Council of Ephesus III (AD 431)
Key Facts:
| Date | 431 |
| Location | Ephesus |
| Number of Participants | 150-160; 200 |
| Summoned by | Emperor Theodosius II |
| Chaired by | John of Antioch (East); Cyril of Alexandria (West) |
| Key Participants | Cyril of Alexandria; Memnon of Epehesus; Juvenal of Jerusalem; Candidianus |
| Purpose | To resolve the Nestorian rejection of theotokos and reunite him with Cyril of Alexandria and Celestine of Rome |
| Key Events | General mass confusion: In the West’s early session, Cyril’s texts were approved and Nestorius was deposed; In the East’s late session, Cyril was accused of Apollinarianism and Arianism, and Cyril and Memnon were deposed; When the council reconvened under the leadership of Cyril, Cyril’s accusers were deposed, including John of Antioch and an additional 34 Eastern bishops, and the primacy of the Nicene Creed was declared while subsequent creeds were rejected; An imperial decree ordered that Nestorius, Cyril and Memnon be condemned and deposed, all other decisions were to be rejected and the council was dissolved; Nestorius withdrew to monasticism; Cyril returned unlawfully to Alexandria but was welcomed as a hero. |
| Primary Source Descriptions | Socrates, HE, 7.34 |
Bibliography
Simonetti, M. “Ephesus,” in The Encyclopedia of the Early Church (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992)
Created by PSAM
Last updated: 2-7-2012
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