Nicaea, Council of

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Nicaea, Council of. The first ecumenical council of the Christian Church, held in 325. The site is modern Iznik in NW Turkey. It was an assembly of bishops called by the emperor Constantine to deal with the Arian controversy and secure the unity of the church in the East. A creed was promulgated by the council which contained the homoousion formula and to which anti-Arian anathemas were attached. The council also promulgated canons and reached decisions on the Melitian schism in Egypt, the calculation of the date of Easter, and the precedence of the major Christian sees. See also NICENE CREED.

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First Council of Nicaea

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