The Council of Constantinople of 867 was a major Church Council, convened by

Emperor Michael III Michael III ( grc-gre, Μιχαήλ; 9 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 Phr ...

of Byzantium and Patriarch Photios I of Constantinople in order to address several ecclesiastical issues, including the question of Papal supremacy in the Church, and the use of

Filioque ( ; ) is a Latin term ("and from the Son") added to the original Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed (commonly known as the Nicene Creed), and which has been the subject of great controversy between Eastern and Western Christianity. It is a term ...

clause in the Creed.

Context

Photios coin, eastern Roman empire, 9th century

At least five councils (in 859,

861 __NOTOC__ Year 861 ( DCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * March – Robert the Strong is appointed margrave of Neustria by King Ch ...

, 867, 869-870, and 879-880) were held in Constantinople over the deposition of

Patriarch Ignatius of Constantinople St. Ignatius or Ignatios ( el, Ιγνάτιος), (c. 798 – 23 October 877) was a Patriarch of Constantinople from July 4, 847, to October 23, 858, and from November 23, 867, to his death on October 23, 877. In the Catholic Church and Eas ...

by Emperor Michael III 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 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 properties to Emperor Constantine ...

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 had attempted to remove Photios and reappoint Ignatius as the Patriarch of Constantinople 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 end or at least regulate the communion of a member of a congregation with other members of the religious institution who are in normal communion with each other. The purpose ...

Pope Nicholas I and declared him

anathema Anathema, in common usage, is something or someone detested or shunned. In its other main usage, it is a formal excommunication. The latter meaning, its ecclesiastical sense, is based on New Testament usage. In the Old Testament, anathema was a cr ...

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

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedo ...

, and the

Filioque clause ( ; ) is a Latin term ("and from the Son") added to the original Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed (commonly known as the Nicene Creed), and which has been the subject of great controversy between Eastern and Western Christianity. It is a ter ...

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

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 churches.

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