COMMEMORATION OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

May 29

From the Prologue

The commemoration and praise of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council is held on the Sunday before Pentecost or on the Seventh Sunday after Easter. This Council was held in Nicaea in the year 325 A.D. during the reign of the saintly Emperor Constantine the Great. This Council was convened to eliminate the confusion which Arius, a priest of Alexandria, had created by his false teaching. Namely, he spread the teaching that Christ was created in time by God and that He is not the pre-eternal Son of God, equal in being [essence] with God the Father. Three hundred and eighteen Holy Fathers participated in this Council. The Council condemned the teaching of Arius and Arius, since he refused to repent, was anathematized. The Council finally confirmed the Symbol of Faith [The Creed], which was later augmented at the Second Ecumenical Council [381 A.D.]. Many distinguished saints were present at the First Ecumenical Council among whom the most notable were: St. Nicholas of Myra in Lycia, St. Spyridon, St. Athanasius, St. Acillus, St. Paphnutius, St. James of Nisibis, Macarius of Jerusalem, Alexander of Alexandria, Eustathius of Antioch, Eusebius of Caesarea, Metrophanes of Constantinople, John of Persia, Aristarchus of Armenia and many others from the East. From the West, the following were present: Hosius of Cordova, Theophilus the Goth, Cecilianus of Carthage and others. The most important work of this Council was the confirmation of the Symbol of Faith [The Creed]. The Council also established the time of the celebration of the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ [Pascha] and issued twenty various canons.




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St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, McKinney, Texas