Council of Constantinople

Cosmas Indicopleustes

COSMAS INDICOPLEUSTES The name given to an anonymous Nestorian author of the twelve-book Christian Topography, written a few years before the Second Council of CONSTANTINOPLE (553). Cosmas was an Egyptian merchant, probably from Alexandria, who plied his trade in Alexandria, the Red Sea port of Adulis (Sawakin), and Ceylon (Sri Lanka), calling at the island …

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Confirmation

Liturgy / By Arsanious Adel

CONFIRMATION The sacrament by which the newly baptized receives the grace of the Holy Spirit. Confirmation is a complement to the sacrament of baptism. Despite being complementary to baptism and following immediately after it, confirmation must be regarded as a distinct sacrament, with its own rites and prayers. In view of its intrinsic qualities, confirmation …

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Apostolic See

System / By Armia FAYEZ

APOSTOLIC SEE An apostolic see is a see that was founded by an Apostle. The number of sees and their names differed from century to century. In the fourth century, Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and Ephesus were considered the four apostolic sees. However, with the foundation of Constantinople as a capital, the emperors started to assert …

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Semi-Arians

Groups / By Armia FAYEZ

SEMI-ARIANS A group drawn from among Arian theologians that was founded by Basil of Ancyra around 356. Its members espoused a doctrine of the sonship of Jesus that stood somewhere between the orthodox and the Arian (see ARIANISM) principles. They adopted the HOMOIOUSION theology and leaned toward orthodoxy. Saint ATHANASIUS returned to Alexandria in 362 …

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Apollinarianism

Groups, History / By Armia FAYEZ

APOLLINARIANISM Apollinarianism is the dogma instituted by Apollinarius of Laodicea. He was a great friend of Athanasius of Alexandria and rendered him great service, defending orthodoxy against Arianism. But under the influence of Arianism, Apollinarius denied the full human nature of Christ by promulgating that the divine Logos took the place of the nous. Apollinarianism …

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Third Council Of Constantinople

Events / By Arsanious Adel

THIRD COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE This, the sixth ecumenical council, first met on 7 November 680 and ended its eighteen sessions on 16 September 681. The number of bishops attending was under 300, and the minutes of the last session have only 174 signatures attached to them. The council was convened by Emperor Constantine IV to …

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First Council Of Constantinople

Events / By Arsanious Adel

FIRST COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE Summoned by Emperor Theodosius I and convened at Constantinople in May and June 381, and recognized as the second ecumenical council. About 150 bishops from the eastern provinces of the empire attended, to which may be added thirty-six “Macedonian” bishops, mainly from western Asia Minor, whom the emperor and the council …

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Third Council Of Constantinople

Eminent / By Armia FAYEZ

THIRD COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE The Third Council of Constantinople took place in 680-681 a.d. Egypt was under Arab control and the Coptic Church had been estranged since the Council of Chalcedon in 451 a.d., and hence was not represented at this council. Emperor Constantine IV tried to put an end to the monothelite controversy, which …

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Second Council Of Constantinople

Eminent / By Armia FAYEZ

SECOND COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE The Second Council of Constantinople took place in the year 553 a.d. during the reign of Justinian. The council anathematized The Three Chapters (the works of Theodoret and Ibas of Edessa) and condemned, post mortem, Theodore of Mopsuestia as the real instigator of Nestorianism. Some 165 bishops attended this council, including …

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First Council Of Ephesus (431)

Events / By Armia FAYEZ

FIRST COUNCIL OF EPHESUS (431) After the Arian crisis of the fourth century, theologians started to discuss the nature of the humanity of Christ. Among them was Apollinarius of Laodicia, one of the participants of the Council of Nicaea, who suggested that if Jesus is the true God then he could not be a perfect …

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