Letter 56: When on our very arrival in the ancient city, we were engaged in paying our devotion to the most blessed Apostle Peter, at the martyr's very altar, the most reverend Bishop Leo waiting behind awhile after the service uttered laments over the Catholic Faith to us, and taking to witness the chief of the Apostles himself likewise, whom we had just ...

From Galla Placidia Augusta [mother of Emperor Valentinian III, and effective ruler of the Western Roman Empire] to Theodosius [Emperor Theodosius II of the Eastern Empire]. To the Lord Theodosius, Conqueror and Emperor, her ever august son — Galla Placidia, most pious and prosperous, perpetual Augusta and mother. When we had just arrived in the ancient city [Rome] and were paying our devotion to the most blessed Apostle Peter at the martyr's very altar, the most reverend Bishop Leo waited behind after the service and poured out his grief to us about the Catholic Faith. Taking as witness the chief of the Apostles himself, whose shrine we had just approached, and surrounded by a great number of bishops whom he had assembled from numerous cities across Italy by the authority and dignity of his position, and adding tears to his words, he called upon us to join our laments to his own. For no small harm has resulted from those events by which the standard of the Catholic Faith — so long guarded since the days of our most divine ancestor Constantine [the first Christian emperor] — has recently been disturbed by the actions of one man. At the synod held at Ephesus [the Second Council of Ephesus, 449, which Leo later called the "Robber Council" because of its violent proceedings], this man is alleged to have stirred up hatred and conflict rather than seeking truth, intimidating by the presence of soldiers Flavian, the bishop of Constantinople. Flavian had sent an appeal to the Apostolic See [the papacy in Rome] and to all the bishops of the West through those who had been sent to attend the synod by the most reverend Bishop of Rome — representatives who have always customarily attended such councils, most sacred Lord and Son, in accordance with the provisions of the Council of Nicaea [the first ecumenical council, 325 AD]. For this reason, we pray your clemency to oppose such disturbances with the Truth, and to order the Faith of the Catholic religion to be preserved without stain. We ask that, in accordance with the standard and decision of the Apostolic See — which we likewise revere as preeminent — Flavian may remain completely unharmed in his priestly office, and the matter be referred to the Synod of the Apostolic See, where the one who was deemed worthy to receive the keys of heaven first adorned the primacy [a reference to St. Peter and Rome's claim to papal authority]. For it is fitting that in all things we maintain the respect due to this great city, which is the mistress of the whole world. We must also take the greatest care that what our house has guarded in former times should not be weakened in our day, and that this precedent not be used to advance divisions between bishops or the most holy churches.

From Galla Placidia Augusta to Theodosius To the Lord Theodosius, Conqueror and Emperor, her ever august son, Galla Placidia, most pious and prosperous, perpetual Augusta and mother. When on our very arrival in the ancient city, we were engaged in paying our devotion to the most blessed Apostle Peter, at the martyr's very altar, the most reverend Bishop Leo waiting behind awhile after the service uttered laments over the Catholic Faith to us, and taking to witness the chief of the Apostles himself likewise, whom we had just approached, and surrounded by a number of bishops whom he had brought together from numerous cities in Italy by the authority and dignity of his position, adding also tears to his words, called upon us to join our moans to his own. For no slight harm has arisen from those occurrences, whereby the standard of the Catholic Faith so long guarded since the days of our most Divine father Constantine, who was the first in the palace to stand out as a Christian, has been recently disturbed by the assumption of one man, who in the synod held at Ephesus is alleged to have rather stirred up hatred and contention, intimidating by the presence of soldiers, Flavianus, the bishop of Constantinople, because he had sent an appeal to the Apostolic See, and to all the bishops of these parts by the hands of those who had been deputed to attend the Synod by the most reverend Bishop of Rome, who have been always wont so to attend, most sacred Lord and Son and adored King, in accordance with the provisions of the Nicene Synod. For this cause we pray your clemency to oppose such disturbances with the Truth, and to order the Faith of the Catholic religion to be preserved without spot, in order that according to the standard and decision of the Apostolic See, which we likewise revere as pre-eminent, Flavianus may remain altogether uninjured in his priestly office, and the matter be referred to the Synod of the Apostolic See, wherein assuredly he first adorned the primacy, who was deemed worthy to receive the keys of heaven: for it becomes us in all things to maintain the respect due to this great city, which is the mistress of all the earth; and this too we must most carefully provide that what in former times our house guarded seem not in our day to be infringed, and that by the present example schisms be not advanced either between the bishops or the most holy churches. 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/3604056.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.