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 CLXXI, from Pope Leo to Timothy, Catholic Bishop of Alexandria

Leo, bishop, to Timothy, Catholic bishop of the Church of Alexandria. Chapter I: Leo Congratulates Timothy on His Election and Urges Him to Reconcile the Strayed With Gentleness It is clearly apparent under the splendor of the apostolic sentence that for those who love God, all things cooperate toward the good (Rom. 8:28); and by […]

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 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 CII, from Pope Leo to the Bishops of Gaul

Leo, bishop of the city of Rome, to Ravennium, Rusticus, Venerius, Constantianus, Maximus, Armentarius, Florus, Sabinus, Valerianus, Constantius, Maximus, Asclepius, Nectarius, Maximus, Ursus, Ingenuus, Justus, Valerius, Superventor, Chrysaphius, Fonteius, Petronius, Idatius, Ætherius, Eulalius, Eustathius, Fraternus, Victurus, Eugenius, Hilarus, Verus, Amandus, Gerontius, Proculeianus, Julianus, Helladius, Armentarius, Honoratus, Eparchius, Anemius, Dynamius, Maximinus, Ynantius, and Palladius, bishops throughout […]

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 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 LXXXIV, from Pope Leo to Empress Pulcheria

Leo, bishop, to Pulcheria Augusta. Chapter I: Leo Sends Legates to Act With Prudence Among the Lapsed; The Apostolic See’s Legates to Execute Leo’s Dispositions I presume to urge your pious solicitude — which, inspired by God, consoles the whole world — with more frequent letters, so that the progress of your works may attain […]

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 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 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 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 XX, from Pope Leo to Eutyches, Presbyter of Constantinople

Leo, bishop, to the most beloved son Eutyches, presbyter. Your beloved’s letter has made clear to Us that the Nestorian heresy is attempting to revive itself again through certain persons’ efforts. We commend the solicitude with which you have attended to this matter — for your words bear witness to the zeal of your heart […]

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 […]