Recommended

This week in Christian history: Sudanese saint baptized; English archbishop beheaded

Council of Florence begins – Jan. 8, 1438

A 15th century artistic depiction of the Council of Florence, an ecumenical church council that began in 1438 and is also known as the Council of Ferrara-Florence.
A 15th century artistic depiction of the Council of Florence, an ecumenical church council that began in 1438 and is also known as the Council of Ferrara-Florence. | Wikimedia Commons

This week marks the beginning of the Council of Florence, the Seventeenth Ecumenical Council, in which representatives of western and eastern churches met to discuss possible unity.

Also known as the Council of Florence-Ferrara, after the two Italian cities that it was held in over the course of multiple years, the gathering derived from the earlier efforts by Pope Martin V, who had died in 1431.

Get Our Latest News for FREE

Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know.

Matters debated among the church representatives included theological issues like the existence of Purgatory and the nature of the Trinity, specifically how the Holy Spirit relates to the Father and the Son.

Although the Greek attendees agreed to accept many of the Catholic Church’s stances, ultimately, the Orthodox Church did not embrace the measures, with the fall of Constantinople in 1453 derailing any further efforts for unity in that era.

Follow Michael Gryboski on Twitter or Facebook

Was this article helpful?

Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone.

By making a recurring donation or a one-time donation of any amount, you're helping to keep CP's articles free and accessible for everyone.

We’re sorry to hear that.

Hope you’ll give us another try and check out some other articles. Return to homepage.

Most Popular

More Articles