Ecumenical

 THIS name was given from the first to Councils of the whole Church, whose definitions could not be altered, vid. art. Definitions . Athan. twice in his Decr. calls the Nicene by this name, viz. § 4 and § 27. "Are they not committing a crime to gainsay so great and ecumenical a Council?" § 4, and "the devil alone persuades you to slander the ecumenical Council," § 27; vid. also Orat. i. § 7; ad Afros 2 twice; Apol. contr. Arian. 7; ad Ep. Æg. 5; Epiph. Hær. 70, 9; Euseb. Vit. Const. iii. 6. The second General Council, A.D. 381, took the name of ecumenical, vid. Can. 6 fin.; but incidentally. The Council of Ephesus so styles itself in the opening of its Synodical Letter.