Letter XXXVIII, from Pope Leo to Bishop Flavian of Constantinople
Leo to Bishop Flavian of Constantinople. Encouragement After the Legates’ Departure; The Letters Already Sent as Doctrinal Standard; Mercy for Those Who Repent After our representatives, sent to you for the cause of the faith, had already departed, we received the writings of your beloved through our son the deacon Basilius — who rightly provided […]
Letter XXXVII, from Pope Leo to Emperor Theodosius
Leo, bishop, to the most religious Emperor Theodosius. The Unity of Faith Must Be Preserved; Leo Sends Those Who Fulfill His Presence’s Role, for the Matter Admits No Doubt Having received Your Clemency’s letters, I perceive great cause for the universal Church to rejoice — that you wish the Christian faith, by which the divine […]
Letter XXXVI, from Pope Leo to Bishop Flavian of Constantinople
Leo, bishop, to the most beloved brother Flavian. The Legates Follow; The Matter Requires No Synodal Treatment I have received your beloved’s letters along with the acts completed among you concerning the question of the faith. And since the most clement emperor, solicitous for the Church’s peace, wished a synod to be convened — though […]
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 […]
Letter XXXIV, from Pope Leo to Bishop Julian of Cos
Leo, bishop, to the most beloved brother Bishop Julian. Chapter I: Leo Grieves That Eutyches Has Made Himself Estranged from the Unity of Faith Your beloved’s recent letters, delivered to me, show how greatly we thrive with the spiritual love of the Catholic faith and how great is the joy of heart they give me […]
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 XXXII, from Pope Leo to Faustus, Martinus, and Other Archimandrites of Constantinople
Leo, bishop, to the most beloved sons Faustus, Martinus, and the other archimandrites. Leo Decrees Eutyches’s View Detestable and Desires His Restoration to Communion Since, on account of the cause of faith which Eutyches turbulently attempted to disturb, I have judged it fitting to send envoys from my side to assist in the defense of […]
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 XXX, from Pope Leo to Empress Pulcheria
Leo, bishop, to Pulcheria, Empress. Chapter I: Eutyches Has Erred Against the Truth of Christ’s Human Nature; His Error Must Be Removed Before It Spreads The Church of God has great cause for confidence in the faith of Your Clemency, proven so many times and by so many examples: taught by the Holy Spirit, you […]
Letter XXIX, from Pope Leo to Emperor Theodosius
Leo, bishop of the Catholic Church of the city of Rome, to the most religious and pious emperor Theodosius. The solicitude of Your Clemency, moved by the inspiration of God’s Spirit, shows how divine providence deigns to govern human affairs — desiring that nothing unpeaceful or divergent exist in the Catholic Church, since faith, being […]
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 XXVII, from Pope Leo to Flavian, Bishop of Constantinople
Leo, to Flavian, bishop of Constantinople. We confirm that your beloved’s letters reached Us as soon as We found the opportunity through the arrival of Our honorable son Rodanus, informing Us of the cause stirred by perverse error in your region. It grieves Us that one once considered to be of religious purpose holds beliefs […]
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 XXV, from Peter Chrysologus to Eutyches
Peter, bishop, to the most beloved and deservedly honorable son Eutyches, presbyter. Chapter I: The Truth of the Incarnation Was Long Settled Against All Errors; It Must Be Received with Honor and Fear, Not Debated I read your sorrowful letters with sadness and reviewed your mournful writings with appropriate grief — for just as the […]
Letter XXIV, from Pope Leo to Emperor Theodosius
Leo, bishop, to Theodosius Augustus. Chapter I: The Emperor’s Praise; Eutyches’s Complaint to the Apostolic See From the letters which your clemency has sent to Us, the Lord’s provision for His Church through your faith shines forth; and We rejoice that you possess not only royal but truly priestly zeal. Beyond the imperial and public […]
Letter XXIII, from Pope Leo to Flavian, Bishop of Constantinople
Leo, bishop, to the most beloved brother Flavian. Chapter I: Flavian’s Silence Is Reproved; Flavian Should Have Reported to Rome First The most Christian and clement emperor, zealous for the peace of the Catholic Church with holy and praiseworthy faith, sent us letters about the disturbances that have arisen among you. We marvel that your […]
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 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 […]
