Council of Constantinople of 879–880

Council · 879–880 CE · Constantinople

With papal legates present, the council confirmed Photios, who had already returned to the patriarchal throne in 877; annulled the condemnations issued in 863 and 869–870; affirmed the Creed without the Filioque; and recognized Nicaea II as the Seventh Ecumenical Council.

Historical context

Later Orthodox and Catholic assessments of this council differ. It should therefore not be called simply the eighth ecumenical council without identifying the tradition and reception claim being described.

Key points

Photios returned to office in 877; the council confirmed rather than initiated that restoration.
Papal legates attended the gathering.
The council addressed earlier condemnations, the unchanged Creed, and the ecumenical standing of Nicaea II.

Scripture

Acts 15:28 — The apostolic assembly's conciliar formula is invoked in official Orthodox explanations of the Church's councils.

Primary sources

As a later reception witness, the 2016 Encyclical calls it:

The 2016 Holy and Great Council names the gathering of 879–880 as a Great Council in its account of later Orthodox conciliar reception.

the Great Council (879-880) convened at the time of St. Photios the Great, Patriarch of Constantinople
— Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church, Encyclical of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church (Section I.3), trans. Official English text

Passage context and translation

The 2016 council surveys conciliar continuity after the ecumenical councils and names the gathering of 879–880 as an example of later Orthodox conciliar authority.

Before the excerpt

The Conciliar work continues uninterrupted in history through the later councils of universal authority, such as, for example,

After the excerpt

and also the Great Councils convened at the time of St. Gregory Palamas (1341, 1351, 1368)

Wording and punctuation follow the council's official English text; the date style in the excerpt is retained.

Sources and further reading

Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church — Encyclical of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church (Quote Source)
The 2016 council surveys conciliar continuity after the ecumenical councils and names the gathering of 879–880 as an example of later Orthodox conciliar authority.
OCA: Saint Photios and the councils of 869–870 and 879–880 (Orthodox historical overview)

Related records

Council of Constantinople (879–880) (Timeline Event)
Photios and East–West disputes (Timeline Event)
Constantinople council of 869–870 (Council)
Filioque sung in Rome's Creed (Timeline Event)

All records