Letter CLXVIII, from Pope Leo to All Bishops Established Throughout Campania, Samnium, and Picenum
Leo to all bishops established throughout Campania, Samnium, and Picenum. Chapter I: Baptism Is to Be Conferred Only at Easter and Pentecost, Except in Cases of Urgent Mortal Necessity I am moved with great indignation, and deeply grieved, that some among you have so far forgotten the apostolic tradition and — bent on the license […]
Letter CLXVII, from Pope Leo to Rusticus, Bishop of Narbonne
Leo, bishop, to Rusticus, bishop of Narbonne. Leo’s Preface: On Pastoral Perseverance, and the Method of Responding to the Inquiries I have gladly received the letters of your brotherhood, which your archdeacon Hermes delivered, and I have read them with careful attention. Having taken in the substance of your whole account and reviewed what took […]
Letter CLXVI, from Pope Leo to Neon, Bishop of Ravenna
Leo, bishop, to Neon, bishop of Ravenna. Chapter I: Children Taken Captive Before They Could Remember Whether They Were Baptized May Seek Baptism After Careful Examination We have often strengthened the wavering hearts of our brothers amid the uncertainty of various difficult questions — guided by the Spirit of God, drawing the form of our […]
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 CLXIV, from Pope Leo to Emperor Leo
Leo, bishop, to Leo, Augustus. Chapter I: Leo Sends His Legates to Petition for the Church’s Liberty and Insists That the Chalcedonian Definition Not Be Reopened Rejoicing that it has been made clear by many plain proofs how deeply you care for the welfare of the universal Church, I have complied, as soon as I […]
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 CLXII, from Pope Leo to Emperor Leo
Leo, bishop, to Leo, Augustus. Chapter I: Leo Rejoices in the Emperor’s Faith and Urges That the Chalcedonian Definition, Confirmed from the Rock on Which the City of God Is Built, Never Be Reopened My heart rejoices greatly in the Lord, and I have ample reason for gratitude, knowing that the most excellent faith of […]
Letter CLXI, from Pope Leo to the Presbyters, Deacons, and Clergy of the Church of Constantinople
Leo to the presbyters, deacons, and clergy of the Church of Constantinople. Chapter I: Leo Praises the Clergy’s Steadfastness and Urges Them to Remain United and Free from All Heretical Company I am greatly delighted by the steadfastness of your faith, made known to me, in which I glory in the Lord; and I understand […]
Letter CLX, from Pope Leo to the Catholic Bishops and Clergy of Egypt Residing at Constantinople
Leo to his most dear brothers Nestorius, Athanasius, Paul, Peter, Theonas, Isaiah, Apollonius, Arpocras, Isidore, Isaac, Apollonius, Maximus, Marion, Poemenius, and Helpidius — bishops and Catholic clergy from Egypt residing at Constantinople. Chapter I: Leo Consoles the Exiled Clergy and Urges Patient Endurance, With Confidence in God’s Help and the Emperor’s Support The tribulation which […]
Letter CLIX, from Pope Leo to Niceta, Bishop of Aquileia
Leo, bishop, to Niceta, bishop of Aquileia, greetings. My son Adeodatus, a deacon of our see, has returned to us and reports that you asked him to obtain from us the authority of the Apostolic See on certain matters which appear to present considerable difficulty of judgment. The care that must be taken in examining […]
Letter CLVIII, from Pope Leo to the Catholic Bishops of Egypt Residing at Constantinople
Leo to the Catholic bishops of Egypt residing at Constantinople. Chapter I: Leo Grieves Over the Alexandrian Atrocities and Reports His Intercession Before the Emperor on Their Behalf The evidence of the crimes committed at Alexandria long ago has grieved me, and so wounded my heart by the enormity of the deed itself that I […]
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 CLIV, from Pope Leo to the Catholic Bishops from Egypt Residing at Constantinople
Leo to the Catholic bishops from Egypt residing at Constantinople. Chapter I: Leo Consoles the Egyptian Bishops and Gives Thanks for the Emperor’s Charity Toward Them Although I share wholeheartedly in the labors of your charity which you have undertaken in observance of the Catholic Faith, and receive what has been inflicted upon you by […]
Letter CLIII, from Pope Leo to Aetius, Presbyter of Constantinople
Leo to Aetius, presbyter. Chapter I: Leo Acknowledges Aetius’s Diligence and Directs Him to Deliver the Letters to the Eastern Metropolitans We have received the letters of your charity, which testified to your diligence in the cause of the Church; and briefly for now we exhort you to press on watchfully with what you have […]
Letter CLII, from Pope Leo to Julian, Bishop of Cos
Leo to Julian, bishop. Chapter I: Leo Directs Julian to Ensure the Metropolitan Letters Reach Each Bishop, and Urges Unwavering Steadfastness Taking occasion of the return of our son Gerontius to Constantinople, it was fitting to direct writings to your charity, by which we encourage your zeal in ecclesiastical matters and in those things which […]
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 CL, from Pope Leo to Euxitheus, Bishop of Thessalonica, and Equally to Juvenal of Jerusalem, Peter of Corinth, and Lucas of Dyrrachium
Leo to Euxitheus, bishop of Thessalonica, and equally to the same. Chapter I: Leo Writes by Virtue of His Solicitude for All the Churches, and Commends the Emperor’s Catholic Resolve Having learned of what has been committed at Alexandria by the fury of the Eutychians — of which I do not doubt your brotherhood has […]
Letter CXLIX, from Pope Leo to Basil, Bishop of Antioch
Leo to Basil, bishop of Antioch. Chapter I: Leo Admonishes Basil Concerning the Alexandrian Crisis, and Urges Steadfast Resistance to the Eutychians We should indeed have learned of your charity’s ordination in the proper ecclesiastical manner, whether through your own account or that of our provincial brothers the bishops. But since there was no lack […]
