Letter 33: Leo, bishop, to the holy Synod which is assembled at Ephesus The devout faith of our most clement prince, knowing that it especially concerns his glory to prevent any seed of error from springing up within the Catholic Church, has paid such deference to the Divine institutions as to apply to the authority of the Apostolic See for a proper settle...

I. He commends the Emperor's appeal to the chair of Peter. Leo, bishop, to the holy Synod assembled at Ephesus [the Second Council of Ephesus, 449 — later repudiated by Leo as the "Robber Council"]. The devout faith of our most gracious Emperor, knowing that it especially concerns his glory to prevent any seed of error from springing up within the Catholic Church, has shown such respect for divine authority as to appeal to the Apostolic See for a proper settlement — as if he wished it declared by the most blessed Peter himself what was praised in Peter's confession. For when the Lord asked, "Who do people say that I, the Son of Man, am?" and the disciples reported various opinions, but when He asked what they themselves believed, the chief of the apostles, embracing the fullness of the Faith in one brief sentence, said: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." That is: You who are truly the Son of Man are also truly the Son of the living God — true in divinity, true in human flesh, and one altogether, with the properties of both natures kept intact. If Eutyches had believed this intelligently and thoroughly, he would never have strayed from the path of this Faith. For Peter received this answer from the Lord for his confession: "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:17-18). But anyone who rejects blessed Peter's confession and contradicts Christ's Gospel is far removed from union with this building. Such a person shows he never had any genuine pursuit of understanding the Truth, possessing only the empty appearance of high esteem — one whose white hairs of old age were never adorned with any mature judgment of the heart. II. The heresy of Eutyches is to be condemned, though full repentance may lead to his restoration. But because even such people must not be left without the hope of healing, and our most Christian Emperor has devoutly desired a council of bishops to be held so that all error may be destroyed by a fuller judgment, I have sent our brothers Julius the bishop, Renatus the presbyter, and my son Hilary the deacon, along with the notary Dulcitius (whose faith we have tested), to attend your holy assembly in my place, brethren, and to settle together with you what accords with the Lord's will. The pestilential error must first be condemned, and then the restoration of the one who has so unwisely erred may be discussed — but only if, by embracing the true doctrine, he fully and openly condemns with his own voice and signature those heretical opinions in which his ignorance has ensnared him. For this he has promised in the appeal he sent to us, pledging himself to follow our judgment in all things. On receiving our brother and fellow bishop Flavian's letter, we have replied to him at some length on the points he referred to us [in the Tome of Leo], so that once this error is destroyed, there may be one Faith and one confession throughout the whole world, to the praise and glory of God — and that "in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:10). Dated June 13 in the consulship of the illustrious Asturius and Protogenes (449).

I. He commends the Emperor's appeal to the chair of Peter Leo, bishop, to the holy Synod which is assembled at Ephesus The devout faith of our most clement prince, knowing that it especially concerns his glory to prevent any seed of error from springing up within the Catholic Church, has paid such deference to the Divine institutions as to apply to the authority of the Apostolic See for a proper settlement: as if he wished it to be declared by the most blessed Peter himself what was praised in his confession, when the Lord said, whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am ? and the disciples mentioned various people's opinion: but, when He asked what they themselves believed, the chief of the apostles, embracing the fullness of the Faith in one short sentence, said, You are the Christ, the son of the living God : that is, You who truly is Son of man is also truly Son of the living God: You, I say, true in Godhead, true in flesh and one altogether , the properties of the two natures being kept intact. And if Eutyches had believed this intelligently and thoroughly, he would never have retreated from the path of this Faith. For Peter received this answer from the Lord for his confession. Blessed are you, Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood has not revealed it unto you, but My Father which is in heaven. And I say unto you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church: and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it Matthew 16:17-18 . But he who both rejects the blessed Peter's confession, and gainsays Christ's Gospel, is far removed from union with this building; for he shows himself never to have had any zeal for understanding the Truth, and to have only the empty appearance of high esteem, who did not adorn the hoary hairs of old age with any ripe judgment of the heart. II. The heresy of Eutyches is to be condemned, though his full repentance may lead to his restitution. But because the healing even of such men must not be neglected, and the most Christian Emperor has piously and devoutly desired a council of bishops to be held, that all error may be destroyed by a fuller judgment, I have sent our brothers Julius the bishop, Renatus the presbyter, and my son Hilary the deacon, and with them Dulcitius the notary, whose faith we have proved, to be present in my stead at your holy assembly, brethren, and settle in common with you what is in accordance with the Lord's will. To wit, that the pestilential error may be first condemned, and then the restitution of him, who has so unwisely erred, discussed, but only if embracing the true doctrine he fully and openly with his own voice and signature condemns those heretical opinions in which his ignorance has been ensnared: for this he has promised in the appeal which he sent to us, pledging himself to follow our judgment in all things. On receiving our brother and fellow bishop Flavian's letter, we have replied to him at some length on the points which he seems to have referred to us : that when this error which seems to have arisen, has been destroyed, there may be one Faith and one and the same confession throughout the whole world to the praise and glory of God, and that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father Philippians 2:10 . Dated 13th June in the consulship of the illustrious Asturius and Protogenes (449). About this page Source. Translated by Charles Lett Feltoe. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3604033.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.