The Quinisext Council (; , literally meaning, ''Fifth-Sixth Meeting''), i.e., the Fifth-Sixth Council, often called the Council ''in Trullo'', Trullan Council, or the Penthekte Synod, was a church council held in 692 at

Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...

under Justinian II. The synod is known as the "Council ''in Trullo''" because, like the Sixth Ecumenical Council, it was held in a domed hall in the Imperial

Palace A palace is a large residence, often serving as a royal residence or the home for a head of state or another high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome whi ...

( [], meaning a cup or dome). Both the Second Council of Constantinople, Fifth and the Third Council of Constantinople, Sixth Ecumenical Councils had omitted to draw up disciplinary canon law, canons, and as this council was intended to complete both in this respect, it took the name of Quinisext.

Decisions

Many of the council's Canon (canon law), canons were reiterations. It endorsed not only the six

ecumenical council An ecumenical council, also called general council, is a meeting of bishops and other church authorities to consider and rule on questions of Christian doctrine, administration, discipline, and other matters in which those entitled to vote are ...

s already held (canon 1), but also: * the 85 Apostolic Canons, * the Synod of Ancyra * the Synod of Neocaesarea, * the Synod of Gangra, * the Synod of Antioch in 341, * the Council of Serdica, * the Synod of Laodicea, * Councils of Carthage, * the Council of Constantinople (394) The council also confirmed authority of

Church Fathers The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, Christian Fathers, or Fathers of the Church were ancient and influential Christian theologians and writers who established the intellectual and doctrinal foundations of Christianity. The historical peri ...

: * 4 canons of Pope Dionysius of Alexandria, * 12 canons of Gregory Thaumaturgus, * 15 canons of Peter I of Alexandria, * 3 canons of

Athanasius of Alexandria Athanasius I of Alexandria ( – 2 May 373), also called Athanasius the Great, Athanasius the Confessor, or, among Coptic Christians, Athanasius the Apostolic, was a Christian theologian and the 20th patriarch of Alexandria (as Athanasius ...

39th Festal Letter of Athanasius (canon 2)">Easter letter">39th Festal Letter of Athanasius (canon 2) * 18 canons of Timothy I of Alexandria, * 92 canons of Basil of Caesarea, * 1 canon of

Gregory of Nazianzus Gregory of Nazianzus (; ''Liturgy of the Hours'' Volume I, Proper of Saints, 2 January. – 25 January 390), also known as Gregory the Theologian or Gregory Nazianzen, was an early Roman Christian theologian and prelate who served as Archbi ...

, * 8 canons of

Gregory of Nyssa Gregory of Nyssa, also known as Gregory Nyssen ( or Γρηγόριος Νυσσηνός; c. 335 – c. 394), was an early Roman Christian prelate who served as Bishop of Nyssa from 372 to 376 and from 378 until his death in 394. He is ve ...

, * 1 canon of Amphilochius of Iconium, * 14 canons of Theophilus I of Alexandria, * 5 canons of

Cyril of Alexandria Cyril of Alexandria (; or ⲡⲓ̀ⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲕⲓⲣⲓⲗⲗⲟⲥ; 376–444) was the Patriarch of Alexandria from 412 to 444. He was enthroned when the city was at the height of its influence and power within the Roman Empire ...

, * 1 canon of

Gennadius of Constantinople Gennadius of Constantinople (; died 17 November 471) was the patriarch of Constantinople from August 458 until his death. Gennadius is known to have been a learned writer who followed the School of Antioch of literal exegesis, although few writ ...

Ban on pre-Christian practices

The Council banned certain festivals and practices which were thought to have a

Pagan Paganism (, later 'civilian') is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Christianity, Judaism, and Samaritanism. In the time of the ...

origin. Therefore, the Council gives some insight to historians about pre-Christian religious practices. As a consequence, neither cleric nor layman was allowed to observe the Pagan festivals of Bota, the Kalends or the Brumalia.

Ritual observance

Many of the council's canons were aimed at settling differences in ritual observance and clerical discipline in different parts of Christendom. Being held under Byzantine auspices, with an exclusively Eastern

clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

, these overwhelmingly took the practice of the Church of Constantinople as orthodox.

Armenian practices

The council explicitly condemned some customs of

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...

Christians; among them using wine unmixed with water for the

Eucharist The Eucharist ( ; from , ), also called Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament or the Lord's Supper, is a Christianity, Christian Rite (Christianity), rite, considered a sacrament in most churches and an Ordinance (Christianity), ordinance in ...

, choosing children of clergy for appointment as clergy, and eating eggs and cheese on Saturdays and Sundays of

Lent Lent (, 'Fortieth') is the solemn Christianity, Christian religious moveable feast#Lent, observance in the liturgical year in preparation for Easter. It echoes the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring Temptation of Christ, t ...

. And the council proclaimed deposition for clergy and

excommunication 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 Koinonia, communion with other members o ...

for laypeople who contravened the canons prohibiting these practices.

Roman (western) practices

Likewise, it reprobated, with similar penalties, the

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

custom of not allowing married men to be ordained to the diaconate or priesthood unless they vowed for perpetual continence and living separately from their wives,Canon 13 and fasting on Saturdays of

. Nevertheless, it also prescribed continence during those times when serving at the altar. Without contrasting with the practice of the Western Church, it also prescribed that the celebration of the Eucharist in Lent should only happen in Saturdays, Sundays, and the

feast of the Annunciation The Feast of the Annunciation () commemorates the visit of the archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, during which he informed her that she would be the mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is celebrated on 25 March; however, if 25 Marc ...

Eucharist, liturgy, evangelising, baptism

Grapes, milk and honey were not to be offered at the altar. Whoever came to receive the Eucharist should receive in the hand by holding his hands in the form of a cross. The Eucharist was not allowed to be given to dead bodies. During the liturgy the psalms were to be sung in modest and dulcet tones, and the phrase 'who was crucified for us' was not to be added to the

Trisagion The ''Trisagion'' (; 'Thrice Holy'), sometimes called by its incipit ''Agios O Theos'', is a standard hymn of the Divine Liturgy in most of the Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox, Western Orthodox, Oriental Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodox, an ...

. Prelates were to preach the gospel as propounded by the fathers. Priests received special instructions on how to deal with those who were not baptized and they were also given rubrics to follow on how to admit heretics to the faith.Andrew Ekonomou. Byzantine Rome and the Greek Popes. Lexington Books, 2007 Women were not permitted to speak at the time of the Divine Liturgy.

Moral guidelines for clerics and laity

In addition to these, the council also condemned

clerics Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

that had improper or illicit relations with women. It condemned simony and the charging of fees for administering the Eucharist. It enjoined those in

holy orders In certain Christian denominations, holy orders are the ordination, ordained ministries of bishop, priest (presbyter), and deacon, and the sacrament or rite by which candidates are ordained to those orders. Churches recognizing these orders inclu ...

from entering public houses, engaging in usurious practices, attending horse races in the

Hippodrome Hippodrome is a term sometimes used for public entertainment venues of various types. A modern example is the Hippodrome which opened in London in 1900 "combining circus, hippodrome, and stage performances". The term hippodroming refers to fr ...

, wearing unsuitable clothes or celebrating the liturgy in private homes ('' eukterion'') without the consent of their bishops. Both clergy and laity were forbidden from gambling with dice, attending theatrical performances, or consulting soothsayers. No one was allowed to own a house of prostitution, engage in

abortion Abortion is the early termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. Abortions that occur without intervention are known as miscarriages or "spontaneous abortions", and occur in roughly 30–40% of all pregnan ...

, arrange hair in ornate plaits or to promote

pornography Pornography (colloquially called porn or porno) is Sexual suggestiveness, sexually suggestive material, such as a picture, video, text, or audio, intended for sexual arousal. Made for consumption by adults, pornographic depictions have evolv ...

. It also ordered law students at the University of Constantinople to cease wearing "clothing contrary to the general custom".Canon 71 Consumption of any blood either directly or through meat was prohibited on pain of deposition and excommunication for clergy, and excommunication for laity.

Acceptance

Pope Sergius I refused to sign the decrees of the Quinisext Council when they were sent to him, rejecting them as "lacking authority" and describing them as containing "novel errors." Efforts to compel his signature were ultimately unsuccessful. During the pontificate of Pope Constantine, a compromise approach appears to have been taken. This position was later articulated in the ninth century by Pope John VIII, who stated that he "accepted all those canons which did not contradict the true faith, good morals, and the decrees of Rome." Nearly a century later, Pope Hadrian I conditionally recognized the Trullan decrees in a letter to Tenasius of Constantinople, attributing them to the Sixth Synod. He affirmed: "I receive the sixth sacred council with all its canons which have been promulgated according to divine law (jure ac divinitus), among which is contained that in which reference is made to a Lamb being pointed to by the Precursor as being found in certain of the venerable images."NPNF2-14. The Seven Ecumenical Councils, ed. Philip Schaff

References

External links

Canons of the Council in Trullo (in Koine Greek)
{{Authority control Ecumenical councils 7th-century church councils Church councils in Constantinople History of Eastern Catholicism Medieval Christian controversies 690s in the Byzantine Empire 692 Byzantine Empire–Holy See relations