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64 Jerusalem and Flavian of Thessalonica arrived a few days late. On June 22 one hundred and ninety-eight bishops began the council. But John of Antioch and his suffragans had not yet arrived. The fact that they did not wait for him is the great difficulty of the story of this council. It is said that Cyril knew he was friendly to Nestorius and hurried on the proceedings, so as to have Nestorius condemned before he came. On the other hand, John had written a friendly letter to Cyril; two of his suffragans had hurried forward and brought a message that the council was not to wait for him, but was to begin and do its best without him. Perhaps Cyril thought that John delayed on purpose, so as not to be present at his friend's humiliation. And they had already waited sixteen days for him. Cyril presided, expressly as Papal legate. The Pope had sent other representatives to Ephesus—two bishops, Arcadius and Proiectus, and a deacon, Philip, with orders to follow Cyril's guidance in everything; but they did not arrive till the second session. The Emperor's Commissioner Candidian wanted to wait for John of Antioch; but the Fathers rejected his proposal. The first session was held in the famous double church of Ephesus. Nestorius refused to appear. Cyril's second letter to him was read and judged conformable to the faith of Nicæa. A great number of texts of Fathers were read, and then passages from Nestorius which contradicted them. The Pope's condemnation of Nestorius was read too. Nestorius was condemned and deposed. Candidian, who had come from the Emperor hoping to save Nestorius, was much disappointed.

Then, on June 26, the caravan of John of Antioch with his thirty bishops rolled into the streets of Ephesus. The Council at once sent to him to inform him of what had been done; but now he refused to have anything to do with it. With Nestorius, Candidian, and altogether forty-three bishops he holds a rival synod at his own house. This rival synod excommunicates Cyril and his followers; these denounce John and his. Both sides appeal to the Pope and Emperor, and a long quarrel follows.