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 XVIII, from Pope Leo to Januarius, Bishop of Aquileia
Leo, bishop of the city of Rome, to Januarius, bishop of Aquileia. Reading the letters of your brotherhood, We recognized the vigor of your faith, known to Us before now, and We rejoice that you vigilantly expend your pastoral care on the flock of Christ, guarding against wolves who enter in sheep’s clothing (Matt. 7:15), […]
Letter XVII, from Pope Leo to the Bishops Throughout Sicily
Leo, bishop, to all the bishops established throughout Sicily. A Perpetual Decree Forbidding Bishops to Alienate Church Property; Violators to Lose Rank and Communion Specific complaints provoke Our general and provident care, moving Us to forbid by a perpetual decree what was done unjustly and wrongfully in two churches of your province. The clergy of […]
Letter XII, from Pope Leo to the Bishops of Mauretania Caesariensis
Leo, bishop of Rome, to all the bishops constituted throughout Mauretania Caesariensis, greetings in the Lord. Chapter I: Illicit Ordinations Through Tumult; Leo’s Solicitude Owed by Divine Institution Repeated reports brought to Us by travelers, attesting that illicit ordinations have been usurped among you, have compelled Our duty of piety to investigate the truth — […]
Letter X, from Pope Leo to the Bishops of the Province of Vienne
Leo, bishop of Rome, to the most beloved brothers, all the bishops established throughout the province of Vienne. Chapter I: The Church Is Built on Peter’s Rock; Whoever Attempts to Infringe Its Power Acts with Impious Presumption Our Lord Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, so established the observance of the divine religion that […]
Letter IV, from Pope Leo to the Bishops of Campania, Picenum, Etruria, and All Provinces
Leo, bishop of the city of Rome, to all bishops established throughout Campania, Picenum, Etruria, and all the provinces, greeting in the Lord. While the peaceable order of the Churches fills us with joy, we are deeply grieved whenever we learn of anything presumed or committed against the ordinances of the canons and the discipline […]
Letter II, from Pope Leo to Septimus, Bishop of Altinum
Leo, bishop of the Apostolic See, to Septimus, bishop of Altinum, greeting. I. Pelagian Clergy Must Make a Full Public Profession Before Being Received Into Communion Having read your letter, dearest brother, we recognize the strength of your faith — which we knew before — and we rejoice that you are exercising pastoral vigilance to […]
Letter I, from Pope Leo to the Bishop of Aquileia
Leo, bishop of the Apostolic See, to the Bishop of Aquileia. I. Pelagian Clergy Have Been Wrongly Received Into Communion Without Recanting Their Error From the report of our holy brother and fellow bishop Septimus — contained in the letter he attached — we have learned that certain priests, deacons, and clergy of various ranks […]
Letter VI, Fifth Roman Synod of 6 November 502 (Constitutum on the Preservation of Church Property)
Acta of the Roman Synod held in the basilica of the blessed Apostle Peter on 6 November 502, presided by Pope Symmachus. With the venerable Pope Symmachus presiding, more than seventy Italian bishops were in attendance — among them Laurentius of Milan, Petrus of Ravenna, and Eulalius of Syracuse, whose names are preserved with the […]
Letter X, from Pope Symmachus to the Emperor Anastasius
The Apologetic of Symmachus, Bishop of Rome, against Anastasius the Emperor. Chapter I: The Precedent of Ambrose’s Response to Gratian; The Christian Prince Must Patiently Hear the Apostolic Prelate’s Voice To a letter of the emperor Gratian of august memory, blessed Ambrose responded in eight books, since on behalf of the Catholic faith it did […]
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 […]
Letter II, from Pope Hilarius to Ascanius and the Bishops of Tarraconensis
Hilarus, bishop, to Ascanius and all the bishops of the province of Tarraconensis. After We received the letters of your charity, in which you sought to curb the presumptions of Bishop Silvanus of the Church of Calaguris, and again asked that the wholly illicit desires of the people of Barcinona be confirmed: letters were also […]
Letter, from the Bishops of Tarraconensis to Pope Hilarius
To the most blessed lord, Pope Hilarus, worthy of apostolic reverence, honored by us in Christ: Ascanius and all the bishops of the province of Tarraconensis. Even if no necessity of ecclesiastical discipline compelled us, we would in truth have sought out that privilege of your See, by which — after the keys of the […]
Letter XVIII, from Pope Simplicius to Acacius (Second)
To the most beloved brother Acacius — Simplicius. Simplicius Rebukes Acacius for His Continued Silence and Warns Against Becoming Hirelings Rather Than Shepherds We have no respite from our concerns: for the cause does not permit us to rest, and if we abandon it, we are inexcusable before Christ our Lord, whose interest it is. […]
Letter Fragment, from Pope Simplicius to Emperor Zeno
Beginning of the letter of Pope Simplicius of holy memory to the Emperor Zeno. Among other matters, and to the point: Simplicius Weighs the Merit of Peter Mongus and Reminds the Emperor of the Documentary Record But let us now come to those of whom your tranquil writings declare that one must be excluded from […]
Letter XVII, from Pope Simplicius to Acacius
Simplicius, bishop, to Acacius, bishop of Constantinople. Simplicius Rebukes Acacius for His Silence and Commands Him to Uphold the Decrees of Chalcedon We are both surprised and grieved that in the heart of Your Charity the care of charity and faith lies so concealed and torn apart — that while the most Christian emperor, prompted […]
Letter XVI, from Pope Simplicius to Acacius
Simplicius, bishop, to Acacius, bishop of Constantinople. Simplicius Confirms the Election of Calendio and Rebukes Acacius for Failing to Keep Rome Informed By what account the appointment of the Antiochene bishop was reported to Us later than it should have been — although this could hardly have escaped Our notice — both he himself and […]
Letter XIV, from Pope Simplicius to Emperor Zeno
Simplicius, bishop, to Zeno Augustus. Simplicius Praises Zeno’s Punishment of the Antioch Sacrilege and States That the Massacre Would Not Have Occurred If His Earlier Letters Had Been Obeyed I have received with joy the venerable letters of Your Piety concerning the Church of Antioch, in which We find that, with the zeal for the […]
Letter X, from Pope Simplicius to Emperor Zeno
Simplicius, bishop, to Zeno Augustus. Simplicius Gives Thanks for the Restoration of the Alexandrian Church and Claims Special Joy as the One Who Bears the Care of All the Churches Through Peter, the distinguished count of the most noble lady Pacidia, the glory of your triumphant reign in the Lord is magnified, long since, with […]
