Definition

Proper noun 1. The First Vatican Council: A council of the Roman Catholic Church, convened by Pope Pius IX, which was held from 1869 to 1870. It is most notable for defining the dogma of papal infallibility.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The doctrine of papal infallibility was formally defined at Vatican I.
  • Vatican I was abruptly adjourned in 1870 due to the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War.
  • Historians study the decrees of Vatican I to understand 19th-century Catholic theology.

Advanced Usage

• "the Council of Vatican I": A formal alternative name for the event.
  • The debates during the Council of Vatican I were intense.
• "the First Vatican Council": The full, unambiguous title.
  • The First Vatican Council addressed issues of faith, discipline, and church governance.

Variants and Related Words

• Vatican II (proper noun): The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), a subsequent and distinct ecumenical council.
  • The reforms of Vatican II were more extensive than those of Vatican I.
• Ecumenical council (noun): A worldwide assembly of bishops convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice.
• Pastor Aeternus (proper noun): The dogmatic constitution issued by Vatican I which contains the definition of papal infallibility.

Synonyms

• The First Vatican Council: The full, formal name.
• The 20th Ecumenical Council: Its numerical designation within Catholic tradition.

Related Phrases

• Defined papal infallibility: The primary doctrinal outcome of the council.
  • Vatican I is historically significant for having defined papal infallibility.
• Speaking ex cathedra: The specific condition under which the Pope is considered infallible, as defined by Vatican I.
  • The dogma states the Pope is preserved from error when speaking ex cathedra on matters of faith and morals.

Noun

1. the Vatican Council in 1869-1870 that proclaimed the infallibility of the pope when speaking ex cathedra