Holy Trinity Publications (original) (raw)

From: Orthodox Life

"The Orthodox Church sets aside three Sundays every year to celebrate the memory of the Fathers of the Ecumenical Councils. We remember the First Ecumenical Council on the Seventh Sunday of Pascha, which immediately follows the feast of the Ascension of the Lord. The first six councils are commemorated on the Sunday closest to the 16th / 27th of July, and the seventh and final ecumenical council is celebrated on the Sunday following the 8th / 21st of October. The fact that we celebrate these historical gatherings of church hierarchs several times a year, and that these celebrations are always on Sundays, points out that these memorials are important, and that every believer should be familiar with these councils, and with those teachings that they defended. Despite this, some people have a perception that the ecumenical councils and the dogmas or teachings of the Church regarding the Holy Trinity and the person of Christ are difficult to understand and that they are unimportant for a simple parishioner. Someone could say the following: 'Of course it’s important for the priest to understand these things, but for me, it’s good enough to try and live a God pleasing life, to avoid sin as much as possible, to love my neighbor, and to attend the church services on Sunday morning.'"