Timeline of Orthodox History

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Timeline of Orthodox History
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Time Period 369 AD - 493 AD

369 AD
Council of Rome, presided over by Pope Damasus, signs a tome confirming Nicea, condemning Arianism and calling the Easterners towards healing the schism

378-9 AD
Council of Antioch, presided over by St. Meletius, and attended by 150 bishops, recognizes the tome of the Westerners in regards to healing the Antiochian schism

381 AD
Council of Constantinople (Second Ecumenical), convened by Roman Emperor Theodosius the Great, presided over at first by St. Meletius of Antioch, and, following his repose, by Saint Gregory the Theologian, Patriarch of New Rome,
and attended by 150 bishops of both east and west

It condemns the following factions
the Arians -- also known as Eunomians or Eudoxians, who believe Christ is created, and of a completely different essence to the Father
Semi-Arians -- who believe Christ is of a similar, yet different, essence to the Father
Macedonians -- or Pneumatomachi, who believe the Holy Spirit is a mere creature
Apollinarians --who believe Christ has a human body and soul, but not a human rational mind
Sabellians -- who believe the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one and the same person
Marcellians -- who believe the Son and Holy Spirit are not eternal persons, but are transitions of the Father that would again unite into one person with the Father at the end of time
Photinians -- who believe Christ is a mere man), Millenarians (who believe in the literal thousand-year reign), and
Quartodecimans -- who celebrate Pascha on Nisan 14). This council reaffirms that Christians must stand while praying on Sundays and the days from Pascha to Pentecost
It recognizes Old Rome, Constantinople (New Rome), Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem as the five spiritual centers (Patriarchates) of the Christian Empire. This council also attempts to resolve the Antiochian schism since St. Meletius had reposed. St. Flavian is elected and enthroned as his successor. However, he is later rejected by the bishops of the West, Egypt, Arabia, Africa and Cyprus, who recognize Paulinus, and later his successor, Evagrius, as Bishop of Antioch

382 AD
Council of Rome, presided over by Pope Damasus, attended by Jerome, Epiphanius of Salamis, Paulinus of Antioch and others, attempts but fails to heal the Antiochian Schism

394 AD
Council of Constantinople, local council, presided over by St. Nectarius of Constantinople (New Rome), and attended by 20 bishops all together, establishes regulations for church discipline, especially in regards to ordinations and depositions

395 AD
Roman Emperor Theodosius I divides the Roman Empire into East and West to be governed by his twin sons, the Roman Emperors Arcadius and Honorius, respectively

400 AD
Council of Toledo, condemns Gnosticism/Manichaeanism, which follows dualistic ideas, of good and evil, light and darkness, spirit and flesh

410 AD
Council of Seleucia, at which the Assyrian Church declares itself independent of St. Flavian of Antioch, thus forming the autocephalous archdiocese of Seleucia-Ctisephon

410 AD
Vandals sack Old Rome, marking beginning of barbarian invasion of Empire's West

415 AD
Council of Antioch, presided over by St. Flavian, and attended by Evagrius and the Eustathian faction, finally brings a successful, permanent end to the Antiochian schism

419-24 AD
Council of Carthage, local council, presided over by Pope Aurelius of Carthage, and attended by 217 bishops all together. It condemns the Pelagians (who deny original sin and grace) and Donatism (who reject the ordination of those who had lapsed during the persecution), denies the jurisdiction of the Pope of Rome in the African Church, enumerates canon of Holy Scriptures (Old and New Testaments), and prohibits the rebaptism or re-ordination of those baptized or ordained by Donatists

431 AD
Council of Ephesus (Third Ecumenical), convened by Emperor Theodosius II, presided over by Pope St. Cyril of Alexandria, and attended by more than 200 fathers. It condemns Nestorianism (the belief that the person of Christ consists of two hypostases, a human and a divine, and that the Theotokos is therefore to be called Christotokos, as if Christ is not God). It also confirms the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, and declares any additions or subtractions to it are henceforth forbidden. It is also declared that bishops are not to interfere in the vicinities and dioceses of other bishops

441 AD
Council of Orange, local council, presided over by St. Hilary of Arles, and attended by 17 bishops all together, formulates canons concerning Church order and discipline

448 AD
Council of Constantinople, local council, presided over by Patriarch St. Flavian of Constantinople (New Rome), condemns Eutychianism (the belief that the person of Christ consists of one hypostases but also only one nature

449 AD
Council of Ephesus (Robber Synod), convened by Emperor Theodosius II, presided over by Pope Dioscorus of Alexandria, and attended by 127 bishops. It falsely styles itself the so-called "Fourth Ecumenical Council." It exonerates Eutyches who had been deposed by the local Council of Constantinople a year earler, condemns Eutyches' accuser, St. Flavian of Constantinople, and also Domnus of Antioch, Eusebius of Dorylaeum, Ibas of Edessa and others, on the charge of supposed Nestorianism

450 AD
Council of Nicea, local council, presided over by Dioscorus of Alexandria and attended by 11 bishops, excommunicates Pope St. Leo of Rome on the charge of Nestorianism

451 AD
Council of Chalcedon (Fourth Ecumenical), convened by Emperor Marcian and his wife Empress Pulcheria, presided over by Eusebius of Dorylaeum, and attended by 630 bishops all together. It condemns Eutychianism as well as the Monophysitism of Dioscorus (the belief that the two natures of Christ had become one nature after the Incarnation), exonerates those who had been unlawfully deposed by the Robber Council, rejects the acts of that
council, except those found to be Orthodox and canonical

453 AD
Barbarians under Attila the Hun invade Italy

457 AD
Following the murder of Proterius, the Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria, the Monophysite faction within Egypt uncanonically elects Timothy Aelurus in his place. This is followed by a struggle between the Orthodox and Monophysites for the patriarchal throne. Similar rivalry also arises at the Patriarchates of Antioch and Jerusalem

476 AD
Western Roman Emperor Romulus Augustulus, residing in Ravenna, is deposed by Odoacer, the commander of the Western army. Eastern Roman Emperor Zeno proposes Odoacer to be the new Western Emperor, but Odoacer declines the offer, returning the Imperial Regalia to Constantinople. Upon receiving the Western Regalia, the Roman Empire is reunited, and Zeno becomes sole Roman Emperor of both East and West

482 AD
Council of Constantinople, convened by Emperor Zeno, presided over by Patriarch Acacius, and attended by several Orthodox and Monophysite bishops. It formulates an henoticon (union) which compromises both the Orthodox and Monophysite positions in order to form a swift union between the two opposing camps. At this time the sees of Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem are occupied by the Monophysites Peter Mongus, Peter the Fuller and Theodosius respectively, and they accept the henoticon with the Orthodox Patriarch Acacius of Constantinople. The Monophysites who reject the henoticon sever communion with their patriarchs and become known as Acephali. The Orthodox who rejected the henoticon, particularly the Pope of Rome, sever communion with Acacius and the patriarchates of the Eastern Empire. This schism lasts until 519 when the Easterners reject the henoticon and return into communion with Rome

484 AD
Council of Seleucia, presided over by Acacius, and attended by 12 bishops. It rejects the Council of Ephesus, the Robber Council, as well as the Council of Chalcedon. It also establishes canons regarding marriage after ordination to the deaconate, and celibacy for priests. It is at this point that the Assyrian (Nestorian) Church of the East falls into schism

491 AD
Council of Varlasapat, at which the Armenians within the Persian Empire condemn the Council of Chalcedon. However, communion with the Orthodox is later restored

493 AD
Ostrogoths sack Ravenna, the last of the most important
Roman cities in the West

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Timeline of Orthodox History
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Time Period 518 AD - 692 AD

518 AD
Council of Constantinople, at which Severus of Antioch is deposed for Monophysitism. He rejects his deposition and his followers divide into several groups. The Monophysite patriarch of Alexandria is also deposed, and his failure to recognize his deposition leads the Copts into schism from the Church

519 AD
Council of Constantinople, at which union is restored with the Church of Rome

527 AD
Council of Dovin, convened and presided over by Catholicos Nerses II of Armenia, embrace Monophysitism and causes the Armenian church to again fall into schism

529 AD
Council of Orange, local council, presided over by Caesarius of Arles, and attended by 14 bishops, condemns Semi-Pelagians -- who deny the necessity of grace in salvation

532-7 AD
Roman Emperor Justinian I begins and completes the construction of the Great Temple of Holy Wisdom (Haghia Sophia) on the ruins of a previous temple. The new temple becomes the very center of Roman Orthodox Christianity for centuries to come

541 AD
Council in Antioch, convened and presided over by Jacob Bardaeus, officially accepts Monophysitism and forms the Jacobite Syrian Church, in schism from Roman Orthodoxy

553 AD
Council of Constantinople (Fifth Ecumenical), convened by Roman Emperor Justinian I, presided over by Menas of Constantinople, and attended by 165 bishops. It is convened firstly in order to condemn Origenism (belief in the preexistence of souls, reincarnation, that hell is only temporary, that demons will be saved, that there will not be a bodily resurrection, that various inanimate objects contain souls), and secondly in order to condemn the writings of Theodore of Mopsuestia, Theodoret of Cyrus and Ibas of Edessa, on the charge of Nestorianism. These latter condemnations are hurled mainly to please the Monophysites, making union more possible. Thereby it appears that the council is siding with the Monophysites. Pope Vigilius of Rome disagrees at first but is later convinced to sign the edict. This, however, causes schisms in the West

553 AD
Council of Carthage condemns the edict that attempts to please the Monophysites and deposes Pope Vigilius of Rome for signing the edict

553 AD
Council of Aquileia, presided over by Macedonius, condemns Pope Vigilius for signing the edict, and declares Macedonius to be independent Patriarch of Aquileia

559 AD
Council of Toledo, convened by the Gothic King Richard, in order to combat Arianism which is widespread among the Gothic barbarians who had invaded from the north. In its attempt to dispel Arianism, this council adds the clause filioque ("and the Son") to the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed in regards to the procession of the Holy Spirit. This addition is contrary to the Second Ecumenical Council which had forbidden any additions

626 AD
Avars lay siege to Constantinople, but Roman defense is successful. Akathist Hymn is composed in honor of the Holy Theotokos to thank her for her intercession during the war

631 AD
Cyrus, formerly bishop of the Lazi, is appointed Patriarch of Alexandria, and through his Monothelite teachings (his belief that Christ possesses only one, divine will, energy and operation), manages to draw the great majority of Coptic Monophysites back into the fold of the official Church. The Copts thus abandon Monophysitism, but at the expense of the official Church's Orthodoxy. The compromise on the part of both camps is welcomed by the Emperor and soon the Monothelite heresy spreads throughout the entire Empire

632 AD
Adopting Christian, Arian, Gnostic, Jewish and Pagan elements, Mohammed of Arabia establishes a new heretical form of Christianity (Mohammedanism), which is declared a new religion under the banner of Islam (meaning "submission"). Its followers are called Muslims. Islam begins to spread rapidly throughout the Middle East and North Africa

638 AD
Council of Constantinople, local council, presided over by the Monothelite Patriarch Sergius, composes an exposition based on a heretical letter by Pope Honorius of Rome, and sends this to all the Patriarchates declaring it to be the official teaching of the Church. The Patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem duly accept it, being occupied by Monothelites. Rome, after the death of the heretical Pope Honorius, returns to Orthodoxy

643 AD
Council of Cyprus, local council, presided over by Archbishop Sergius, condemns Monothelitism as expressed in the heretical exposition of Constantinople

646 AD
Council of Carthage, presided over by Pope Victor, also condemns the exposition

648 AD
Council of Dovin, convened and presided over by Catholicos Nerses III of Armenia, accepts the Council of Chalcedon and enters again into communion with the Roman Orthodox Church, based however on the Monothelite compromise

649 AD
Council of Rome, local Lateran council, presided over by Pope St. Martin, and attended by 105 bishops, and St. Maximus the Confessor, condemns the Monothelite exposition, and the heretical Popes, Patriarchs and Bishops that adhered to and promoted it

664 AD
Council of Whitby, convened by King Oswy of Northumbria, presided over by Bishop Agilbert of the West Saxons, and attended by hierarchs of both the Celtic and Roman Churches of Britain. It condemns the Celtic calculation of Pascha (first Sunday between Nisan 14 and 20) in favor of the Roman (Alexandrian) rule (first Sunday between Nisan 15 and 21), and replaces other Celtic practices with those used by the Christians of the Roman Empire. The Celtic Church of Britain submits to the Roman Orthodox Church

680 AD
681 AD
Council of Constantinople (Sixth Ecumenical), convened by Emperor Constantine Pogonatus, presided over by St. George of Constantinople, and attended by 170 fathers. It condemns Monothelitism and anathematizes the Monothelite Patriarchs Cyrus of Alexandria, Sergius, Pyrrhus, Paul and Peter of Constantinople, Pope Honorius of Rome, and Bishop Theodore of Pharan. They are then replaced with Orthodox successors

682 AD
Council of Alexandria, at which the Copts who had compromised to Monothelitism during the times of controversy, reject the decisions of the Sixth Ecumenical Council, and return into schism, not as Monophysites as earlier, but this time as Monothelites

686 AD
Council of Antioch, at which several deposed Monothelite bishops attended, rejected the decisions of the Sixth Ecumenical Council, and elected John Maro as a rival Patriarch of Antioch, thus forming the Monothelite Maronite -- schism from the Orthodox Church

692 AD
Council of Trullo in Constantinople (Quintisextine - Fifth-and-Sixth Council), convened by Roman Emperor Justinian II Rhinotmetus, presided over by Paul of Constantinople, and attended by 327 bishops, establishes canons regarding church order and discipline, canons which the Fifth and Sixth Ecumenical Councils had been unable to establish

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