The Seven Ecumenical Councils

The First Ecumenical Council: The First Council of Nice. ## Title Page. The First Ecumenical Council. The First Council of Nice. a.d. 325. Emperor .— Constantine. Pope .— Silvester. Elenchus. Historical Introduction.

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) The feeling that one devoted to the sacred ministry should be unmutilated was strong in the Ancient Church.…This canon of Nice, and those in the Apostolic Canons and a later one in the Second Council of Arles (canon…

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It does not change the essential meaning of the passage; for it may be well understood that the bishop who has passed the sentence of excommunication has also the right to mitigate it.

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445), and was regarded in all respects as the second prelate in the assembly. The arrogant assertion of his supremacy over the bishop of Antioch, and his claim to take rank next after Rome as an apostolical see,…

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The usual position of the hearers was just inside the church door. But Zonaras (and Balsamon agrees with him), in his comment on this canon, says, “they are ordered for three years to be hearers, or to stand without the…

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ix. ### Excursus on the Communion of the Sick. Excursus on the Communion of the Sick. There is nothing upon which the ancient church more strenuously insisted than the oral reception of the Holy Communion.

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Forasmuch as many enrolled among the Clergy, following covetousness and lust of gain, have forgotten the divine Scripture, which says, “He hath not given his money upon usury,” and in lending money ask the hundredth of…

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And if, after she has had hands laid on her, and has continued for a time to minister, she shall despise the Grace of God and give herself in marriage, she shall be anathematized and the man who is united to her.” The…

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Clerics are forbidden from suretyship or witness-giving in criminal causes. Canon XXVII. Of avoiding the excommunicate, and of not receiving the oblation from them; and of the excommunication of him who does not avoid…

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This argument ex silentio is evidently insufficient to prove that the anecdote about Paphnutius must be rejected as false, seeing that it is in perfect harmony with the practice of the ancient Church, and especially of…

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The Canons of the Councils of Ancyra, Gangra, Neocæsarea, Antioch and Laodicea, which Canons were Accepted and Received by the Ecumenical Synods. ## Title Page.

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This canon shews how in the Church it was a received principle that greater penances ought to be imposed for the frequent commission of the same crime, and consequently it was then believed that the number of times the…

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The simplest explanation of this canon is “that the man or woman who has violated the marriage bond shall undergo a seven years’ penance”; but many reject this explanation, because the text says αὐτὸν τύχειν and…

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Therefore if he who before his ordination had committed a sin of the flesh with a woman, confess it after ordination, when he is already a priest, he cannot perform the priestly office, he can neither offer nor…

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We further see that, at the time of the Synod of Gangra, the rule of the Apostolic Synod with regard to blood and things strangled was still in force.

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In the Catholic Church also, when women and girls enter the cloister, they have their hair cut off, but from quite other reasons than those of the Eustathian women.

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If any cleric leaves his own parish and goes off to another, travelling here and there, and stays for a long time in that other, let him not offer the sacrifice ( λειτουργείτω ), especially if he do not return when…

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144, “Concerning the difference of opinion which happens in the judgment of bishops, or when a bishop is cut off by all the bishops of his province.” From these canons it is manifest that at first the causes of bishops…

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Hefele concludes that “Under such circumstances, it is best, with Remi Ceillier, Tillemont, and others, to place the meeting of the synod of Laodicea generally somewhere between the years 343 and 381, i.e., between the…

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The Synod of Laodicea, however, did away with this arrangement, probably because they had misused their office for purposes of pride, or money-making, bribery, etc.

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In the Apostolic Constitutions a distinction must be drawn between Book II. and Book VIII. The first is very sketchy; it only contains a description of the rites without the words used, the other gives at length all the…

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Germanus of Paris (as we have seen) speaks of the episcopal pallium after having described the chasuble, which makes one believe that it was worn on top.

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This canon is found in the Corpus Juris Canonici , Gratian’s Decretum , Pars II., Causa II., Quæst. I., Can. lxvj. #### Canon XXXIII. Canon XXXIII. No one shall join in prayers with heretics or schismatics. Notes.

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Van Espen remarks how in old calendars there are but few Saints-days in those months in which Lent ordinarily falls, and that the multitude of days now kept by the Roman ordo are mostly of modern introduction.

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The Second Ecumenical Council: The First Council of Constantinople. ## Title Page. 161 The Second Ecumenical Council. The First Council of Constantinople. a.d. 381. Emperor .— Theodosius. [1] Pope .— Damasus. Elenchus.

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of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; nor do they deny that the very procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son, the Son derives from the Father; nor do they teach two principles or two spirations; but they assert that there…

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Hence he could speak of a crucifixion of the Logos, and a worship of his flesh. He made Christ a middle being between God and man, in whom, as it were, one part divine and two parts human were fused in the unity of a…

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Let Maximus the Cynic be cast out from among the bishops, and anyone who was inscribed by him on the clergy list shall be held as profane. Edmund Venables. (Smith and Wace, Dict. Christ.

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It is cited also by Photius in Nomocanon , Tit. xii. ch. xiv., besides it is extant in a contracted form in the Epitome of Alexius Aristenus.

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The Third Ecumenical Council: The Council of Ephesus. ## Title Page. 191 The Third Ecumenical Council. The Council of Ephesus. a.d. 431. Emperors .— Theodosius II. and Valentinian III. Pope .— Celestine I. Elenchus.

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The holy and great Synod therefore says, that the only begotten Son, born according to nature of God the Father, very God of very God, Light of Light, by whom the Father made all things, came down, and was incarnate,…

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But we do not call the Word of God the Father, the God nor the Lord of Christ, lest we openly cut in two the one Christ, the Son and Lord, and fall under the charge of blasphemy, making him the God and Lord of himself.

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7) that “the Son of God could not suffer except on our behalf…and on our behalf he has brought the vessel of his Spirit as a sacrifice.” Similarly Irenæus (iii., 16, 6) says, “The Only-begotten impassible Word (…

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If anyone says that the form of a servant is of like nature with the Holy Ghost, and not rather that it owes its union with the Word which has existed since the conception, to his mediation, by which it works miraculous…

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For we are expected to walk according to the Apostle. For now not our appearance ( species ) but our faith is called in question. Spiritual weapons are those we must take, because the war is one of minds, and the…

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But the holy Synod, which was now assembled , would decide what was proper with respect to them. And this synod, of which John speaks in such grandiloquent terms, numbered only forty-three members, including himself,…

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For they renewed the prohibition of the Council of Ephesus to “adduce any other faith,” but, in “the faith” which is not to be set aside, they included not only the Creeds of Nice and Constantinople, but the definitions…

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But ignoring the anger of God for such behaviour, and unheeding the ecclesiastical canons, and forgetting that they were hastening to destruction by such a course of action, under the name of an excommunication, they…

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The Fourth Ecumenical Council. The Council of Chalcedon. ## Title Page. 243 The Fourth Ecumenical Council. The Council of Chalcedon. a.d. 451. Emperors .— Marcian and Pulcheria (in the east). Valentinian III.

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The most reverend bishops cried out; This is the orthodox faith; this we all believe: into this we were baptized; into this we baptize: Blessed Cyril so taught: this is the true faith: this is the holy faith: this is…

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For each of the natures retains its proper character without defect; and as the form of God does not take away the form of a servant, so the form of a servant does not impair the form of God.

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in the West]. [ A long debate then followed as to whether the decree drawn up and presented should be accepted. This seems to have been the mind of most of the bishops.

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715.) The most glorious judges said [after the reading of the imperial letters was finished]: These divine letters say nothing whatever with regard to the episcopate, but both refer to honour belonging to metropolitan…

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We have decreed that those who have once been enrolled among the clergy, or have been made monks, shall accept neither a military charge nor any secular dignity; and if they shall presume to do so and not repent in such…

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But in the case of Eustathius of Berytus, which was clearly in the Council’s mind, the Phœnician province had not been divided; it was in reliance on a mere title bestowed upon his city, and also on an alleged synodical…

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This canon is found in the Corpus Juris Canonici , Gratian’s Decretum , Pars I., Dist. lxxi, c. iv. ### Canon XXI. Canon XXI. Clergymen and laymen bringing charges against bishops or clergymen are not to be received…

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But what is more to the point is that the Papal legates most probably had already at this very council recognized the right of Constantinople to rank immediately after Rome.

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Eusebius, the bishop of Ancyra, said: I am about to speak but for myself alone. [ His speech is a personal explanation of his own action with regard to consecrating a bishop for Gangra .] The most glorious judges said:…

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The Fifth Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Constantinople. ## Title Page. The Fifth Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Constantinople. a.d. 553. Emperor .— Justinian I. Pope .— Vigilius. Elenchus.

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But if your holiness has drawn up a document for the Emperor, you have errand-runners, as we have said; send it by them.” And when he had heard these things from us, he sent Servus Dei the Subdeacon, who now awaits the…

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And it was shewn in the acts that in former times Ibas had been accused because of the very impiety which is contained in this letter; at first by Proclus, of holy memory, the bishop of Constantinople, and afterwards by…

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If anyone therefore shall defend the aforementioned epistle and shall not anathematize it and those who defend it and say that it is right or that a part of it is right, or if anyone shall defend those who have written…

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And he also taught that [only] after his resurrection he became immutable in his thoughts and altogether impeccable. Moreover he said that the union of the Word of God was made with Christ as the Apostle says the union…

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The Sixth Ecumenical Council. The Third Council of Constantinople. ## Title Page. The Sixth Ecumenical Council. The Third Council of Constantinople. a.d. 680–681. Emperor .— Constantine Pogonatus. Pope .— Agatho I.

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This is the living tradition of the Apostles of Christ, which his Church holds everywhere, which is chiefly to be loved and fostered, and is to be preached with confidence, which conciliates with God through its…

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If therefore it is one, that one and the same must be common to the divinity and to the humanity (which is absurd), therefore while the Son of God, who is both God and man, wrought human things on earth, likewise also…

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Moreover we were in hopes of being able to join to our humility our fellow-servant and brother bishop, Theodore, the archbishop and philosopher of the island of Great Britain, with others who have been kept there even…

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Likewise also that old man Polychronius, with an infantile intelligence, who promised he would raise the dead and who when they did not rise, was laughed at; and all who have taught, or do teach, or shall presume 348 to…

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The Canons of the Council in Trullo; Often Called The Quinisext Council. ## Title Page. The Canons of the Council in Trullo; Often Called The Quinisext Council. a.d. 692. Elenchus. Introductory Note.

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Moreover the Canon set forth by Cyprian, Archbishop of the country of the Africans and Martyr, and by the Synod under him, which has been kept only in the country of the aforesaid Bishops, according to the custom…

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To-day [1896] canonists commonly admit that one cannot prove the existence of any formal precept, either divine or apostolic, which imposes the celibate upon the clergy, and that all the texts, whether taken out of Holy…

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Look ye out therefore, brethren, from among you seven men of good report full of the Holy Ghost and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

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For since there are certain who use water in the Mysteries to shew that both when he delivered the mysteries he had given wine and that when he had risen and was setting before them a mere meal without mys 380 teries,…

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Those who are called Eremites and are clothed in black robes, and with long hair go about cities and associate with the worldly both men and women and bring odium upon their profession—we decree that if they will…

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None of those who are in the order of laymen may distribute the Divine Mysteries to himself if a bishop, presbyter, or deacon be present.

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Inordinate vociferation of the psalms is not allowed, nor he that adopts things unsuited to the churches. This question of the character of church-music was one early discussed among Christians, and (long before the…

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And on the first day we make them Christians, on the second Catechumens, then on the third day we exorcise them, at the same time also breathing thrice upon their faces and ears; and thus we initiate them, and we make…

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The Canons of the Synods of Sardica, Carthage, Constantinople, and Carthage Under St. Cyprian, Which Canons Were Received by the Council in Trullo and Ratified by II. Nice. ## Title Page.

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I believe that the last interpretation has only arisen through a mistake, from a comment belonging to the next sentence being inserted in the wrong place.

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Bishop Alypius said: If they have incurred the discomforts of travel for the sake of orphans and widows or any in distress and having cases that are not unjust, they will have some good reason [for their journey]; but…

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Accordingly presbyters and deacons often come to it from other provinces and, not content with staying a short time, remain and make it their permanent place of residence, or are compelled with difficulty and after a…

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An attempt to write a commentary upon all the canons of the African Code, would have meant nothing less than the preparation of one volume or more on the canon law of the West.

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Aurelius the bishop said: When at the past council the matter on continency and chastity was considered, those three grades, which by a sort of bond are joined to chastity by their consecration, to wit bishops,…

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But should he be able to prove any true necessity which manifestly rendered it impossible for him to appear, he shall have the opportunity of arguing his case within 452 another full month; but after the second month he…

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394, and the third that of the same place, held August 28th, a.d. 397. This canon (number xxxiv. of the code) is the beginning of Canon v. of the last named Synod. Johnson. See Canons 51 and 73. #### Canon XXXV.

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The manner of visiting provinces, and that annually; and the persons by whom this visitation was performed, can scarce now be discovered; only it appears, by the words of Aurelius, that the Bishop of Carthage was one,…

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In Latin cognitor is he that is solicitor, or advocate, rather than the judge who takes cognizance. #### Canon LX. 473 Canon LX. (Greek lxiii.) Of heathen feasts.

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(Greek lxxix.) Of bishops who do not put in an appearance at Council. Item , it seemed good that as often as the council is to be assembled, the bishops who are impeded neither by age, sickness, or other grave…

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Aurelius, the bishop, said: There is no doubt that the aforesaid brethren and bishops of Numidia, when they shall have received the acts of the council, will give their consent and will take pains to carry into effect…

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Primate Xantippus, as is commonly believed. He and others have this title frequently given them in the acts of these councils. See can. 8. #### Canon CI. Canon CI. (Greek civ.

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But if the bishop converted from Donatus within three years of its conversion seeks his diocese again, let it be returned to him ( εἰ ἐνάγει, ἐναγέτω .) This is Canon xj. of Carthage, a.d. 418. #### Canon CXX.

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For although we have read very many copies, yet never have we read in the Latin copies that there were any such decrees as are contained in the commonitory before mentioned.

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786 .) When very many bishops were met together at Carthage on the Calends of September from the province of Africa, Numidia and Mauritania, with the presbyters and deacons (the greater part of the people being likewise…

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The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice. ## Title Page. The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice. a.d. 787. Emperors .— Constantine VI. and Irene. Pope .— Hadrian. Elenchus.

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Would Jacob give divine worship to his staff? Or would Gregory, the theologian, give command to worship as God a manger!” [1] ## The Divine Sacra Sent by the Emperors Constantine and Irene to the Most Holy and Most…

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535 Moreover, I am well pleased that there should be images in the churches of the faithful, especially the image of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the holy Mother of God, of every kind of material, both gold and silver…

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For we confess that one of the same holy and consubstantial Trinity, our Lord Jesus Christ the true God, in these last days was incarnate and made man for our salvation, and having saved our race through his saving…

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753), summoned the bishops of his Empire to a great synod in the palace Hieria, which lay opposite to Constantinople on the Asiatic side of the Bosphorus, between Chrysopolis and Chalcedon, a little to the north of the…

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Moreover, in the invocation of saints, the veneration of relics, and the sacred use of images, every superstition shall be removed, all filthy lucre be abolished, finally, all lasciviousness be avoided; in such wise…

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For Peter the supreme head ( ἡ κερυφαία ἀκρότης ) of the Apostles commands, “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre but of a ready…

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During the calamity which was brought to pass in the Churches, because of our sins, some of the sacred houses, for example, bishops’ palaces and monasteries, were seized by certain men and became public inns.

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With regard to those whose life is free from care and apart from men, that is, those who have resolved before the Lord God to carry the solitary yoke, they should sit down alone and in silence.

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He says, “No one will deny that with rarest exceptions, all the religious earnestness, all which constituted the quickening power of a church, was ranged upon the other [i.e. the orthodox] side.

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Athanasius said with regard to the Semi-Arians, who even after I. Nice refused to use the word “ homousios ;” or with the extreme gentleness and moderation of St. Cyril of Alexandria in his treatment of John of Antioch.

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