Pius IX., by a bull dated June 29, 1868, convoked an Oecumenical Council, to meet in Rome, on December 8, 1869.
Its sessions ended in July, 1870.

Among other matters submitted to its consideration, two stand forth in conspicuous prominence--they are the assertion of the infallibility of the Roman pontiff, and the definition of the relations of religion to science.
But the convocation of the Council was far from meeting with general approval.
The views of the Oriental Churches were, for the most part, unfavorable.
They affirmed that they saw a desire in the Roman pontiff to set himself up as the head of Christianity, whereas they recognized the Lord Jesus Christ alone as the head of the Church.

They believed that the Council would only lead to new quarrels and scandals.

The sentiment of these venerable Churches is well shown by the incident that, when, in 1867, the Nestorian Patriarch Simeon had been invited by the Chaldean Patriarch to return to Roman Catholic unity, he, in his reply, showed that there was no prospect for harmonious action between the East and the West: "You invite me to kiss humbly the slipper of the Bishop of Rome; but is he not, in every respect, a man like yourself--is his dignity superior to yours?
We will never permit to be introduced into our holy temples of worship images and statues, which are nothing but abominable and impure idols.

What! shall we attribute to Almighty God a mother, as you dare to do?
Away from us, such blasphemy!" EXPECTATIONS OF THE PAPACY.