Letter 158

From: The Bishops of the East (including Theodoret) To: Emperor Theodosius II Date: 431 AD Context: A follow-up report to the emperor, complaining that Cyril's party has ignored both their deposition and the imperial rebuke, has physically attacked the Eastern bishops, and has refused all doctrinal investigation. Report of the Bishops of the East to the Emperor, On receiving your piety's letter we hoped that the Egyptian storm which has struck the churches of God would be driven away. But we have been disappointed. Those men have been made even more reckless by their madness. They have paid no attention to the sentence of deposition justly passed upon them, nor have they become more moderate after your majesty's rebuke. They have trampled on both your laws and the canons of the holy Fathers, and though some of them are deposed and others excommunicated, they continue to hold services and celebrate communion in the houses of prayer. As we have already informed your majesty, when we sought merely to pray in the Church of the Apostles, we were not only prevented but actually stoned and chased for a considerable distance. We were forced to flee at full speed to save ourselves. Our opponents, meanwhile, act as though they may do whatever they please. They have refused to investigate the questions at issue and declined to defend Cyril's heretical Chapters, rejecting the clear proofs of the impiety they contain. They rely on sheer impudence, while the examination of these matters requires not impudence but calm, knowledge, and skill in doctrine. Under these circumstances we have found it necessary to send the most honorable Count Irenaeus to approach your piety and explain the situation. He has accurate information about everything that has occurred and has learned from us various proposals for restoring peace to the holy churches of God. We beg your clemency to grant him a patient hearing and to give prompt orders for whatever measures seem right, so that we are not crushed beyond endurance.

Letter 158 Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more — all for only $19.99... Report of (the Bishops of) the East to the Very Pious Emperor, which they delivered with the preceding Report to the Right Honourable Count Irenæus. On receiving the letter of your piety we entertained hopes that the Egyptian storm which has lately struck the churches of God would be driven away. But we have been disappointed. Those men have been made even yet more daring by their madness; they have given no heed to the sentence of deposition justly and in due forth passed upon them, nor have become any more moderate in consequence of the rebuke of your majesty. They have trampled down alike the laws of your piety, and the canons of the holy Fathers, and, some of them being deposed and some excommunicated, keep festivals, and celebrate communion, in Houses of Prayer. And we, as we have already informed your Christ-loving majesty, on the receipt of your clemency's kindly letter, though our only desire was to pray in the church of the Apostles, have not only been prevented, but actually stoned, and chased for a considerable distance, so that we were compelled to effect our safety by flight at full speed. Our opponents on the contrary think that they may act just as they please. They have declined to make investigation of the questions at issue, and to undertake the defense of Cyril's heretical Chapters, rejecting the plain proofs of the impiety which they contain. They are impudent from mere impudence, while the examination of the questions before us requires not impudence, but calmness, knowledge, and skill in matters of doctrine. Under these circumstances we have been under the necessity of sending forward the most honourable Count Irenæus, to approach your piety, and to explain the position of affairs. He has accurate information concerning all that has occurred, and has learned from us many modes of cure, whereby it may be possible to bring about the restoration of tranquillity to the holy churches of God. We beseech your clemency to grant him patient audience, and to give orders for the prompt carrying out of whatever measures may seem good to your piety, that we be not here crushed beyond all endurance.