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This
council was summoned by Pope Pius IX by the bull Aeterni Patris of 29
June 1868. The first session was held in St Peter's basilica on 8 December 1869
in the presence and under the presidency of the pope.
The purpose of the council
was, besides the condemnation of contemporary errors, to define the catholic
doctrine concerning the church of Christ. In fact, in the three following
sessions, there was discussion and approval of only two constitutions: Dogmatic
Constitution On The Catholic Faith and First Dogmatic Constitution on
the church of Christ, the latter dealing with the primacy and infallibility
of the bishop of Rome. The discussion and approval of the latter constitution
gave rise, particularly in Germany, to bitter and most serious controversies
which led to the withdrawal from the church of those known as "Old Catholics".
The outbreak of the
Franco-Prussian war led to the interruption of the council. It was in fact
never resumed, nor was it ever officially closed. As in other councils at which
the pope was present and presided, the decrees were in the form of bulls, at
the end of which was the clear declaration: "with the approval of the
sacred council". Very large numbers attended this council, including, for
the first time, bishops from outside Europe and its neighbouring lands. Bishops
from the eastern Orthodox churches were also invited, but did not come.
The decrees of the council
were published in various simultaneous editions. Later they were included in
volume 7 of Collectio Lacensis ( 1892) and in volumes 49-53 of Mansi's
collection (1923-1927). The collection which we use is that entitled Acta et
decreta sacrosancti oecumenici concilii Vaticani in quatuor prionbus
sessionibus, Rome 1872. Comparison with other editions reveals no
discrepancies, indeed absolute agreement.
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