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Second Council of Ephesus (“Robber Synod”)

Date
449
Place
Ephesus, Asia Minor

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What it decided

Presided over by Dioscorus of Alexandria, it rehabilitated the monk Eutyches and deposed Flavian of Constantinople, Domnus of Antioch, Theodoret of Cyrrhus and Ibas of Edessa. Pope Leo's Tome was not allowed to be read. Flavian died soon after from mistreatment, and Leo called the assembly a latrocinium (“robbery”).

Convoked by
Emperor Theodosius II

Who recognises it

Called as a general council, it was annulled by Chalcedon (451) and is not counted as ecumenical in any tradition. The Oriental Orthodox Churches venerate Dioscorus as a saint and assess the council differently from the Chalcedonian churches.