The First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea

2025 marks the 1700^th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council, which took place in Nicaea (Modern Izmir, Turkey) in the summer of 325AD. Around 300 bishops from the known world of the day were invited by Roman Emperor Constantine to discuss and settle disputes over doctrine and behaviour within the Church. The outcomes of the ten-week Council gathering were 20 ‘canons’ and a statement of faith that might be termed the original ‘Nicene Creed.’ The amended and enlarged Nicene-Constantinople Creed of 381AD is still used in Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant Churches to this day.

To mark the anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, Senior Church Leaders will be in pilgrimage together from Lichfield Cathedral to the Church of the Holy Prince Lazar in Bournville, Birmingham. To find out more about the Pilgrimage including how to support and join visit our dedicated page HERE.

For more resources on this anniversary read on.

Churches Together in England have created a Nicaea Hib where they have collated resources and talks, you can find this here, Nicaea Hub. Bishop Mike Royal, from Churches Together in England shares what this means for Church Unity today.

The unity that Member Churches enjoy as part of Churches Together in England is firstly and primarily based on what we believe about the nature of God and the centrality of Christ in the Christian faith. That meeting in AD 325 in Nicaea, in what is now part of modern Türkiye, established a clear understanding of the nature of Christ and the centrality of his life, death and resurrection for our salvation. The great thing about 1700 years of Nicaea is we have a chance to really celebrate what unites us together.

Bishop Mike Royal

Here is a presentation by Rev Dr Susan Durber, United Reformed Church and World Council of Churches President from Europe.

Here is a presentation by Fr Michael Lambros of the Coptic Orthodox Church at the Churches Together in England Enabling Group in May 2025

Here is a reflection by the General Secretary of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland Dr Nicola Brady at the Churches Together in England Enabling Group in May 2025

If you are aware of other resources, let us know at enquiries@birminghamchurches.org.uk