Council of Ephesus
431 AD
📂 CHURCH
📖 About This Event
The Council of Ephesus (431 AD), the third Ecumenical Council, was convened by Pope Celestine I and Emperor Theodosius II to address the heresy of Nestorius, the Patriarch of Constantinople. Nestorius denied that Mary could properly be called Theotokos (God-bearer), arguing instead for the title Christotokos (Christ-bearer), because he taught that the divine and human natures of Christ were so distinct that they amounted to two persons. St. Cyril of Alexandria led the defense of the orthodox position: Jesus Christ is one person (one hypostasis) in two natures, divine and human, united without confusion, change, division, or separation.
The council affirmed that Mary is rightly called Theotokos, because the person she bore in her womb was truly God—the Second Person of the Trinity incarnate. To separate Christ's divinity from his humanity is to divide the person of Christ and undermine the reality of the Incarnation. The council also condemned the teachings of Nestorius and deposed him from his see.
The Catholic Church celebrates the title Theotokos as a cornerstone of Christology. If Mary is not the Mother of God, then Jesus is not truly God, and salvation is impossible. Key Scripture: Luke 1:43; John 1:14; Galatians 4:4; CCC 495-496, 563, 568-570
📜 Key Facts
Date
431 AD
Category
Church
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