1545–1563

The Council of Trent

The council was convened by Paul III and met with long interruptions – in 1545–1547, 1551–1552 and 1562–1563 – in the imperial city of Trent. By the Catholic count it was the nineteenth ecumenical council. It worked on two fronts: a precise definition of doctrine against Protestantism, and reform of church discipline.

At Session IV in 1546 it placed Tradition on a par with Scripture, and in the decree on justification (Session VI, January 1547) it condemned sola fide. It later reaffirmed the seven sacraments, transubstantiation, and the sacrificial character of the mass.

At the same time the council introduced major disciplinary reforms. It required bishops' residence in their dioceses, banned plurality of benefices, and established seminaries.

In 1563–1564 Pius IV confirmed all the council's decrees. This closed the age of conciliarism and laid the foundations of modern Catholicism for more than three centuries to come.