The Early Church and Peter's Primacy

Letter VI, from Pope Anastasius II to the Bishops of Gaul

To the most beloved brothers, all the bishops established throughout Gaul, Anastasius pope. Chapter I: The Communion of Catholic Bishops; The Heresy Reported by Aeonius of Arles 1. Good and pleasant is the Davidic word: For brethren to dwell together in unity (Ps. 132:1). For although spaces of lands separate us in distance, yet by […]

Letter CLXIII, from Pope Leo to Anatolius, Bishop of Constantinople

Leo, bishop, to Anatolius, bishop. Chapter I: Leo Rebukes Anatolius for His Displeasure, Exposes Atticus’s Evasion, and Prescribes the Exact Terms of Valid Recantation Having read the letter you sent through our son Patritius the deacon, I can see that you are displeased with the diligence of my solicitude, which, as countless experiences of your […]

Letter CLVII, from Pope Leo to Anatolius, Bishop of Constantinople

Leo to Anatolius, bishop of Constantinople. Chapter I: Leo Urges Anatolius to Press the Emperor Without Ceasing for the Liberation of the Alexandrian Church Having again received the letters of your charity, I have learned with great sorrow all the things that have been done most insanely at Alexandria — though indeed no pages of […]

Letter CLVI, from Pope Leo to Emperor Leo

Leo, bishop, to Leo, Augustus. Chapter I: No Reopening of the Faith After Chalcedon — To Do So Would Be to Overthrow What the Universal Church Has Received I have received with reverence the letters of your clemency, full of the strength of faith and the light of truth — and I would wish, in […]

Letter CLV, from Pope Leo to Anatolius, Bishop of Constantinople

Leo to Anatolius, bishop. Chapter I: Leo Commends Anatolius’s Diligence and Urges Continued Vigilance, Having Again Addressed the Emperor on the Church’s Behalf We approve the diligence of the necessary solicitude which your brotherhood employs in directing letters to us, and from the pages received through our son Olympius we perceive that a priestly care […]

Letter CLI, from Pope Leo to Anatolius, Bishop of Constantinople

Leo, bishop, to Anatolius, bishop. Chapter I: Leo Acknowledges Anatolius’s Steadfastness and Commends His Diligence in Keeping Rome Informed We acknowledge with gratitude the faith and steadfastness of your charity, by which you have withstood the snares of the heretics; and therefore we exhort you with all the greater confidence to stand firm also in […]

Letter CXLIII, from Pope Leo to Anatolius, Bishop of Constantinople

Leo, bishop, to Anatolius, Bishop of Constantinople. Let Not the Remnants of Heretics Lurking in the City Be Nourished by Excessive Mildness and Revive I gladly receive the offices of charity from your dilection — and I exhort you to exercise them more frequently: since it pertains to the benefit of the whole Church when […]

Letter CXLI, from Pope Leo to Julian, Bishop of Cos

Leo, bishop, to Julian, Bishop of Cos. Chapter I: Carosus Corrected in Faith but Still in Discord With Anatolius; Joannes Sent to Egypt — Report the Outcomes Through our son Gerentium I have received the letters of your brotherhood — in which, with your customary devotion, you report what you rightly judge to pertain to […]

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 CXXXVI, from Pope Leo to Emperor Marcian

Leo, bishop, to Marcian Augustus. Chapter I: Leo Thanks Marcian; Reports That He Has Responded to Anatolius; Notes That Anatolius Attributes the Fault to Others The manifold grace of your clemency’s letters has been received by me with due reverence, and I gladly acknowledge how pious a care for the Christian religion — as is […]

Letter CXXXV, from Pope Leo to Bishop Anatolius

Leo, bishop, to Anatolius, Bishop of Constantinople. Chapter I: Anatolius’s Own Silence Separated Him From Leo’s Fellowship; Marcian Pressed the Matter to Its Fulfillment Had your charity held firm and unwavering in the care of our common grace, nothing would have arisen to cause you any anxiety. Reason did not permit me to spurn the […]

Letter CXXXIV, from Pope Leo to Emperor Marcian

Leo, bishop, to Marcian Augustus. Chapter I: Anatolius Will Find in Leo a Disposition of Sincere Grace If He Fulfills His Promises — But Greater Freedom of Opposition If He Persists How greatly the most holy study of your piety around the Christian religion perseveres and grows in glorious advances — and how this faith […]

Letter CXXVIII, from Pope Leo to Emperor Marcian

Leo, bishop, to Marcian Augustus. Leo Explains His Suspended Correspondence With Anatolius and Sets the Conditions for His Full Restoration to Communion If the bishop of Constantinople were as devoted to upholding ecclesiastical rules as your clemency is vigilant in safeguarding the integrity of the evangelical faith, everything would have returned to its proper state […]

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 CXVIII, from Pope Leo to Bishop Julian of Cos

Leo, bishop, to Julian, Bishop of Cos. Chapter I: Leo Affirms That Nothing Has Been Omitted in Defending the Faith and the Universal Church I received your letters, sent through our son the illustrious Esychius, when I had already replied to the renewed occasion of your recent letters. Since you rightly lament these most impious […]

Letter CXVII, from Pope Leo to Bishop Julian of Cos

Leo, bishop, to Julian, Bishop of Cos. Chapter I: Leo Confirms Sending the Formal Consent to All Chalcedonian Bishops, and Directs Julian to Press the Emperor for Broader Circulation Your letters’ text shows how vigilantly and devotedly your brotherhood strives for the Catholic faith — greatly relieving my solicitude with their instruction. The most religious […]

Letter CXVI, from Pope Leo to Empress Pulcheria

Leo, bishop, to Pulcheria Augusta. Chapter I: Leo Thanks Pulcheria for Her Sanctions Against the Rebellious Monks Although I have received no letters from your piety at this time, the writing of the most glorious prince brought me no less joy than if the words of your serenity had been addressed to me. Upholding my […]

Letter CXV, from Pope Leo to Emperor Marcian

Leo, bishop, to Marcian Augustus. Chapter I: Leo Thanks Marcian, Explains Why a New Letter Was Necessary, and Names Anatolius’s Deliberate Concealment Your clemency’s letters give me much cause for joy — as I experience, through the great mercy of divine providence, that you deign to aid ecclesiastical peace with most pious zeal, glorious Augustus: […]

The Early Church and Peter's Primacy