File:Cesare_Nebbia_–_Fourth_Council_of_Constantinople.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Fourth Council of Constantinople (Roman Catholic)
Also known as Constantinople IV, Fourth Council of Constantinople
8th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church; held in Constantinople 869 to 870
Key facts
- Date
- 869–870
- Accepted by
- Catholic Church
- Previous council
- Second Council of Nicaea
- Next council
- First Council of the Lateran
- Convoked by
- Emperor Basil I and Pope Adrian II
- President
- Papal legates
- Attendance
- 20–25 bishops (first session), 102 bishops (last session)
- Topics
- Photius 's patriarchate
- Documents and statements
- Deposition of Photius, 27 canons
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
Show 2 more facts
- point in time
~9 min read
Article
The Fourth Council of Constantinople was the eighth ecumenical council of the Catholic Church held in Constantinople from 5 October 869, to 28 February 870. It was poorly attended, the first session by only 12 bishops and the number of bishops later never exceeded 103. In contrast, the pro-Photian council of 879–80 was attended by 383 bishops. The Council met in ten sessions from October 869 to February 870 and issued 27 canons.
The council was called by Emperor Basil I the Macedonian, with the support of Pope Hadrian II. It deposed and anathematized Photius, a layman who had been appointed as Patriarch of Constantinople, and reinstated his predecessor Ignatius.