The Council of Constantinople of 867 was a major

Church Council A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word ''synod'' comes from the Ancient Greek () ; the term is analogous with the Latin word . Originally, ...

, convened by Emperor Michael III of Byzantium and Patriarch Photios I of Constantinople in order to address several ecclesiastical issues, including the question of

Papal supremacy Papal supremacy is the doctrine of the Catholic Church that the Pope, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, the visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful, and as priest of the ...

in the Church, and the use of

Filioque ( ; ), a Latin term meaning "and from the Son", was added to the original Nicene Creed, and has been the subject of great controversy between Eastern and Western Christianity. The term refers to the Son, Jesus Christ, with the Father, as th ...

clause in the

Creed A creed, also known as a confession of faith, a symbol, or a statement of faith, is a statement of the shared beliefs of a community (often a religious community) which summarizes its core tenets. Many Christian denominations use three creeds ...

Context

At least five councils (in 859, 861, 867, 869-870, and 879-880) were held in Constantinople over the deposition of

Patriarch Ignatius of Constantinople Ignatius of Constantinople (; 798 – 23 October 877) was the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 847 to 858 and from 867 to 877. Ignatius lived during a complex time for the Byzantine Empire. The Iconoclast Controversy was ongoing, Bo ...

by Emperor

Michael III Michael III (; 9/10 January 840 – 24 September 867), also known as Michael the Drunkard, was Byzantine emperor from 842 to 867. Michael III was the third and traditionally last member of the Amorian dynasty, Amorian (or Phrygian) dynasty. He ...

and his replacement by Photios. The Pope in disagreement held a synod at the

Lateran 250px, Basilica and Palace - side view Lateran and Laterano are names for an area of Rome, and the shared names of several buildings in Rome. The properties were once owned by the Lateranus family of the Roman Empire. The Laterani lost their p ...

in 863 that reversed the decision of the Eastern Churches and the Emperor; this was taken by the East as an unacceptable intervention by the Pope of Rome.

Pope Nicholas I Pope Nicholas I (; c. 800 – 13 November 867), called Nicholas the Great, was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 24 April 858 until his death on 13 November 867. He is the last of the three popes listed in the Annuario Pontif ...

had attempted to remove Photios and reappoint Ignatius as the

Patriarch of Constantinople The ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople () is the archbishop of Constantinople and (first among equals) among the heads of the several autocephalous churches that comprise the Eastern Orthodox Church. The ecumenical patriarch is regarded as ...

by his own authority and decree. Thus, the Pope was intervening in matters of Imperial authority as well as in the other churches of the East and their own internal councils and authorities, which they understood to be outside the Pope's own jurisdiction of Rome (and perhaps the rest of the West; at the time of these councils there were no other Patriarchs in the West other than Rome, whereas there were four Patriarchs of the East). The Council at Constantinople in 867

excommunicated Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to deprive, suspend, or limit membership in a religious community or to restrict certain rights within it, in particular those of being in communion with other members of the con ...

Pope Nicholas I and declared him

anathema The word anathema has two main meanings. One is to describe that something or someone is being hated or avoided. The other refers to a formal excommunication by a Christian denomination, church. These meanings come from the New Testament, where a ...

. In addition, Roman claims of papal primacy, his contacts with

Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...

, and the

Filioque clause ( ; ), a Latin term meaning "and from the Son", was added to the original Nicene Creed, and has been the subject of great controversy between Eastern and Western Christianity. The term refers to the Son, Jesus Christ, with the Father, as th ...

were condemned.David Ford: St. Photios the Great, the Photian Council, and Relations with the Roman Church
/ref> Pope Nicholas I subsequently died and was replaced by

Pope Adrian II Pope Adrian II (; also Hadrian II; 79214 December 872) was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 867 to his death on 14 December 872. He continued the policy of his predecessor, Nicholas I. Despite seeking good relations with ...

Aftermath

The Council of 867 was followed by another Council of Constantinople, held in 869-870, receiving papal support and abolishing the Council of 867. Several years later, new Council of Constantinople was held in 879-880, restoring the conclusions of the Council of 867. The Roman Catholic Church rejects the councils of 867 and 879-880 but accepts the council of 869-870; the reverse is true of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * {{refend

External links

Saint Photius the Great: Encyclical to the Eastern Patriarchs

Constantinople,867 867 East–West Schism Filioque

Context

Aftermath

See also

References

Bibliography

External links