Letter 44: Leo, the bishop, and the holy Synod which is assembled at Rome to Theodosius Augustus. I. He exposes the unscrupulous nature of the proceedings at Ephesus.

Leo, Bishop of Rome, and the holy synod assembled at Rome: to Theodosius Augustus. I. He exposes the unscrupulous nature of the proceedings at Ephesus From your clemency's letter, written out of love for the Catholic faith and addressed some time ago to the see of the blessed Apostle Peter, we drew such confidence in your defense of truth and peace that we believed nothing harmful could result from so clear and well-ordered a matter. This was especially so because those we sent to the episcopal council that you ordered held at Ephesus were thoroughly instructed. If the Bishop of Alexandria had allowed the letters they carried -- whether addressed to the holy synod or to Bishop Flavian -- to be read in the hearing of the assembled bishops, the declaration of the most pure faith which we have both received and hold, being divinely inspired, would have silenced all dispute so completely that neither ignorance could have displayed itself further nor jealousy found an opportunity to do mischief. But because private interests were served under the cover of religion, the disloyalty of a few has inflicted a wound upon the entire Church. For not from any unreliable source, but from a most faithful witness to the events -- our deacon Hilarus, who barely managed to escape so that he would not be compelled by force to sign their proceedings -- we have learned what took place. A great many bishops assembled at the synod, and their numbers would certainly have aided the debate and decision if the one who claimed the chief place had been willing to maintain priestly moderation, allowing all to express their opinions freely and then, after calm and fair deliberation, reaching a conclusion both agreeable to the faith and helpful to those in error. But we are told that not all who attended were admitted to the actual decision. Some were excluded; others, at Bishop Dioscorus's demand, surrendered themselves to an unrighteous subscription, knowing they would suffer harm if they refused. The resolution he forced through was of such a nature that by attacking one man he vented his fury on the entire Church. Our delegates from the Apostolic See found this so blasphemous and contrary to the Catholic faith that no pressure could induce them to assent. In that very synod they protested vigorously that the Apostolic See could never accept what was being done. II. He asks the Emperor to convene a new council We therefore beseech your clemency, for the sake of your own faith and for the peace of the entire Catholic world, to order a new general council to be held in Italy, so that all the judgments which were either extorted by fear or obtained by intrigue at Ephesus may be reviewed and, where necessary, reversed. This is the only remedy that will satisfy the injured faith and restore peace to the troubled churches. For what was perpetrated there was not a judgment but a crime, and a crime so audacious that the very foundations of the Christian faith were shaken by it. We urge you, most pious emperor, not to allow the proceedings of one unlawful assembly to stand as the sentence of the whole Church. The Catholic faith, which your illustrious predecessors defended with all their strength, calls upon you now for the same protection. It is your glory to be the defender of divine truth, and we are confident that the same Spirit who guards your empire will guide you in this matter. Dated at Rome.

Leo, the bishop, and the holy Synod which is assembled at Rome to Theodosius Augustus. I. He exposes the unscrupulous nature of the proceedings at Ephesus. From your clemency's letter, which in your love of the Catholic Faith you sent sometime ago to the see of the blessed Apostle Peter, we drew such confidence in your defense of truth and peace that we thought nothing harmful could happen in so plain and well-ordered a matter; especially when those who were sent to the episcopal council, which you ordered to be held at Ephesus, were so fully instructed that, if the bishop of Alexandria had allowed the letters, which they brought either to the holy synod or to Flavian the bishop, to be read in the ears of the bishops, by the declaration of the most pure Faith, which being Divinely inspired we both have received and hold, all noise of disputings would have been so completely hushed that neither ignorance could any longer disport itself, nor jealousy find occasion to do mischief. But because private interests are consulted under cover of religion, the disloyalty of a few has wrought that which must wound the whole Church. For not from some untrustworthy messenger, but from a most faithful narrator of the things which have been done, Hilary, our deacon, who, lest he should be compelled by force to subscribe to their proceedings, with great difficulty made his escape, we have learned that a great many priests came together at the synod, whose numbers would doubtless have assisted the debate and decision, if he who claimed for himself the chief place had consented to maintain priestly moderation, in order that, according to custom, when all had freely expressed their opinion, after quiet and fair deliberation, that might be ordained which was both agreeable to the Faith and helpful to those in error. But we have been told that all who had come were not present at the actual decision: for we have learned that some were rejected while others were admitted, who at the aforesaid priest's requisition surrendered themselves to an unrighteous subscription, knowing they would suffer harm unless they obeyed his commands, and that such a resolution was brought forward by him that in attacking one man he might wreak his fury of the whole Church. Which our delegates from the Apostolic See saw to be so blasphemous and opposed to the Catholic Faith that no pressure could force them to assent; for in the same synod they stoutly protested, as they ought, that the Apostolic See would never receive what was being passed: since the whole mystery of the Christian Faith is absolutely destroyed (which Heaven forfend in your Grace's reign), unless this abominable wickedness, which exceeds all former blasphemies, be abolished. II. And entreats the Emperor to help in reversing their decision. But because the devil with wicked subtlety deceives the unwary, and so mocks the imprudence of some by a show of piety as to persuade them to things harmful instead of profitable, we pray your Grace, renounce all complicity in this endangering of religion and Faith, and afford in the treatment of Divine things that which is granted in worldly matters by the equity of your laws, that human presumption may not do violence to Christ's Gospel. Behold, I, O most Christian and honoured Emperor, with my fellow priests fulfilling towards your revered clemency the offices of sincere love, and desiring you in all things to please God, to whom prayers are offered for you by the Church, lest before the Lord Christ's tribunal we be judged guilty for our silence — we beseech you in the presence of the Undivided Trinity of the One Godhead, Whom such an act wrongs (for He is Himself the Guardian and the Author of your empire), and in the presence of Christ's holy angels, order everything to be in the position in which they were before the decision until a larger number of priests be assembled from the whole world. Suffer not yourself to be weighted with another's sin because (and we must say it) we are afraid lest He, Whose religion is being destroyed, be provoked to wrath. Keep before your eyes, and with all your mental vision gaze reverently upon the blessed Peter's glory, and the crowns which all the Apostles have in common with him and the palms of all the martyrs, who had no other reason for suffering than the confession of the true Godhead and the true Manhood in Christ. III. He asks for a Council in Italy. And because this mystery is now being impiously opposed by a few ignorant persons, all the churches of our parts, and all the priests entreat your clemency, with groans and tears seeing that our delegates faithfully protested, and bishop Flavian gave them an appeal in writing, to order a general synod to be held in Italy, which shall either dismiss or appease all disputes in such a way that there be nothing any longer either doubtful in the Faith or divided in love, and to it, of course, the bishops of the Eastern provinces must come, and if any of them were overcome by threats and injury, and deviated from the path of truth, they may be fully restored by health-giving measures, and they themselves, whose case is harder, if they acquiesce in wiser counsels, may not fall from the unity of the Church. And how necessary this request is after the lodging of an appeal is witnessed by the canonical decrees passed at Nicæa by the bishops of the whole world, which are added below. Show favour to the Catholics after your own and your parents' custom. Give us such liberty to defend the Catholic Faith as no violence, no fear of the world, while your revered clemency is safe, shall be able to take away. For it is the cause not only of the Church but of your Kingdom and prosperity that we plead, that you may enjoy the peaceful sway of your provinces. Defend the Church in unshaken peace against the heretics, that your empire also may be defended by Christ's right hand. Dated the 13th of October, 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/3604044.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. 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