The Council of Ephesus

Historical Introduction
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III gives in this lecture a precise explanation of the Third Ecumenical Council of Ephesus and the heroic role of St. Cyril the Great, Pillar of Faith, in defending the Orthodox faith against the heresy of Nestorius.

Background of the Council
The council convened in the city of Ephesus in 431 AD, after the spread of the teachings of Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople, who denied the divinity of Christ and refused to call the Virgin Mary “Theotokos” (Mother of God). Pope Cyril of Alexandria attended as the defender of the true faith, while Nestorius and John of Antioch arrived late, and Nestorius came with the imperial deputy and soldiers, thus bringing politics into the matter.

Council Decisions
The fathers gathered and read the letters exchanged between St. Cyril and Nestorius, declaring Nestorius deposed and anathematized, and affirming the doctrine of “Mary, the Mother of God,” which became the foundation of the Council of Ephesus, just as “Consubstantial” was the foundation of Nicaea.

Political Conspiracies
The council faced strong resistance from the imperial deputy Candian, who prevented the decrees from reaching the emperor and sent forged accusations against St. Cyril and the Egyptian bishops. John of Antioch held a rival council that condemned St. Cyril, causing further confusion and division.

The Role of the People and their Living Faith
His Holiness highlights the role of the people of Ephesus who rose in defense of the faith, rejecting the Nestorian heresy and demanding the release of St. Cyril from prison. Through their wisdom, a hermit monk managed to smuggle the council’s decrees to the emperor inside a hollow staff, leading to the correction of the situation and Nestorius’s final exile to Akhmim in Upper Egypt, where he died.

Spiritual and Theological Meaning
The events show that truth may suffer at first but triumphs in the end, and that the Church, though weak in worldly power, possesses strength through faith and steadfastness. They also reveal that meekness does not mean surrender, but that defending the faith requires courage and wisdom.

Lessons Learned

• The necessity of the Church’s vigilance against heresies.

• The role of the faithful people in protecting the faith.

• The importance of unity and love above personal conflicts.

• The interference of temporal authority in matters of faith remains a cross borne by the Church.

Conclusion
His Holiness concludes that the Coptic Church, through her saintly patriarchs Cyril and Dioscorus, preserved the Orthodox faith with steadfastness and courage, and history ultimately vindicated them after many centuries of injustice.

For better translation support, please contact the center.