Orthodox Forge

The Councils

The Council of Chalcedon

451 · Chalcedon

Not received by the Coptic Orthodox ChurchNot received by the Coptic Orthodox Church
Convened by
Emperor Marcian
Who came
the largest council of the age

What it answered

It met over Eutyches, and deposed Pope Dioscorus of Alexandria

Where we stand

The Coptic Orthodox Church does not receive it. What follows is Fr. Malaty's own account of why, in his words rather than ours.

In the Church’s own words

  • The Church of Alexandria considered as central the Christological mia physis formula of St. Cyril: "one nature of God the Word the Incarnate."

    Read where this is said

  • Both sides also agree in rejecting the teaching which confuses the human nature in Christ with the divine nature so that the former is absorbed in the latter and thus ceases to exist

    Read where this is said

  • Consequently, we reject both the Nestorian and the Eutychian heresies

    Read where this is said

Who was there

  • St. Dioscorusdeposedsaint

    25th of Alexandria: 444

    Pope Dioscorus has also been branded by pro- Chalcedonians for the death of the patriarch Flavian

  • St. Timothy Aeluruswrote againstsaint

    26th Of Alexandria 457-477

    against the Synod of Chalcedon

  • Theodoret of Cyrusacquittedcondemned

    acquitted at the Council of Chalcedon 451

  • Basil of Seleuciaturnedwriter

    d. ca. 468

    He first voted against the Alexandrians at the Synod of Constantinople in 448, at the Synod of Ephesus in 449 he declared in favor of Eutyches