Council of Shirakavan
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| Council of Shirakavan | |
|---|---|
| Date | 862 |
| Accepted by | Armenian Apostolic Church Eastern Orthodox Church |
Previous council | Council of Manzikert |
Next council | Council of Hromkla |
| Location | Shirakavan |
| Chronological list of ecumenical councils | |
The Council of Shirakavan (or Shirakawan) (Armenian: Շիրակավանի ժողով, romanized: Širakavani žoġov) was a union council held between the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church, and the Syriac Jacobite Church from April to October 862 in the Armenian city of Shirakavan.[1] The purpose of the council was to seek unity among these three churches and to clarify the Christological positions upheld by the Armenian Apostolic Church and, to a lesser extent, by the Syriac Jacobite Church.
The council was made possible by the support of the leaders of the different churches, Photios I of Constantinople and Zacharias I of Armenia.[1][2] The backing of the Bagratid King of Armenia, Ashot the Great, further strengthened the possibility of the council, which finally took place in 862. Photios later considered this council a success, but it was forgotten due to changes in political alliances and the Abbasid support for Ashot.[3][4]
However, even if it was forgotten after taking place, the council is still recognized by the Armenian Apostolic Church.[5]
In September 861, the Patriarch of Constantinople, Photios I, himself from Armenian origins,[6][7] attempted to bring the Armenian Church into union with the Eastern Orthodox Church by addressing two letters to the Armenians: one to Catholicos Zacharias I of Tzak and another to King Ashot I of Armenia, both of whom responded.[1] The Armenian Catholicoi had previously engaged in several attempts to reunite with the Eastern Orthodox Church.[2]
In these letters, the Patriarch of Constantinople, Photios, argued that Zacharias descended from Thaddaeus, while Zacharias claimed that Photios descended from Andrew, thus acknowledging an apostolic origin for both sees as part of the discussion.[8]
The search for doctrinal reconciliation with non-Chalcedonian churches was likely motivated in part by the quest for an alliance to combat the Arabs and the preparation of the military campaign that culminated in the Battle of Lalakaon in 863.[1] The assassination of the Caliph Jafar al-Mutawakkil in 861 and the changes in the Abbasid Caliphate may have also provided more room for Christians to engage in theological debates.[1]
