Letters 43
43 To Theodosius Augustus PL 54, 821
To the most glorious and serene Emperor Theodosius, Leo the bishop.
I. He complains of the conduct of Dioscorus at the Council of Ephesus.
Already and from the beginning, in the synods which have been held, we have received such freedom of speech from the most holy Peter, chief of the Apostles, as to have the power both to maintain the Truth in the cause of peace, and to allow no one to disturb it in its firm position, but at once to repel the mischief. Since then the council of bishops which you ordered to be held in the city of Ephesus on account of Flavian, does mischief to the Faith itself and inflicts wounds on all the churches——; and this has been brought to our knowledge not by some untrustworthy messenger, but by the most reverend bishops themselves who were sent by us and by the most trusty Hilarus our deacon, who have narrated to us what took place. And the occurrences are to be put down to the fault of those who met, not having, as is customary, with a pure conscience and right judgment made a definite statement about the faith and those who erred therefrom. For we have learnt that all did not come together in the conference who ought, some being ejected and others received: who were ensnared into an ungodly act of subscription by the designs of the aforesaid priest. For the declaration effected by him is of such a nature as to injure all the churches. For when those who were sent by us saw how exceedingly impious and hostile to the Faith it was, they notified it to us.
II. He asks him to restore the ancient catholic doctrine.
Wherefore, most peace-loving prince, vouchsafe for the Faith’s sake to avert this danger from your Godly conscience, and let not man’s presumption use violence upon Christ’s Gospel. In my sincere desire, which is shared by the bishops that are with me, that you, most Christian and revered prince, should before all things please God, to whom the prayers of the whole Church are poured with one accord for your empire, I give you counsel, for fear lest, if we keep silence on so great a matter, we incur punishment before the tribunal of Christ. I entreat you therefore before the undivided Trinity of the one Godhead, which is injured by these evil doings, and which is the guardian of your kingdom, and before Christ’s holy angels that all things remain intact as they were before the judgment, and that they await the weightier decision of the Synod at which the whole number of the bishops in the whole world is gathered together: and do not allow yourselves to bear the weight of others’ misdoing. We are constrained to say this plainly by the fear of a constraining necessity. But keep before your eyes the blessed Peter’s glory, and the crowns which all the Apostles have in common with him, and the joys of the martyrs who had no other incentive to suffering but the confession of the true Godhead and the perfect continuance in Christ.
III. And asks for another Synod to be summoned.
And now that this confession is being godlessly impugned by some few men, all the churches of our parts and all the priests implore your clemency with tears in accordance with the request which Flavian makes in his appeal, to command the assembling together of a special Synod in Italy, in order that all opposition may be expelled or pacified, and that there may be no deviation from or ambiguity in the Faith: and to it should also come the bishops of all the Eastern provinces, that, if any have wandered out of the way of Truth, they may be recalled to their allegiance by wholesome remedies, and they who are under a more grievous charge may either be reduced to submission by counsel or cut off from the one Church. So that we are bound to preserve both what the Nicene canon enjoins and what the definitions of the bishops of the whole world enjoin according to the custom of the catholic Church, and also (to maintain) the freedom of our fathers’ Faith, on which your tranquillity rests. For we pray that when those who harm the Church are driven out, and your provinces enjoy the possession of justice, and vengeance has been executed on these heretics your royal power also may be defended by Christ’s right hand.
Gloriosissimo et serenissimo THEODOSIO imperatori LEO episcopus.
Antea et ab initio in iis quae factae sunt synodis tantam nos accepimus fiduciam a sanctissimo Petro et principe apostolorum, ut potestatem habeamus et veritatis vindicandae pro nostra pace, et nemini ipsam liceat, cum munita adeo sit, concutere, dum sine mora laesio removetur. Quoniam igitur concilium episcoporum quod in Ephesina civitate propter Flavianum fieri jussistis, et ipsam laedit fidem, et omnes sauciat Ecclesias . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Atque haec non ab incerto nuntio nobis cognita sunt, sed ab ipsis quos misimus, religiosissimo episcopo et fidelissimo Hilaro diacono nostro, qui quae acta sunt nobis exposuerunt. Quod autem accidit hanc habet causam quod non pura conscientia rectoque judicio secundum consuetudinem ii qui convenerunt, de fide et 904 de iis qui decepti fuerunt, sententiam protulere. Cognoscimus enim ad concilium non omnes quos oportebat convenisse, sed alios quidem ejectos, alios autem intromissos, qui praedicti episcopi circumventione impiis subscriptionibus capti sunt. Talis namque ab ipso prolata sententia, ut omnibus per ipsum Ecclesiis injuria inferretur. Hujuscemodi enim rem valde impiam fideique repugnantem ii testes de visu, qui per nos missi sunt, nobis significarunt. Unde, serenissime imperator, a vestra pia conscientia periculum causa fidei avertere dignare, neque humana praesumptio Christi Evangelio vim inferat. Haec ego, o christianissime et venerabilis imperator, cum iis qui mecum sunt episcopis, sincero affectu cupiens vos ante omnia placere Deo, ad quem ab universa Ecclesia unanimiter pro vestro imperio preces funduntur, ut facias, consilium do, ne forte poenas persolvamus ante tribunal Christi, si hujuscemodi rem silentio involvamus. Obsecro igitur coram unius Deitatis inseparabili Trinitate, quae per ea quae male acta sunt laeditur, quaeque vestri est custos imperii, et coram sanctis angelis Christi, ut cuncta maneant intacta, sicut et ante judicium existebant. Exspectent autem majus criterium concilii, in quo omnis ex toto orbe episcoporum numerus congregetur; neque sinatis vos de alieno peccato onus sustinere; quod ut manifestius edicamus, urgentis necessitatis timore constringimur. Sed ante oculos proponite beatissimi Petri gloriam communesque cum ipso omnium apostolorum coronas, et martyrum gaudia, quibus non alia fuit causa 906 patiendi, nisi confessio verae Deitatis, et in Christo perfecta permansio. Quae confessio cum impie nunc a paucis quibusdam laedatur, omnes nostrarum partium Ecclesiae, omnesaue sacerdotes mansuetudini vestrae cum lacrymis supplicant propter appellationem in Flaviani episcopi libello contentam, ut speciale concilium jubeatis in Italiae partibus peragi, ut omnis conflictus repellatur vel mitigetur, nihilque devians vel dubium in fide sit; convenientibusque insuper etiam episcopis ab Orientalibus provinciis omnibus, quorum si qui de veritatis via exorbitarunt, salutaribus curationibus in integrum revocentur, et hi quorum est causa gravior, vel consiliis acquiescant, vel ab una Ecclesia exscindantur: ita ut necessarium sit et eadem servare quae Nicaenus canon et quae constitutio totius orbis episcoporum praecipit, secundum catholicae Ecclesiae consuetudinem et nostrorum Patrum liberam fidem, per quam serenitas vestra stabilitur. Iis enim qui Ecclesiam laedunt, expulsis, vestrisque provinciis jure, quod justum est, potientibus, atque vindicta adversus haereticos exercita; vestrum etiam imperium Christi dextera defendetur.