Council of Trent Convened

The Council of Trent opened on December 13, 1545, in Trent (modern Trento, Italy), convened by Pope Paul III. It functioned as the 19th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church across three distinct periods: 1545-1547, 1551-1552, and 1562-1563. The council addressed Protestant Reformation challenges by codifying Catholic doctrine on scripture, original sin, justification, and the sacraments. It established seminary systems for clerical education and standardized liturgical practices. The council's decrees shaped Catholic institutional structure for the subsequent four centuries.