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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