Commemoration of the Second Ecumenical Council (381)

The Second Ecumenical Council was held in 381 in Constantinople in the time of the Emperor Theodosius, and completed the formulation of the Orthodox Symbol of Faith.

To denounce the heretics and to confirm the dogmas of the holy Orthodox teaching in precisely formulated form, the holy King Theodosius the Great (379–395) convened an Ecumenical Council in Constantinople, attended by 150 bishops. Among them were Gregory the Theologian, Gregory of Nyssa, Meletius of Antioch, Amphilochius of Iconium, Cyril of Jerusalem and others. The council was led by Meletius of Antioch, and after his sudden death by Gregory the Theologian. The council condemned the heresy of Macedonius and confirmed the apostolic teaching on the Holy Spirit. According to this teaching the Holy Spirit is the life-giving God, who proceeds from the Father and who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified.

To reject other heresies, the holy fathers confirmed the Nicene Symbol of the Orthodox faith. In the Symbol adopted by the First Ecumenical Council nothing was said about the equality and consubstantiality of the Holy Spirit with God the Father, since at that time there was no heresy blaspheming the Holy Spirit. Therefore the holy fathers added to the Nicene Symbol the eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth articles, which set out the teaching on the Holy Spirit, the Church, the Mysteries, the resurrection of the dead and the life to come; that is, they finally confirmed the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Symbol of Faith, by which the holy Orthodox Church is guided to this day and will be guided for ever.