Original: Prior to the East-West Schism the united Western and Eastern Churches ( the State church of the Roman Empire ) held the First seven Ecumenical Councils ( meeting from the 4th to the 9th century ) .
Simplified: Council of Ephesus , (/O431/O) ; proclaimed the Virgin Mary as the Theotokos ( Greek , '' God-bearer '' or more commonly '' Mother of God '' ) .