EPHESUS, Coux•u.s OF. .Inny councils were held at Ephesus, of which two deserve special mention: The Third Ecumenical Council, which opened on June 22. 431. It was called by the Emperor Theodosius H. at the request of the orthodox. represented by Cyril, Patriarch of andria, and of Nestorius, Patriarch of t inople, 11,11(on Cyril amused of heresy beeause he taught that the two natures in Christ are not united in one personality; hence Mary was not the 'Mother of (;tal,' but of Christ, the Man with idiom (tod was joined. Nestorins requested that upon the disputed duct rine be deferred until the Syrian bishops. would deeide the matter in his favor, should art us... Tili inn; of the comic-it was delayed 16 days, but they did not come. On the very first day the matter was settled against Nestorius, and he was excommunicated and deposed. When the Syrian bishops finally arrived (June 26 or 27) they held a meeting, and protested against the action of the synod, excommunicated Cyril, and appealed to the Emperor. But Nestorianism was
doomed. The council was attended by about 200 bishops and closed on July 31. (See .NEsTomus.) (2) The other famous synod was convened in Au gust, 449, also by the Emperor Theodosius II. Under the lead of Dioseurus, Patriarch of Alex andria and successor to Cyril, it proceeded to secure the restoration of Eutyches, who taught one nature in Christ, viz. the divine, and who had been deposed therefor by the Synod of Constantinople in 448, and the confirmation of this doctrine, which was favored by the Alexandrians. The council was marked by great disorder and even violence. Soldiers were brought in, blood was shed, and Marian of Constanti. nople was so maltreated that he soon died. But the Aleiandrian doctrine was indorsed. The • council is called the Robber Synod, and its de cision was quickly reversed by the Ecumenical Council of Chaleedon (451). See EUTYCIIES.