Nicaea I

What Was the Council of Nicaea?

The First Council of Nicaea was the first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church.

It was held in AD 325 to address the heresy of Arius, known as Arianism.

The council defended the truth that Jesus Christ is truly God, eternally begotten of the Father, and not a created being.

What Was Arianism?

Arianism taught that the Son of God was not truly equal to the Father.

Arius claimed that the Son was created and that there was “a time when He was not.”

This teaching contradicted the apostolic faith and threatened the Church’s belief in Jesus Christ as true God and true man.

Why Was the Council Called?

The Arian controversy caused serious division in the Church.

Emperor Constantine, desiring religious peace and unity, called the bishops together at Nicaea.

Bishops came from many regions, and the council became a defining moment in the history of Christian doctrine.

Who Attended?

The traditional number of bishops at Nicaea is 318.

Among the important figures were Hosius of Cordova, Saint Alexander of Alexandria, Eusebius of Caesarea, Eusebius of Nicomedia, Saint Nicholas of Myra, and the young deacon Saint Athanasius.

Pope Saint Sylvester I was represented by Roman priests Victor and Vincentius.

The Central Question

The council had to answer one central question:

Is Jesus Christ truly God, or is He a created being?

The Church answered clearly: Jesus Christ is true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father.

The Word “Consubstantial”

Nicaea used the Greek word homoousios, meaning “of the same substance.”

This means the Son shares the same divine nature as the Father.

Jesus is not similar to God in a lesser way. He is truly God.

The Nicene Creed

The Council of Nicaea gave the Church the foundation of the Nicene Creed.

The Creed confessed Jesus Christ as:

• The only-begotten Son of God.
• God from God.
• Light from Light.
• True God from true God.
• Begotten, not made.
• Consubstantial with the Father.

This Creed remains central to Catholic worship and doctrine.

What Did the Council Condemn?

Nicaea condemned the claim that the Son of God was created or changeable.

It rejected the idea that “there was a time when He was not.”

Arius and those who refused the Catholic faith were condemned.

Other Matters Addressed

Nicaea also addressed several disciplinary matters in the Church.

The council dealt with the date of Easter, the Meletian schism, episcopal authority, clerical discipline, and other issues of Church order.

The Canons of Nicaea

The Council issued twenty canons concerning Church discipline.

These canons addressed matters such as ordination, bishops, clerics, excommunication, penance, and liturgical practice.

One notable canon directed that prayers on Sundays and during the Paschal season should be said standing.

Why Nicaea Matters

Nicaea matters because Christianity depends on the truth of who Jesus is.

If Jesus were only a creature, He could not save the world.

Because Jesus is true God and true man, His sacrifice has infinite value, and His Resurrection is the victory of God over sin and death.

Common Misunderstandings

Nicaea Did Not Invent the Divinity of Jesus

The council defended the apostolic faith that the Church already believed.

Constantine Did Not Create Catholic Doctrine

Constantine called the council, but the bishops debated and defined the doctrine.

The Creed Was a Defense Against Heresy

The Creed clarified the Church’s faith against Arianism.

Jesus Is Not a Created Being

The Son is eternally begotten of the Father, not made.

Key Truths About Nicaea I

• Nicaea I was held in AD 325.
• It was the first Ecumenical Council.
• It responded to the heresy of Arianism.
• It defended the true divinity of Jesus Christ.
• It taught that the Son is consubstantial with the Father.
• It gave the Church the foundation of the Nicene Creed.
• It condemned Arius and his teaching.
• It remains foundational for Catholic doctrine.

What Does This Mean For Me?

Nicaea reminds us that Jesus Christ is not merely a teacher, prophet, or holy man.

He is true God from true God.

When Catholics profess the Creed at Mass, they are confessing the same faith defended at Nicaea: Jesus Christ is Lord, eternally begotten of the Father, and Savior of the world.

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Learn how the Church defended the divinity of the Holy Ghost and completed the Nicene Creed.