Council of Shirakavan

In September 861, the Patriarch of Constantinople, Photios I, himself from Armenian origins, attempted to bring the Armenian Church into union with the Eastern Orthodox Church by addressing two letters to the Armenians: one to Catholicos Zacharias I of Tzak and another to King Ashot I of Armenia, both of whom responded. In these letters, the Patriarch of Constantinople, Photios, argued that Zacharias descended from Thaddaeus, while Zacharias claimed that Photios descended from Andrew, thus acknowledging an apostolic origin for both sees as part of the discussion. The search for doctrinal reconciliation with non-Chalcedonian churches was likely motivated in part by the quest for an alliance to combat the Arabs and the preparation of the military campaign that culminated in the Battle of Lalakaon in 863. The assassination of the Caliph Jafar al-Mutawakkil in 861 and the changes in the Abbasid Caliphate may have also provided more room for Christians to engage in theological debates. == Timeline and consequences ==

Timeline A council was convened which, after a joint liturgical celebration, brought together Zacharias and other Armenian bishops, as well as King Ashot, who favored the idea of doctrinal rapprochement between the two churches. Archbishop John of Nicaea in Thrace represented the Eastern Orthodox Church, while Deacon Nonnos of Nisibis represented the Syriac Jacobite Church, providing significant moral weight to the Aramaic-Syrian side compared to the Byzantine representation. Photios' letters served as the basis for the doctrinal discussions, albeit remaining relatively neutral to avoid shocking the Armenians. Photios was well aware of the prejudices directed against the Council of Chalcedon within the Armenian Apostolic Church. == Decisions ==

Historical and theological analysis The council's decisions consisted solely of canons, numbering 15 in total, with 12 of them taken from a previous union council held in Manazkert in 726. To avoid disturbing the Armenian party, the council refrained from using overtly Chalcedonian terms, except in its canons 13 and 14. In canon 13, it condemned the Armenian Miaphysites who pretended to accept the Council of Chalcedon for personal gain. In canon 14, it addressed the Armenians who might recognize the theological arguments of the Council of Chalcedon, the Second Council of Constantinople, the Third Council of Constantinople, and the Second Council of Nicaea, yet continued to accuse these councils of being Nestorian. Canon 14 is seen as an attempt to allow Armenians convinced of the correctness of Chalcedonian positions to be able to join this profession of faith without being condemned by the Armenian Apostolic Church. The council is also noted for its influence on the theology of Armenian art. == Notes and references ==