The Early Church and Peter's Primacy

Letter V, Libellus from the Alexandrian Apocrisiarii to the Roman Legation

To the most glorious and most excellent patrician Festus, and to the venerable bishops Cresconius and Germanus, sent from the city of Rome together with his power in legation to the most clement and Christ-loving Emperor Anastasius — Dioscorus presbyter of the venerable church of Alexandria, and Chaeremon lector, serving as the apocrisiarii of the […]

Letter III, from Pope Anastasius II to Laurentius, Bishop of Lychnidos

Anastasius, bishop, to Laurentius of Lychnidos. Chapter I: The Eastern Reception of Felix III’s Letter on Acacius; The Roman Custom of Sending the Formula of Faith 1. In the lengthy letter of your charity you have filled Us with great joy in the part where you say that, when the letter of Our predecessor concerning […]

Letter CLXV, from Pope Leo to Emperor Leo

Leo, bishop, to Leo, Augustus. Chapter I: Leo Fulfills His Promise of a Fuller Exposition of the Faith, That the Ember of Meditation May Flame Into Light I recall promising you, venerable emperor, in the matter of the faith about which I know your piety to be devoutly concerned, that a fuller account of my […]

Letter CXXXIX, from Pope Leo to Juvenal, Bishop of Jerusalem

Leo, bishop of the city of Rome, to Juvenal, Bishop of Jerusalem. Chapter I: Leo Congratulates Juvenal’s Return but Names His Prior Tergiversation; the Holy Places Themselves Are a Rebuke to Eutychian Error Having received the letters of your dilection — brought to me by our sons Andrew the presbyter and Peter the deacon — […]

Letter CXXIV, from Pope Leo to the Palestinian Monks

Leo, bishop, to all monks throughout Palestine. Chapter I: The Perverse Misreading of Leo’s Letter to Flavian; the Catholic Faith Condemns Both Nestorius and Eutyches My solicitude — owed to the universal Church and to all her sons — has learned through many reports that some offense has troubled the hearts of your charity. Ignorant […]

Letter CXXIII, from Pope Leo to Empress Eudocia

Leo, bishop, to Eudocia Augusta. Chapter I: Leo Explains the Perverse Misreading of His Letter to Flavian and the Catholic Middle Path How great is my solicitude — which I owe to the universal Church and to all her sons — how much I must care for the relationship of your dilection: it has become […]

Letter XCVII, from Bishop Eusebius of Milan to Pope Leo

To the holy and most blessed Father Leo, Eusebius, bishop of Milan. Chapter I: Eusebius Rejoices at the Legates’ Return and Acknowledges That God Has Placed Leo as Bishop in the See of His Apostle With the Lord’s favor, our brothers have returned — those whom your provident Beatitude diligently sent to the East for […]

Letter LXXXVIII, from Pope Leo to Bishop Paschasinus of Lilybaeum

Leo, bishop, to Paschasinus, bishop of Lilybaeum. Chapter I: The Tome Sent to Instruct Paschasinus as Legate; The Eutychian Error Refuted Though I do not doubt that your brotherhood fully knows the origins of all the scandals stirred in the Eastern churches concerning the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, lest anything escape your solicitude, […]

Letter LXXV, from Pope Leo to Presbyters Faustus and Martinus

Leo, bishop, to Faustus and Martinus, presbyters and archimandrites. Through Maximinus, count. Chapter I: Leo Declares It Intolerable That Ephesus Acted Against the Faith; By God’s Favor the Liberty of Catholics Has Greatly Increased Embracing every occasion to write, I do not cease to address your charity with episcopal affection — so that from the […]

Letter LXXIV, from Pope Leo to Presbyter Martinus

Leo, bishop, to his most beloved Martinus, presbyter. Leo Praises Martinus’s Faith; True God and True Man Confessed; Legates Sent for the Liberty of the Apostolic Faith We give thanks to God and take great confidence in pious joy, knowing that your charity and Catholic brotherhood thrive so vigorously in the spirit of faith that […]

Letter LXXII, from Pope Leo to Presbyter Faustus

Leo, bishop, to his most beloved Faustus, presbyter. Leo Praises Faustus’s Faith and Exhorts Him to Steadfast Solicitude It is always pleasing to me to address your charity and discharge the duty of salutation — for I know you to be a trustworthy guardian of the most sincere faith, not carried about by every wind […]

Letter LXVIII, from Bishops Ceretius, Salonius, and Veranus to Pope Leo

To the holy lord, most blessed father, and pope most worthy of the Apostolic See, Leo — Ceretius, Salonius, and Veranus. Chapter I: Thanks for the Tome; Its Doctrine Celebrated Throughout All the Churches; The Primacy of the Apostolic See Established Where the Apostolic Spirit’s Oracles Still Resound Having reviewed the letter of your beatitude […]

Letter LX, from Pope Leo to Empress Pulcheria

Leo, bishop, to Pulcheria Augusta. Praise of Pulcheria’s Faith; The Eutychian Error Strikes at the Foundations of the Christian Religion; A General Council Is Sought Your piety’s letters have caused me very great joy and exultation in the Lord — through which it is clearly shown how much you love the Catholic faith and how […]

Letter LIX, from Pope Leo to the Clergy and People of Constantinople

Leo, bishop, to the clergy, honorati, and people dwelling at Constantinople. Chapter I: Joy at Their Fidelity to Flavian; Those Who Deny Christ’s True Humanity Are Confederates of the Manicheans; Leo’s Fatherly Care Although the memory of what was recently done at the council of priests at Ephesus afflicts Us with much grief — seeing […]

Letter LIV, from Pope Leo to Emperor Theodosius

Leo, Bishop of the City of Rome, to Theodosius, ever Augustus. Leo Holds the Nicene Faith; Eutyches Is to Be Condemned No Less Than Nestorius; A Council Within Italy Is Requested It is fitting that the most Christian prince be solicitous for the integrity of the Catholic faith, and for this I ask the divine […]

Letter LI, from Pope Leo and the Roman Synod to the Archimandrites of Constantinople

Leo, bishop, and the holy Synod convened in the city of Rome, to Faustus, Martinus, Petrus, and Emmanuel, presbyters and archimandrites of Constantinople, most beloved sons in the Lord. Urge to Hold Firm in Faith and with Flavian; Ephesus II’s Acts Are Invalid Though the things we wrote regarding solicitude for the Constantinopolitan Church might […]

Letter L, from Pope Leo and the Roman Synod to the People of Constantinople

Leo, bishop, and the holy Synod convened in the city of Rome, to the clergy, honorable men, and people of Constantinople, most beloved sons in the Lord. Chapter I: The Report of Hilarus; The Presumption of One Man Wounded the Universal Church The things done contrary to all expectation at Ephesus have come to our […]

Letter XLVII, from Pope Leo to Bishop Anastasius of Thessalonica

Leo, bishop of the city of Rome, to the most beloved brother Anastasius, Bishop of Thessalonica. Chapter I: Providence Kept Anastasius from Ephesus II From the report of our deacon Hilarus we have learned how great a crime was committed at the instance and execution of the Alexandrian bishop — so that while long-standing jealousies […]

Letter XXXV, from Pope Leo to Bishop Julian of Cos

Note: Passages enclosed in [square brackets] are present in the Latin text of the PL but absent from the parallel Greek version of this letter. Leo, bishop of the city of Rome, to the most beloved brother Bishop Julian. Chapter I: Eutyches’s Error Destroys the Mysteries of Our Redemption Though we have already sent the […]

The Early Church and Peter's Primacy