Council of Ephesus

In 431 the Third Ecumenical Council met in Ephesus. Nestorius, Archbishop of Constantinople, had refused to call the Virgin Mary Theotokos, the one who gave birth to God, because he separated Christ into two persons. Led by St. Cyril of Alexandria, the council confessed that the One born of Mary is God the Word Himself made flesh, and so she is truly Theotokos. The people of Ephesus held a torchlight procession to celebrate. The council met in the Church of Mary, whose ruins can still be seen.

• Date: 431