A Service of Love

Appendix: Ecumenical Councils

89 Appendix Ecumenical Councils 325 (First) Council of Nicaea 381 (First) Council of Constantinople 431 Council of Ephesus 451 Council of Chalcedon 553 Second Council of Constantinople (Constantinople II) 680–81 Third Council of Constantinople (Constantinople III) 787 Second Council of Nicaea (Nicaea II) The seven councils listed above are recognized by both Catholics and Orthodox as ecumenical. Especially in the Christian East, they are sometimes known simply by their numbering, that is, the first ecumenical council, the second ecumenical council, etc., numbering being intrinsic to the recognition of a council as ecumenical (cf. above, p. 68). Orthodox generally regard the Second Council of Nicaea as the seventh and last ecumenical council, so far, at least. 869–70 Fourth Council of Constantinople (Constantinople IV) Constantinople IV is recognized as ecumenical by the Catholic Church. However, its status is somewhat dubious. A significant body of opinion, both Catholic and Orthodox, would prefer to designate the later council of 879–80, also 90 appendix held in Constantinople, as the eighth ecumenical council (cf. above, p. 63, note 28). The Catholic Church considers the following councils, held in the West since the schism of 1054, also as ecumenical : 1123 First Lateran Council (Lateran I) 1139 Second Lateran Council (Lateran II) 1179 Third Lateran Council (Lateran III) 1215 Fourth Lateran Council (Lateran IV) 1245 First Council of Lyons (Lyons I) 1274 Second Council of Lyons (Lyons II) 1311–12 Council of Vienne 1414–18 Council of Constance 1438–45 Council of Florence 1545–63 Council of Trent 1869–70 First Vatican Council (Vatican I) 1962–65 Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) ...