January 26: The Council of Trent explains the differences between Catholicism and Protestantism, in 1564.

The Council of Trent meeting in Santa Maria Maggiore church in Trent, Italy. Unknown artist.

The Catholic Church established the ecumenical councils and assemblies of bishops to deliberate on Christian faith through the inhabited world, according to the Romans.

Historians say that the first Council was convened by Saint Peter around the year 50 in Jerusalem. At that meeting they forgave the Jews who converted to Christianity.

                   The Council, depicted by Pasquale Cati  (Cati da Iesi)

As the Pope is the follower of Peter, he has the power to summon councils to discuss matters of Christian faith. It is essential that there most meet all diocesan bishops of the world to achieve the quorum and thus to enact all agreements by the Supreme Pontiff.

    Pope St. Pius V vigorously promulgated the decrees of the Council of Trent.

The Council of Trent was a need to address the Protestant reforms that led Martin Luther. It was held between 1545 and 1563 in Trento (Trent) and Bologna, northern Italy. The Council established the Tridentine Mass (the Latin Eucharistic liturgy used by the Roman Catholic Church from 1570 to 1964).


In this Council the differences with the reformists, led by Martin Luther were well defined. The Pontiff of the Catholic Church, Pius IV Sumo enacted rules, practices, and procedures to be implemented in the Catholic Church henceforth as Dogma of Faith.

The Council of Trent was the most important movement of the Catholic Counter-Reformation.

The Council was divided into three stages: First stage, between 1545 and 1547, which discussed the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. The second round was gathered between 1551 and 1552, only one year. This meeting was convened by Pope Julius III, who focused on the interpretation of the Sacraments. The third meeting would not touch the subject of the Pope, crucial to Protestantism. Pope Pius IV only accepted doctrinal documents and issued the "Tridentine Profession of Faith", referring to the Council, which established the disciplinary concept that should continue for aspiring priests.

                    Council of Trent: The Canons and Decrees of the Council.