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The Councils

An ecumenical council is a gathering of the bishops of the whole Church whose decisions bind it. The Catholic Church counts twenty-one, from Nicaea to the Second Vatican Council — and they are not evenly spaced: the longest stretch without one runs to 324 years.

The ecumenical councils

325
A.D.
The first

The First Council of Nicaea

Defined against Arius that the Son is of one being with the Father, and fixed the date of Easter. Nicaea, Bithynia 22 texts, in its own words
381
A.D.
The second

The First Council of Constantinople

Added to the Nicene Creed the clauses on the Holy Ghost, against the followers of Macedonius. Constantinople 2 texts, in its own words
431
A.D.
The third

The Council of Ephesus

Declared Mary the Mother of God (Theotokos) and defined the personal unity of Christ, against Nestorius. Ephesus 10 texts, in its own words
451
A.D.
The fourth

The Council of Chalcedon

Defined the two natures, divine and human, in the one Christ, against Eutyches. Chalcedon 32 texts, in its own words
102 years pass — no council on this list
553
A.D.
The fifth

The Second Council of Constantinople

Condemned the Three Chapters and the errors of Origen, and confirmed the first four councils. Constantinople 1 text, in its own words
127 years pass — no council on this list
680
A.D.
The sixth 680–681

The Third Council of Constantinople

Defined two wills in Christ, divine and human, ending Monothelitism. Constantinople 2 texts, in its own words
107 years pass — no council on this list
787
A.D.
The seventh

The Second Council of Nicaea

Regulated the veneration of holy images. Nicaea 24 texts, in its own words
869
A.D.
The eighth

The Fourth Council of Constantinople

Condemned Photius and the council he had assembled against Pope Nicholas and Patriarch Ignatius. Constantinople 1 text, in its own words
254 years pass — no council on this list
1123
The ninth

The First Lateran Council

Ended lay investiture with ring and crosier, and legislated on church discipline. Rome, the Lateran 2 texts, in its own words
1139
The tenth

The Second Lateran Council

Acted against the errors of Arnold of Brescia. Rome, the Lateran 1 text, in its own words
1179
The eleventh

The Third Lateran Council

Condemned the Albigenses and Waldenses and issued decrees for the reform of morals. Rome, the Lateran 1 text, in its own words
1215
The twelfth

The Fourth Lateran Council

Issued the creed Firmiter credimus, which states that the body and blood are truly contained under the species of bread and wine, transubstantiated. Rome, the Lateran 2 texts, in its own words
1245
The thirteenth

The First Council of Lyons

Deposed the Emperor Frederick II and directed a new crusade. Lyons Public-domain English exists — not yet transcribed here
1274
The fourteenth

The Second Council of Lyons

Effected a temporary reunion with the Greek Church, and added the word filioque to the creed of Constantinople. Lyons 2 texts, in its own words
1311
The fifteenth 1311–1313

The Council of Vienne

Dealt with the charges against the Knights Templar. Vienne, France 1 text, in its own words
103 years pass — no council on this list
1414
The sixteenth 1414–1418

The Council of Constance

Ended the Western Schism by the election of Pope Martin V. Constance 2 texts, in its own words
1431
The seventeenth 1431–1439

The Council of Basel, Ferrara and Florence

Effected a short-lived union with the Greek Church at Florence. Basel · Ferrara · Florence 2 texts, in its own words
1512
The eighteenth 1512–1517

The Fifth Lateran Council

Issued chiefly disciplinary decrees; it closed months before the Ninety-Five Theses. Rome, the Lateran 1 text, in its own words
1545
The nineteenth 1545–1563

The Council of Trent

Answered the Reformers point by point and reformed the discipline of the Church, over eighteen years and five popes. Trent 8 texts, in its own words
324 years pass — no council on this list
1869
The twentieth 1869–1870

The First Vatican Council

Defined that the pope teaches infallibly when he speaks ex cathedra, and that God can be known with certainty by reason. Rome, the Vatican 2 texts, in its own words
1962
The twenty-first ecumenical council 1962–1965

The Second Vatican Council

The most recent ecumenical council. Its documents are in copyright, so this library links to them rather than hosting them. Rome, the Vatican Its documents are in copyright — linked, not hosted

Other turning points

The colloquies, ruptures and definitions the timelines also mark — the moments a question stopped being open, or stopped being shared.

“For it hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, to lay no further burden upon you than these necessary things.”
Acts 15:28 · Douay-Rheims — the Council of Jerusalem, on itself PD