The Palamite Councils (1341-1351)

A series of councils at Constantinople, principally in 1341, 1347 and 1351, which judged the hesychast controversy in favour of St Gregory Palamas against Barlaam of Calabria and his successors. The council of 1351, at Blachernae, issued the Synodal Tomos that states the doctrine: there is in God a real distinction between the unknowable essence and the uncreated energies, both are truly God, and the light seen by the hesychasts is that uncreated energy and not a created sign. A further council in 1368 numbered Palamas among the saints. Orthodox writers commonly treat these councils as carrying ecumenical authority, without a settled number.