The '''Third Ecumenical Council''' was held in [[Ephesus]], Asia Minor , in 431 under Emperor [[Theodosius II]], grandson of [[Theodosius I|Theodosius the Great]]. It is also known as the '''Council of Ephesus'''. Approximately 200 Bishops [[bishop]]s were present, though procedings began in haste before the arrival of the bishops from the west. The procedings were conducted in a heated atmosphere of confrontation and recriminations. It was the third of the [[Ecumenical Councils]], and was chiefly concerned with [[Nestorianism]]. 

According to the Council, Nestorianism overemphasized the human nature of [[Jesus Christ|Christ]] at the expense of the divine. The Council denounced Patriarch [[Nestorius]]' teaching as erroneous. Nestorius taught that the Virgin Mary gave birth to a man, [[Jesus Christ]], not God the [[Logos]]. The Logos only dwelled dwelt in Christ, as in a Temple (Christ, therefore, was only ''Theophoros'': The the "Bearer of God.".) Consequently, the [[Virgin Mary ]] should be called "''Christotokos,'' (" Mother of Christ ") and not "''[[Theotokos, ]]'' ("Mother Birth-giver of God")."

The Council decreed that Christ was one person, not two separate "people": fully God and fully man, with a rational soul and body. The Virgin Mary is "''[[Theotokos]]" '' because she gave birth not to a mere man but to God as a man. The [[theandric union|union of the two natures ]] of Christ took place in such a fashion that one did not disturb the other.

==SourcesAdditional significance==The [[autocephaly]] of the [[Church of Cyprus]] was established, overriding claims by the Patriarch of Antioch. ==Commemoration ==The Holy Fathers of the Third Ecumenical Council are commemorated on [[September 9]] and also on the 9th Sunday after [[Pentecost]] the [[Sunday of the Fathers of the First Six Councils]]. ==Source==*[[Wikipedia:Council of Ephesus|Wikipedia - Council of Ephesus]] ==External link==*[http://enocafs.wikipediaoca.org/wiki/Council_of_Ephesus Wikipedia - FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=102555 Commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the Third Ecumenical Council of Ephesus] – [[OCA]] website. [[Category:Church History]][[Category:Councils]][[Category:Ecumenical Councils]][[Category:Canon Law]] [[ar:المجمع المسكوني الثالث]][[el:Γ΄ Οικουμενική Σύνοδος]][[mk:Трет вселенски собор]][[ro:Sinodul III Ecumenic]]