The Sunday of the 318 Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical C...

The Sunday of the 318 Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea

When the choir of the Holy Fathers flocked from the ends of the inhabited world, they proclaimed the doctrine of the One Essence and One Nature of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thereby delivering plainly to the Church the mystery of theology. As we acclaim them in faith, we call them blessed, saying: O divine array, ye God-proclaiming hoplites of the Lord’s company, ye most brilliant stars of the spiritual firmament, ye impregnable towers of the mystical Sion, ye fragrant flowers of Paradise, ye all-golden mouths of the Word, the boast of Nicaea and adornment of the whole world. Intercede ye fervently on behalf of our souls.

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Let us acclaim today those mystical trumpets of the Spirit, namely the God-bearing Fathers, who, in the midst of the Church, sang a harmonious song of theology, teaching that the Trinity is one, unchanging in essence and Godhead; they are the refuters of Arius, and the foremost warriors of the Orthodox. And they ever intercede with the Lord that our souls find mercy.

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O ye assemblies of the Orthodox, let us celebrate today with faith and piety the annual memorial of the God-bearing Fathers who, in the illustrious city of Nicaea, came together from the whole inhabited world. For with pious mind they refuted the godless dogma of the grievous Arius, and by synodal decree banished him from the Catholic Church. And they instructed all to openly confess the consubstantial and co-eternal Son of God, Who existed before the ages. This, in exactness and piety, did they set forth in the Symbol of Faith. Wherefore, following their divine doctrines and believing with assurance, we worship, in One Godhead, the Father, Son, and All-holy Spirit, the Trinity one in essence.