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The Seven Ecumenical Synods
















The Symbol of Faith (Second Ecumenical Synod, Constantinople 381)

The Council of Ancyra – A.D. 314 ||| The Council of Neocaesarea – A.D. 315

The First Ecumenical Council – A.D. 325

The Council of Gangra – A.D. 325/381 ||| The Synod of Antioch in Encaeniis – A.D. 341 ||| The Synod of Laodicea – A.D. 343/381

The Second Ecumenical Council – A.D. 381

Council of Constantinople – A.D. 382

The Third Ecumenical Council – A.D. 431

The Fourth Ecumenical Council – A.D. 451

The Fifth Ecumenical Council – A.D. 553

The Sixth Ecumenical Council – A.D. 680-681 / The Quinisext Ecumenical Council – A.D. 692

The Council of Sardica – A.D. 343/344 ||| Canons of Carthage – A.D. 419 ||| Council of Constantinople – A.D. 394 ||| Council of Carthage held under Cyprian – A.D. 257

The Seventh Ecumenical Council – A.D. 787

Apostolical Canons / Approved Canons of the Fathers


The Symbol of Faith as Defined by the Second Ecumenical Council; Bilingual – Greek / English – text, translated by Elpenor.

Ecumenical Synods : a brief description

The Seven Ecumenical Synods : An introduction

Testimonia neglected by the Seventh Ecumenical Council

Byzantine History Resources

Constantinople Home Page

Migne Patrologia Graeca

1 Comment

  1. Vasili

    There were 9 Ecumenical Synods. This notion of only 7 is the result of Jesuit propaganda during the Turkish years. The Papists do not want the Orthodox to commemorate the 8th and 9th Synods because they explicitly anathematize Papist beliefs. The 8th Synod (879) condemned the “filioque” and the 9th Synod (1351) condemned the theology of Thomas Aquinas and upheld the theology of St. Gregory Palamas.

    The Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs (1848) which was signed by all four patriarchs (Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem) as well as their Holy Synods explicitly refers to the Council of 879 as the “Eighth Ecumenical Synod”.