February 2 - One Last Council

February 2 – One Last Council

Now, one more man – Leo, the patriarch of Rome, actually didn’t make it to the council. He sent a summary of his teaching (Pope Leo’s Tome). The messenger who brought this? Well, he was killed by people from Cyril’s group.

In 451 – a new emperor convened a council in Chalcedon. 500 Bishops met. The combined the Nicene Creed, Cyril’s writings and Leo’s Tome. The Calcedonian Definition is a statement of faith that came from this.

Christ is “acknowledged in two natures, without confusion, without change, without divison, without separation … the characteristic property of each nature being preserved, and coming together to form one person.”

This was the last council that the churches in which the East and the West would join together officially. This was the last time that all regions came together and agreed on most issues.

The Coptic and Syrian Orthodox Churches today are those that divided from the Roman church because of their continued belief in the “One Nature” of Jesus.

Pope Leo had plenty to deal with after this council. In 452, everyone hit the panic button when Attila the Hun came for Rome. Leo was the only one who had the courage to deal with the invasion. He met Attila on the road to Rome and persuaded him to retreat. However, in 455, even he couldn’t convince the “Vandals” to leave. But, he stopped them from raping and killing. In 476, a barbarian took out the last Western emperor. Only the Eastern Empire still stood.