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Council of Constance
Date 1414–1418
Accepted by Catholicism
Previous council Council of Vienne
Next council Council of Basel-Ferrara-Florence (the Council of Siena is generally not considered ecumenical by Catholics)
Convoked by Antipope John XXIII, confirmed by Pope Gregory XII
Presided by Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Attendance 600
Topics of discussion Western Schism
Documents and statements Antipope John XXIII deposed, resignation of Pope Gregory XII accepted, Avignon Pope Benedict XIII deposed, condemnation of Jan Hus, election of Pope Martin V
Chronological list of Ecumenical councils

In the Roman Catholic Church, the Council of Constance is the 16th ecumenical council. As a Christian Ecclesiastical term Catholic —from the Greek adjective, meaning "general" or "universal"—is described The Council of Vienne was the Fifteenth Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church that met between 1311 and 1312 in Vienne. The Council of Florence (originally Council of Basel) was an Ecumenical Council of Bishops and other ecclesiastics of the Roman Catholic Church In the Roman Catholic Church, the Council of Siena ( 1423 - 1424) marked a somewhat inconclusive stage in the Conciliar movement that was attempting Pope John XXIIIPope John (numbering Baldassarre Cossa (c 1370 &ndash November 22 1419 also known as John XXIII, was Pope or Antipope during Pope Gregory XII (died October 18, 1417) born Angelo Correr or Corraro, Pope from 1406 to 1415 succeeded Pope For other nobles of the same name please see Sigismund. Sigismund ( February 14, 1368 – December 9, The Great Schism of Western Christianity or Papal Schism (also known as the Western Schism) was a split within the Roman Catholic Church from 1378 to 1417 Pope John XXIIIPope John (numbering Baldassarre Cossa (c 1370 &ndash November 22 1419 also known as John XXIII, was Pope or Antipope during Papal abdication occurs in the Catholic Church when the Pope resigns his office Pope Gregory XII (died October 18, 1417) born Angelo Correr or Corraro, Pope from 1406 to 1415 succeeded Pope Jan Hus ( (ˈjan ˈɦus alternative spellings John Hus, Jan Huss, John Huss) (c Pope Martin V (c 1368 &ndash February 20, 1431) born Odo (or This is a general introduction to ecumenical councils For the Roman Catholic councils, see Catholic Ecumenical Councils. This is a general introduction to ecumenical councils For the Roman Catholic councils, see Catholic Ecumenical Councils. It was held from 1414 to 1418. The council resolved the Western Schism, in which three men simultaneously claimed to be pope. The Great Schism of Western Christianity or Papal Schism (also known as the Western Schism) was a split within the Roman Catholic Church from 1378 to 1417 In response to a controversy in Poland, the council ruled on issues of national sovereignty, the rights of pagans, and just war. The council represented a high point for the movement that promoted the authority of councils over the authority of the pope, but in the end the pope's authority was re-affirmed.

Contents

Council's origin and composition

The council was called by the Emperor Sigismund, a supporter of Antipope John XXIII, the pope recently elected at Pisa. For other nobles of the same name please see Sigismund. Sigismund ( February 14, 1368 – December 9, Pope John XXIIIPope John (numbering Baldassarre Cossa (c 1370 &ndash November 22 1419 also known as John XXIII, was Pope or Antipope during The council was held from November 16, 1414 to April 22, 1418 in Constance (nowadays Konstanz). Events 534 - A second and final revision of the Codex Justinianus is published Events 1500 - Portuguese Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral becomes the first European to sight Brazil. Konstanz (in English formerly known as Constance) is a university town of around 80000 inhabitants at the western end of Lake Constance Its main purpose was to end the Papal schism which had resulted from the Avignon Papacy. The Great Schism of Western Christianity or Papal Schism (also known as the Western Schism) was a split within the Roman Catholic Church from 1378 to 1417 In the History of the Roman Catholic Church, the Avignon Papacy was the period from 1309 to 1377 during which seven Popes all French, resided in Avignon The Council of Constance marked the high point of the Conciliar movement to reform the Church. Conciliarism, or the conciliar movement, was a reform movement in the 14th and 15th century Roman Catholic Church which held that final authority According to Joseph McCabe, the council was attended by roughly 29 cardinals, 100 "learned doctors of law and divinity," 134 abbots, 183 bishops and archbishops. Joseph Martin McCabe ( November 12 1867 – January 10 1955) was an English Writer and speaker on Freethought A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official usually a bishop, of the Catholic Church. The word abbot, meaning Father, is a title given to the head of a Monastery in various traditions including Christianity. In the Catholic Church, a Bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the priesthood. In Christianity, an archbishop is an elevated Bishop. In the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion and others this means that they lead

The Catholic Church only regards as valid and ecumenical those sessions of the Council that were held after the confirmation of the Council by Pope Gregory XII. Pope Gregory XII (died October 18, 1417) born Angelo Correr or Corraro, Pope from 1406 to 1415 succeeded Pope The previous sessions, held under the authority of Emperor Sigismund and Antipope John XXIII are not considered valid, and its decrees (including the famous decree Haec Sancta, on Conciliarism), are regarded by the Catholic Church as null and void.

At the time the council was called, there were three popes, all of whom claimed legitimacy. History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and A few years earlier, in one of the first blows to the Conciliar movement, the bishops at the Council of Pisa had deposed both of the two claimant popes and elected a third pope, claiming that in such a situation, a council of bishops had greater authority than just one bishop, even if he were the bishop of Rome. The Council of Pisa was an unrecognized Ecumenical conference of the Roman Catholic Church held in 1409 that attempted to end the Western Schism This had only furthered the schism.

An innovation at the Council was that instead of voting as individuals, the bishops voted in national blocs, explicitly confirming the national pressures that had fueled the schism since 1378.

The council and the popes

The famous Haec sancta decree contradicting Vatican I on papal primacy and infallibility was promulgated in the sixth session, April 6, 1415. The First Vatican Council was summoned by Pope Pius IX by the bull Pastor Aeternus of June 29, 1868. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus Its declaration that

legitimately assembled in the holy Spirit, constituting a general council and representing the Catholic church militant, it has power immediately from Christ; and that everyone of whatever state or dignity, even papal, is bound to obey it in those matters which pertain to the faith, the eradication of the said schism and the general reform of the said church of God in head and members.

marks the high water mark of the Conciliar movement of reform [1]. This decree, however, is not considered valid by the Catholic Church, since it was never approved by Pope Gregory XII or his successors, and was passed by the Council in a session before his confirmation. The Church declared the first sessions of the Council of Constance an invalid and illicit assembly of Bishops, gathered under the authority of Emperor Sigismund and Antipope John XXIII.

Bishops debating with the pope at the Council of Constance
Bishops debating with the pope at the Council of Constance

Thus, what historians describe as "the Council of Constance" were, in fact, two different assemblies in the eyes of the Catholic Church and its canon law. The first part is regarded as an illicit assembly, incapable of issuing any valid decree. The second part is regarded as a true Ecumenical Council. The Bishops that were already assembled in Constance accepted to be re-summoned by the authority of Gregory XII since it was known that Gregory XII was willing to resign, so as to allow the election of another Pope, that could be accepted by the whole of Christendom.

With the support of Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, enthroned before the high altar of the cathedral of Constance, the Council of Constance recommended that all three popes abdicate, and that another be chosen. For other nobles of the same name please see Sigismund. Sigismund ( February 14, 1368 – December 9, In part because of the constant presence of the emperor, other rulers demanded that they have a say in who would be pope. Much of the Council's time was therefore occupied with trying to placate secular rulers rather than in actual reform of the Church and its hierarchy.

Gregory XII then sent representatives to Constance, whom he granted full powers to summon, open and preside over an Ecumenical Council; he also empowered them to present his resignation to the Papacy. This would pave the way for the end of the Western Schism.

The legates were received by Emperor Sigismund and by the assembled Bishops, and the Emperor yielded the presidency of the proceedings to the papal legates, Cardinal Dominici of Ragusa and Prince Charles of Malatesta. On 4 July, 1415 the Bull of Gregory XII which appointed Malatesta and Cardinal Dominici of Ragusa as his proxies at the council was formally read before the assembled Bishops. The cardinal then read a decree of Gregory XII which convoked the council and authorized its succeeding acts. Thereupon, the Bishops voted to accept the summons. Prince Malatesta immediately informed the Council that he was empowered by a commission from Pope Gregory XII to resign the Papal Throne on the Pontiff's behalf. He asked the Council whether they would prefer to receive the abdication at that point or at a later date. The Bishops voted to receive the Papal abdication immediately. Thereupon the commission by Gregory XII authorizing his proxy to resign the Papacy on his behalf was read and Malatesta, acting in the name of Gregory XII, pronounced the resignation of the papacy by Gregory XII and handed a written copy of the resignation to the assembly.

Former Pope Gregory XII was then created titular Cardinal Bishop of Porto and Santa Ruffina by the Council, with rank immediately below the Pope (which made him the highest ranking person in the Church, since, due to his abdication, the See of Peter was vacant). Gregory XII's cardinals were accepted as true cardinals by the Council, but the members of the council delayed electing a new pope for fear that a new pope would restrict further discussion of pressing issues in the Church.

By the time the anti-popes were all deposed and the new Pope, Martin V, was elected, two years had passed since Gregory XII's abdication, and Gregory was already dead. Pope Martin V (c 1368 &ndash February 20, 1431) born Odo (or

Painting of Jan Hus in Council of Constance by Václav Brožík
Painting of Jan Hus in Council of Constance by Václav Brožík

A second goal of the council was to continue the reforms begun at the Council of Pisa. Jan Hus ( (ˈjan ˈɦus alternative spellings John Hus, Jan Huss, John Huss) (c Václav Brožík ( 5 March 1851 – 15 April 1901) was the greatest Czech Academic painter. These reforms were largely directed against John Wycliff, mentioned in the opening session, and condemned in the eighth, May 4, 1415 and Jan Hus, and their followers. John Wycliffe (ˈwɪklɪf also spelled Wyclif, Wycliff, Wiclef, Wicliffe, or Wickliffe) (mid-1320s – 31 December Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Jan Hus ( (ˈjan ˈɦus alternative spellings John Hus, Jan Huss, John Huss) (c Jan Hus, summoned to Constance under a letter of indemnity, was condemned by council and burned at the stake notwithstanding on July 6, 1415. Jan Hus ( (ˈjan ˈɦus alternative spellings John Hus, Jan Huss, John Huss) (c Execution by burning has a long history as a method of Punishment for Crimes such as Treason, Heresy and Witchcraft Events 1044 - The Battle of Ménfő takes place 1189 - Richard the Lionheart is crowned King of England

The council also attempted to direct ecclesiastical reforms. However, once two anti-popes, Baldassare Cossa (John XXIII), who fled from Constance on March 20, 1415, and Peter de Luna (Benedict XIII) had been eliminated, Gregory XII, the successor of the Roman line, was induced to resign. Pope John XXIIIPope John (numbering Baldassarre Cossa (c 1370 &ndash November 22 1419 also known as John XXIII, was Pope or Antipope during Pope Gregory XII (died October 18, 1417) born Angelo Correr or Corraro, Pope from 1406 to 1415 succeeded Pope The council with great care to protect the legitimacy of the succession, ratified all his acts and a new pontiff was chosen. The new pope, Martin V, elected November 1417, soon asserted the absolute authority of the papal office, and the claim that a council might be superior to a single pope was set aside when it was later declared that a council of Bishops has no greater authority than the Pope. Pope Martin V (c 1368 &ndash February 20, 1431) born Odo (or

Controversy in Poland

During the council there were also political topics discussed, such as the accusation by the Teutonic Knights that Poland was defending pagans. The Teutonic Order is a German Roman Catholic religious order. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "country dweller rustic" is a word used to refer to various religions and religious beliefs from across the world Pawel Wlodkowic, rector of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland, presented there the theory that all nations, including pagan ones, have the right to self-government and to live in peace and possess their land, which is one of the earliest ideas of international law:

During the proceedings of the Council, John of Falkenberg accused Poles of being: “guilty of the abominable crime of using Pagan allies in their war against the German Order. Johannes Falkenberg John of Falkenberg (Johannes Falkenberg (b ” He proposed that “the Poles must be exterminated. ” In his Liber de doctrina, Falkenberg argued that “the Emperor has the right to slay even peaceful infidels simply because they are pagans; the Poles too should be killed for allying themselves with the infidels and resisting Christian Knights. The Poles deserve death for defending infidels, and should be exterminated even more than the infidels; they should be deprived of their sovereignty and reduced to slavery. ”

In his Papal Bull of January 10, 1424, Pope Martin V “wanting to obviate the evils that may come to Poland from the errors and opinions advocated by Falkenberg…Imposed the penalty of excommunication ipso facto on all Christians whoever they might be…who might dare to propagate, defend, assert, etc. Pope Martin V (c 1368 &ndash February 20, 1431) born Odo (or the condemned errors. ”

Ars moriendi

The creation of a book on how to die was ordered by the council, and thus written in 1415 called Ars moriendi. Ars moriendi ("The Art of Dying" is the name of two related Latin texts dating from about 1415 and 1450 which offer advice on the protocols and procedures

Outcome

The upshot was that reforms were stymied by sheer inertia of the establishment, conflicting national interests and the full assertion of papal supremacy once more. Referring to the doctrine of papal supremacy the Catechism of the Catholic Church notes in paragraph 882 “the Roman Pontiff by reason of his office as Vicar The acts of the Council were not made public until 1442, at the behest of the Council of Basel; they were printed in 1500. The Council of Florence (originally Council of Basel) was an Ecumenical Council of Bishops and other ecclesiastics of the Roman Catholic Church

Sources

External links

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