Council of Nicaea (AD 325)
Key Facts:
Date | 20 May-25 July 325 |
Location | Nicaea |
Number of Participants | 250-300 |
Summoned by | Constantine |
Chaired by | Ossius of Cordova |
Key Participants | Ossius of Cordova, Eusebius of Caesarea, Eusebius of Nicomedia, Alexander of Alexandria, Arius |
Key Issues | Arianism, Meletians, and the date of Easter |
Key Events | The following were excommunicated: Arius, Secundus of Ptolemais and Theonas of Marmarica |
Ancient Descriptions | Socrates, HE 1.8-13; Sozomen, HE 1.17-24; Theodoret, HE 1.7.1-9, 18; Anonymous, HE 2.5-11, 25-35; Eusebius LoC 3.4-24; Rufinus, HE 10.3ff; Jerome Dial. con. Luciferanus 20(18), 183; Philostorgius, HE 1.7-10; Athanasius, de Decretis, de Synodis, ad Afros. |
Surviving Documents:
Constantine’s Summons to the Council
Eusebius’ Letter to his Congregation
Canons (Greek and Latin/English)
The Council’s Letter to the Church in Egypt
Constantine’s Letter to the Church of Alexandria
Constantine’s Letter concerning the Date of Easter
Bibliography
Hanson, R.P.C. The Search for the Christian Doctrine of God (New York: T&T Clark, 1988) pp. 152-163.
Kannengiesser, C. “Nicaea” in The Encyclopedia of the Early Church (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992).
Created by JCB and PSAM
Last updated: 3-21-2023
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