What was the Second Council of Ephesus about?
By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-09
The Second Council of Ephesus, held in 449 AD, was convened by Emperor Theodosius II to address the theological turmoil caused by the teachings of Eutyches and to resolve the ecclesiastical disputes following the Nestorian controversy.
According to historical records, the council opened its sessions a week later than scheduled. Abba Dioscorus, the Patriarch of Alexandria, presided over the council by virtue of his dignity and at the express demand of the Emperor. He was joined in the presidency by Juvenal of Jerusalem and Domnus of Antioch. Approximately 130 bishops attended the sessions.
Key Aspects of the Council
- The Case of Eutyches:
Eutyches, an archimandrite in Constantinople, had been accused of heresy (denying the humanity of Christ) by Flavian of Constantinople. At this council, Eutyches presented a confession of faith that was deemed Orthodox by the gathered bishops. He affirmed the faith of the Nicene Creed and the decisions of the First Council, showing that he did not hold the views his accusers claimed. Consequently, the council reinstated him.
- Defense Against Nestorianism:
The Emperor appointed imperial deputies and instructed officials to defend the council against the "intrigues of the Nestorians." The council sought to uphold the Miaphysite Christology—one nature of God the Word Incarnate—which had been established by St. Cyril of Alexandria at the First Council of Ephesus in 431 AD.
- The Role of Rome:
The Roman delegates, representing Pope Leo I, delayed in arriving at the opening session. When they did arrive, they brought with them a letter from Leo (later known as the Tome of Leo). However, the council did not prioritize the reading of this letter, focusing instead on the trial and the reinstatement of the accused.
- The "Latrocinium" Label:
Because the council’s outcomes favored the Alexandrine (Coptic) Christology and reinstated Eutyches, Pope Leo I was deeply displeased. He later labeled the gathering the "Latrocinium" or "Robber Council," a derogatory term used by Western and Chalcedonian historians to undermine its legitimacy.
- Reaffirmation of Alexandrian Primacy:
The council reinforced the authority of the See of St. Mark. However, this authority and the decisions made at Ephesus II were later overturned by the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD, where the Roman and Byzantine authorities moved to exile Abba Dioscorus and promote the Dyophysite (two-nature) formula.
In the Coptic Orthodox tradition, the Second Council of Ephesus is viewed as a legitimate gathering that sought to protect the Church from Nestorian leanings and maintain the unity of Christ's nature, though Eutyches himself would later be anathematized by the Coptic Church when his actual heresy became clear.