καθολικός
Catholic
“Universal” — the mark of the Church that possesses the fullness of the means of salvation and is sent to all peoples; first used of the Church by St Ignatius of Antioch around AD 107.
universal; whole
The Church is called catholic in two senses, the Catechism explains. She is catholic because Christ is present in her, so that she has the fullness of the means of salvation — the complete confession of faith, the full sacramental life, ordained ministry in apostolic succession. And she is catholic because Christ sends her to the whole human race. The word first appears in St Ignatius of Antioch: “Wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the catholic Church.” Each diocese, gathered around its bishop, is itself fully catholic.
Councils
Where the Church settled or debated this. Follow a council to read our article on it, or the decrees themselves.
- 381First Council of Constantinopleour article
- 1962–1965Second Vatican Councilthe decrees
Sources
Primary sources
- Letter to the Smyrnaeans · Ignatius of AntiochIgnatius of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrnaeans 8.2 (c. 107), the earliest surviving use of "the catholic Church"; in The Apostolic Fathers, trans. Bart D. Ehrman, Loeb Classical Library 24 (2003).
Sources checked 29 September 2026