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Fourth Council of Constantinople

Fourth Council of Constantinople
Date	869-870
Accepted by	Catholicism
Previous Council	Third Council of Constantinople
Next Council	First Council of the Lateran
Convoked by	Emporer Basil I and Pope Adrian II
Presided by	papal legates
Attendance	20-25 (first session), 102 (last session)
Topics of discussion	Photius' patriarchate
Documents and statements	deposition of Photius, twenty-seven canons, including directives for behavior of bishops and the rights of patriarchs
chronological list of Ecumenical councils

The The Fourth Council of Constantinople is considered an ecumenical council by Roman Catholics and met from October 5, 869 to February 28, 870.

It was called by Emperor Basil I the Macedonian and Pope Adrian II. It deposed and condemned Photius as patriarch and, of the four Eastern patriarchates, ranked Constantinople before Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. Photius is now considered a Saint of the Eastern Orthodox Church, in part for having refused to acquiesce to the decision of this council and what the Eastern Orthodox consider to have been overweening monarchical aspirations on the part of Rome's patriarch.