Creed and Councils of the Church
"Credo" or "Symbol of Faith”
Our profession of faith begins with God, for God is the First and the Last, the beginning and the end of everything. The Credo begins with God the Father, for the Father is the first divine person of the Most Holy Trinity; our Creed begins with the creation of heaven and earth, for creation is the beginning and the foundation of all God's works."
the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 198
the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 198
The Nicene Creed
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Early Church Councils
Nicea 1 The First Ecumenical Council in Nicea, A.D. 325, with 318 holy fathers participating. This Council, commemorated separately on May 29 (and on the Seventh Sunday after Easter), convened to refute the heresy of Arius against the Son of God.
Constantinople I Formulated the Second Part of the Creed, defining the divinity of the Holy Spirit
The Second Ecumenical Council was in Constantinople, A.D. 381, with 150 holy fathers attending. This Council, commemorated separately on May 22, convened to refute the heresy of Macedonius against God, the Holy Spirit.
Ephesus The Third Ecumenical Council in Ephesus, 431 A.D. with 200 holy fathers participating. This Council is commemorated separately on September 9. This Council refuted the heresy of Nestorius against Christ as the Incarnate Word of God and Mary as Theotokos.
Chalcedon The Fourth Ecumenical Council in Chalcedon, A.D. 451, with 630 holy fathers participating. This Council is commemorated separately on July 16. This Council refuted the Monophysite heresy and rightly defined Christ as Perfect God and Perfect Man in One Person
Constantinople II The Fifth Ecumenical Council assembled in Constantinople in A.D. 553, with 160 holy fathers participating. This Council is commemorated separately on July 25. This Council refuted the heresy of Origen and reconfirmed the Doctrines of the Trinity and of Christ.
Constantinople III The Sixth Ecumenical Council in Constantinople met in A.D. 680-81, with 170 holy fathers participating. This Council is commemorated separately on January 23. This Council refuted the Monothelite heresy and affirmed the True Humanity of Jesus by insisting upon the reality of His human will and action.
Nicea II The Seventh Ecumenical Council which was convened in A.D. 878, with 367 holy fathers participating. This Council is not commemorated at this time but is commemorated separately on October 11. Affirmed the propriety of icons as genuine expressions of the Christian Faith.
The Eighth Ecumenical Council (Fourth Council of Constantinople)
was a reunion council held at Constantinople in 879-880. This council was originally accepted and fully endorsed by the papacy in Rome (whose legates were present at the behest of Pope John VIII), but was later repudiated by Rome in the 11th century, retroactively regarding the robber council of 869-870 to be ecumenical. The council of 879-880 affirmed the restoration of St. Photius the Great to his see and anathematized any who altered the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, thus condemning the Filioque.
The Ninth Ecumenical Council actually consisted of a series of councils, held in Constantinople in 1341, 1347 and 1351, which exonerated St. Gregory Palamas's hesychastic theology and condemned the rationalistic philosophy of Barlaam of Calabria. Sometimes also referred to as the Fifth Council of Constantinople, the result of these councils is regarded as the Ninth Ecumenical Council by some Orthodox Christians but not others. Principal supporters of the view that this series of councils comprises the Ninth Ecumenical Council include Metropolitan Hierotheos (Vlachos) of Nafpaktos, Fr. John S. Romanides, and Fr. George Metallinos.