Letter C, from Emperor Marcian to Pope Leo
Victors Valentinianus and Marcianus, renowned triumphators, ever Augusti, to the holy father and deservedly venerable Bishop Leo. Chapter I: Marcian Celebrates the Victory of the Faith at Chalcedon Divine and human writings agree that the Divinity must above all be venerated, and that Almighty God is propitious where religion is rightly honored. We found therefore […]
Letter XCVIII, from the Chalcedon Synod to Pope Leo
The holy, great, and universal Synod, gathered by the grace of God and the sanction of our most pious and Christ-loving emperors in Chalcedon, metropolis of the province of Bithynia, to the most holy and most blessed Leo, Archbishop of the Romans. Chapter I: The Synod Declares Leo Established as the Interpreter of the Voice […]
Letter XCV, from Pope Leo to Empress Pulcheria
Leo, bishop, to Pulcheria Augusta. Chapter I: Leo Recognizes Pulcheria’s Devotion and Reports the Dispatch of His Legates to the Synod Your clemency’s religious solicitude, devoted without ceasing to the Catholic faith, I fully recognize; and I give thanks to God for the great care you show for the universal Church, most glorious Augusta. And […]
Letter XCIV, from Pope Leo to Emperor Marcian
Leo, bishop, to Marcian, ever Augustus. Leo Commends His Legates to the Emperor and Requires That No Disputation on the Faith Be Admitted I received with heartfelt gladness your clemency’s holy zeal to hold a synod for the restoration of ecclesiastical peace — even though I had requested it be held in Italy, and had […]
Letter XCIII, from Pope Leo to the Synod at Chalcedon
Leo, bishop, to the holy Synod established at Nicaea, most beloved brothers in the Lord, greetings. Chapter I: Leo Notes That Neither Time Nor Custom Permits His Attendance but Declares He Will Be Present in His Legates and Preside Through Them I had desired, most beloved, for the charity of our college, that all bishops […]
Letter XCII, from Pope Leo to Bishop Julian of Cos
Leo, bishop, to Julian, Bishop of Cos. Leo Commands Julian to Join His Care and Counsel With the Legates at the General Council, Acting With the Authority of the Papal Command What We should command of your devoted spirit, you have recognized many times — for many prior instances have given Us cause to presume […]
Letter XCI, from Pope Leo to Bishop Anatolius of Constantinople
Leo, bishop, to Anatolius, bishop. Despite the Short Time Given, Leo Sends His Legates; Anatolius to Join His Care to Their Action by the Authority of Leo’s Command Having learned from the letters of the most clement prince sent to us that so short a time had been set for convening a synod — as […]
Letter XC, from Pope Leo to Emperor Marcian
Leo, bishop, to Marcian, ever Augustus. Chapter I: Leo Consents to the Council; Ephesus II Cannot Be Called a Council; Marcian Has Annulled It I had requested your most glorious clemency to postpone the synod — which both you and we deemed necessary for restoring the Eastern Church’s peace — to a more opportune time, […]
Letter LXXXIX, from Pope Leo to Emperor Marcian
Leo, bishop, to Marcian, ever Augustus. Leo Sends Legates to Act on His Behalf at a General Council; Aiming to Restore All Matters to the Unity of Faith and Peace We believed your clemency could grant our desire to postpone the episcopal synod to a more opportune time — considering the present necessity, so that […]
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 LXXXV, from Pope Leo to Bishop Anatolius of Constantinople
Leo, bishop, to Anatolius, bishop. Chapter I: Legates Sent So That Nothing Is Done Sluggishly; Repentant Bishops to Receive Peace Through Satisfaction and Anathema Though I trust your charity is devoted to every good work, to make your diligence more effective I judged it necessary and fitting to send my brothers Lucentius, bishop, and Basilius, […]
Letter LXXXIII, from Pope Leo to Emperor Marcian
Leo, bishop, to Marcian, ever Augustus. Chapter I: Leo’s Confidence; The Church’s State and the Empire’s Might Strengthened Together; Legates Directed from the Apostolic See Your clemency’s letters, which I reverently received, and my fellow bishops returning from Constantinople have given me great confidence to write — demonstrating not only by words but by the […]
Letter LXXX, from Pope Leo to Bishop Anatolius of Constantinople
Leo, bishop, to Anatolius, bishop. Chapter I: Leo Rejoices in Anatolius’s Proven Faith; The Acts Are Approved; Leo’s Emissaries Returned After Easter We rejoice in the Lord and glory in the gift of His grace — which, as we learned from the letters of your charity and from the report of our brothers whom we […]
Letter LXXIX, from Pope Leo to Empress Pulcheria
Leo, bishop of the city of Rome, to Pulcheria Augusta. Chapter I: Pulcheria’s Twofold Victory Over Nestorius and Eutyches What we always presumed of your holy piety’s mind we have confirmed fully by experience: the Christian faith — though assailed by the diverse snares of the perverse — cannot be disturbed, with you present and […]
Letter LXXVII, from Empress Pulcheria to Archbishop Leo
To Leo, most reverend bishop of the Church of the glorious city of Rome — Pulcheria, most venerable Augusta. Anatolius Has Subscribed to the Tome; A Synod to Be Held with Leo as the Authority; Flavian Buried in the Basilica of the Apostles; Exiled Bishops Recalled [Editorial note:] Sacred letters were sent by Pulcheria of […]
Letter LXXVI, from Emperor Marcian to Archbishop Leo
To Leo, most reverend bishop of the Church of the most glorious city of Rome — Marcian. Marcian Receives Leo’s Legates; Invites Leo to Convene a Synod or Designate Its Location; The Council Will Follow Leo’s Defined Rules On the tenth day before the Kalends of December, at Constantinople, in the seventh consulship of our […]
Letter XIII, from Pope Symmachus to the Bishops of Illyricum, Dardania, and the Two Dacias
Symmachus to the most beloved brothers, all the bishops, presbyters, deacons, archimandrites, and the whole order and people throughout Illyricum, Dardania, and the two Dacias. Chapter I: The Time for Speech, Not Silence; The Bishops Are Reminded of What They Themselves Teach We desire that this be done in full, if what We write is […]
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 Decretum Gelasianum: The Council of Rome (494) on the Books to Be Received and Not Received by the Catholic Church
Some Concerning the Councils Celebrated under Gelasius — The First Roman Council, in which by seventy bishops the sacred and authentic books were distinguished from the apocrypha, under Gelasius, in the year of the Lord 494, in the consulship of Asterius and Praesidius. Editorial Preface — On the Council’s Purpose (Severinus Binius) The note that […]
The Tome of Pope Gelasius On the Bond of Anathema
The Tome of Pope Gelasius On the Bond of Anathema. That the Acts of the Council of Chalcedon are valid only to the extent that the Apostolic See has approved them; that the things established against Acacius are just; and that Peter of Alexandria could only have been absolved by the Apostolic See. Chapter I: […]
