note that Dioscorus was put under solitary arrest. As a result, he

6864-501: The term homoousios , which Athanasius favored and which was ratified in the Nicene Council and Creed, was actually a term reported to also be used and favored by the Sabellians in their Christology. It was a term with which many followers of Athanasius were actually uncomfortable. The so-called Semi-Arians in particular objected to it. Their objection to this term was that it was considered to be "un-Scriptural, suspicious, and of

6952-539: The three persons in the Godhead, but the term homoousion became a consistent mark of Nicene orthodoxy in both East and West . According to this doctrine, Jesus Christ is the physical manifestation of Logos (or the Word), and consequently possesses all of the inherent, ineffable perfections which religion and philosophy attribute to the Supreme Being . In the language that became universally accepted after

7040-552: The time, the See of Constantinople was not yet of ecclesiastical prominence, but its proximity to the Imperial court gave rise to its importance. The Council of Constantinople in 381 modified the situation somewhat by placing Constantinople second in honor, above Alexandria and Antioch, stating in Canon III, that "the bishop of Constantinople ... shall have the prerogative of honor after the bishop of Rome; because Constantinople

7128-641: The unity of divine and human persons in Christ, and the Tome of Pope Leo I confirming two distinct natures in Christ. The dogmatic definitions of the council are recognized as normative by the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Churches, as well by certain other Western Churches ; also, most Protestants agree that the council's teachings regarding the Trinity and the Incarnation are orthodox doctrine which must be adhered to. The council, however,

7216-1316: The word homoousios in the Nicene Creed was proposed by Emperor Constantine I , who convened and chaired the First Council of Nicea . By persuasion and by threats of excommunication and exile, Constantine obtained the endorsement of all but two of the attending bishops for the inclusion of the word. Vaporis enim nomen inducens hoc ideo de rebus corporalibus assumpsit, ut vel ex parte aliqua intelligere possimus quomodo Christus, qui est Sapientia, secundum similitudinem eius vaporis qui de substantia aliqua corporea procedit, sic etiam ipse ut quidem vapor exoritur de virtute ipsius Dei. Sic et Sapientia ex eo procedens ex ipsa substantia Dei generatur; sic nilominus, et secundum similitudinem corporalis aporrhoeae, esse dicitur aporrhoea gloriae Omnipotentis, pura et sincera. Quae utraeque similitudines manifestissime ostendunt communionem substantiae esse Filio cum Patre. Aporrhoea enim ὁμοούσιος videtur, id est unius substantiae, cum illo corpore ex quo est vel aporrhoea, vel vapor. Archimandrite The title archimandrite ( / ˌ ɑːr k ɪ ˈ m æ n d r aɪ t / ; Greek : ἀρχιμανδρίτης , romanized :  archimandritēs ), used in Eastern Christianity , originally referred to

7304-411: Was advocating Docetism , a sort of reversal of Arianism – where Arius had denied the consubstantial divinity of Jesus , Eutyches seemed to be denying that Jesus was fully human. Pope Leo I wrote that Eutyches' error seemed to be more from a lack of skill than from malice. Eutyches had been accusing various personages of covert Nestorianism. In November 448, Flavian, Bishop of Constantinople held

7392-481: Was bleeding of sickness". Pulcheria is said to have slapped Dioscorus in the face, breaking some of his teeth, and ordered the guards to confine him, which they did pulling his beard hair. Dioscorus is said to have put these in a box and sent them back to his Church in Alexandria noting "this is the fruit of my faith." Marcian responded by exiling Dioscorus. All of the bishops were then asked to sign their assent to

7480-472: Was condemned, but by an underwhelming amount (more than half the bishops present for the previous sessions did not attend his condemnation), and all of his decrees were declared null. Empress Pulcheria (Marcian's wife) told Dioscorus "In my father's time, there was a man who was stubborn (referring to St. John Chrysostom ) and you are aware of what was made of him", to which Dioscorus famously responded "And you may recall that your mother prayed at his tomb, as she

7568-467: Was given independence from the metropolitan of Antioch and from any other higher-ranking bishop, given what is now known as autocephaly , in the council's seventh session whose "Decree on the Jurisdiction of Jerusalem and Antioch" contains: "the bishop of Jerusalem, or rather the most holy Church which is under him, shall have under his own power the three Palestines". This led to Jerusalem becoming

7656-505: Was not seen as necessary to start with, and could be read later. This was seen as a rebuke to the representatives from the Church of Rome not reading the Tome from the start. Dioscorus then moved to depose Flavian of Constantinople and Eusebius of Dorylaeum on the grounds that they taught the Word had been made flesh and not just assumed flesh from the Virgin and that Christ had two natures. When Flavian and Hilary objected, Dioscorus called for

7744-432: Was summoned to clarify his position regarding the nature of Christ. Eventually Eutyches reluctantly appeared, but his position was considered to be theologically unsophisticated, and the synod finding his answers unresponsive condemned and exiled him. Flavian sent a full account to Pope Leo I. Although it had been accidentally delayed, Leo wrote a compendious explanation of the whole doctrine involved, and sent it to Flavian as

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