The Early Church and Peter's Primacy

Letter XXXIII, from Pope Leo to the Second Synod of Ephesus

Leo, bishop, to the holy synod convened at Ephesus. Chapter I: The Emperor Brings to Bear the Authority of the Apostolic See; The Faith of the Incarnation Proven from Peter’s Confession The devout faith of the most clement emperor, knowing it to pertain principally to his glory that no seed of error should rise within […]

Letter XXXI, from Pope Leo to Empress Pulcheria

Leo, bishop, to Empress Pulcheria Augusta. Chapter I: Leo Urges Pulcheria’s Zeal Against Eutyches We have often proven by many examples how great a protection the Lord has prepared for His Church through Your Clemency. Whatever priestly zeal has achieved against those who have assailed Catholic truth in our times redounds chiefly to your glory […]

Letter XXVIII, to Flavian, Bishop of Constantinople – The Tome of Leo

Leo, bishop, to the most beloved brother Flavian, bishop of Constantinople. Chapter I: Eutyches’s Ignorance of Scripture Led Him into Heresy Having read your beloved’s letters, which We marvel arrived so late, and having reviewed the account of the episcopal proceedings, We have at last come to understand the scandal against the integrity of the […]

Letter XXVI, from Flavian to Pope Leo

Flavian, bishop of Constantinople, to the most holy and most blessed father and fellow minister, Leo, greetings in the Lord. Nothing is more precious to priests, as Your Holiness knows, than piety and the right distribution of the word of truth. All our hope, our salvation, and the reward of the promised goods depend on […]

Letter XXII, from Flavian to Pope Leo

Flavian, to the most holy and God-loving father and fellow priest, Leo. Chapter I: The Devil’s Schemes Are Resisted by Adherence to the Holy Fathers’ Doctrine Nothing restrains the wickedness of the devil — that uncontainable evil, full of deadly poison — as he roams about seeking whom to strike, disturb, or swallow up (Your […]

Letter XXI, from Eutyches to Pope Leo

Eutyches, presbyter, to Leo, bishop of the city of Rome. Chapter I: Eutyches Invokes Your Holiness; His Condemnation by the Synod of Constantinople Trusting in my hope and faith in our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, I call first upon God the Word as witness to my convictions, and then invoke Your Holiness […]

Letter XV, from Pope Leo to Turribius, Bishop of Astorga

Leo, bishop, to Turribius, bishop, greetings. How laudably you are moved for the truth of the Catholic faith, and how carefully you expend your pastoral office’s devotion to the Lord’s flock — your brotherhood’s writings, delivered to us by your deacon, have fully shown Us, revealing to Our notice what you have taken care to […]

Letter XII, from the Eastern Bishops to Pope Symmachus

The Eastern Church to Symmachus, Bishop of Rome. Chapter I: Christ the Good Shepherd Seeks the Lost Sheep; The Chair of the Prince of the Apostles Christ Entrusted to Your Beatitude That good Lord and lover of mankind, our Lord Jesus Christ, who out of His kindness toward us bowed the heavens and descended to […]

The Early Church and Peter's Primacy