—not in the literal sense but as a bestowal of grace (1); the coupling of the two titles is, he said, merely an honorific device (2).

News of this reached the patriarchs of the other regions, and an exchange of letters followed. They concluded that he was in error, and two hundred bishops gathered in the city of Ephesus—the city of Decianus (3). They invited him to a debate, but he refused three times; therefore they unanimously resolved to anathematize him. They cursed him, expelled him, and declared (4) that Mary had given birth to God, that the Messiah is true God from true God, yet also a man possessing two natures.

When Nestorius and the partisans who rallied to him—including the Patriarch of Antioch—were anathematized, that patriarch assembled the bishops who had come in his company, argued with them, and cut them off. Fighting and mutual anathemas erupted; evil spread among them and the dispute escalated until the emperor himself persisted until he reconciled them.

Those bishops then drafted a statement affirming that the holy Mary (5) had given birth to God—our Lord Jesus Christ—who is consubstantial with God in respect of His divinity and consubstantial with mankind in respect of His humanity. They acknowledged two natures but one person and a single hypostasis, and they confirmed the anathema against Nestorius.

After he had been cursed and exiled, Nestorius departed to Egypt, resided in Akhmim for seven (6) years, and there he died and was buried. His doctrine died out until it was revived by Ibn Sarma (7), the metropolitan of Nisibis, who spread it throughout the eastern lands; hence the majority of Christians in the East and in Iraq became Nestorian. Thus that fourth council also dissolved.