Fourteenth Council of Toledo facts for kids

The Fourteenth Council of Toledo was an important meeting held in Toledo, Spain. It started on November 14, 684. The meeting was called by King Erwig, who ruled the Visigothic Kingdom. This council was organized because Pope Leo II sent a letter. The Pope asked King Erwig to hold a large meeting. The goal was to agree with decisions made at an earlier big church meeting called the Third Council of Constantinople. This earlier council had discussed a specific religious idea called monothelitism.

Why the Council Met

A smaller meeting had already taken place in a region called Carthaginiensis. But this meeting was not big enough. So, King Erwig decided to call a larger, general council. This new meeting happened exactly one year and one day after the Thirteenth Council of Toledo ended. That earlier council had finished on November 13, 683.

Who Attended

Not all bishops could attend the Fourteenth Council. The weather was bad, and many bishops had just traveled to Toledo for the previous council. So, only bishops from Carthaginiensis were there. Also, the main bishops (called metropolitans) attended. One bishop from each of the other provinces also came. These provinces were Narbonensis, Tarraconensis, and Gallaecia.

These bishops from other provinces had an important job. They would agree with the decisions made at the council. Then, they would report these decisions to their own local meetings. This way, everyone in their provinces could also agree.

Council's Decisions

The Fourteenth Council quickly agreed with the decisions from the Constantinople council. They then sent a message to the Pope to let him know. The bishops also gave a general warning to everyone. They said that important religious beliefs should be accepted. People should not argue or discuss these beliefs. The bishops finished their work quickly. The council closed on November 20, 684.

See also

In Spanish: XIV Concilio de Toledo para niños