Letter 165

From: The Eastern Commissioners at Chalcedon (including Theodoret) To: The Eastern Bishops remaining at Ephesus Date: 431 AD Context: A frustrated dispatch after a fifth audience with the emperor. The Eastern delegation reports that despite their insistence, Cyril's party evades all doctrinal investigation. They also note that they have tried but failed to raise the case of Nestorius, since everyone is hostile to him. Third Letter of the Eastern Commissioners from Chalcedon, To the very pious bishops now in Ephesus -- Johannes, Himerius, Paulus, Apringius, Theodoretus -- greetings. For the fifth time we have been granted an audience. We went into the matter of the heretical Chapters at length, and swore again and again to the emperor that it was impossible for us to hold communion with our opponents unless they rejected the Chapters. We pointed out moreover that even if Cyril renounced his Chapters, he could not be received by us, since he had become the founder of so impious a heresy. Nevertheless, we gained no ground, because our opponents pressed their case aggressively, and those presiding could neither restrain their insolent behavior nor compel them to engage in proper inquiry and argument. They avoid any investigation of the Chapters and allow no discussion about them. We, however, as you urge, are prepared to insist even to the death. We refuse to accept Cyril and his Chapters. We will not admit these men to communion until the improper additions to the faith are rejected. We therefore implore your holiness to continue to show both our resolve and our efforts. This battle is for true religion -- for the only hope we have, the hope on account of which we look forward to enjoying the loving-kindness of our Savior in the world to come. As for the most pious and holy bishop Nestorius: we have tried to raise his case but have so far failed, because everyone is ill-disposed toward him. We will nevertheless do our best to seize any opportunity that arises, with God's help. But so that your holiness may know this too: seeing that Cyril's faction has deceived everyone through bullying, cheating, flattery, and bribery, we have more than once asked the emperor and the most noble officials to send us back to the East and to let your holiness go home as well. We are beginning to realize that we are wasting our time without achieving our goal, because Cyril everywhere avoids discussion, convinced that the blasphemies in his Twelve Chapters can be publicly refuted. The most pious emperor has determined, after much deliberation, that everyone should go home, and that both the Egyptian [Cyril] and Memnon of Ephesus are to remain in their respective sees. So the Egyptian will be able to continue his deceptions with bribes.

Letter 165 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... Letter of the same to the same. To the very pious bishops now in Ephesus: Johannes, Himerius, Paulus, Apringius, Theodoretus, greeting. For the fifth time an audience has been granted us. We entered largely into the question of the heretical Chapters, and swore again and again to the very pious emperor that it was impossible for us to hold communion with our opponents unless they rejected the Chapters. We pointed out moreover that even if Cyril did abjure his Chapters he could not be received by us, because he had become the heresiarch of so impious a heresy. Nevertheless we gained no ground, because our adversaries were urgent, and their hearers could neither restrain them in their insolent endeavour, nor compel them to come to enquiry and argument. They thus evade the investigation of the Chapters, and allow no discussion concerning them. We, however, as you entreat, are ready to insist to the death. We refuse to receive Cyril and his Chapters; we will not admit these men to Communion till the improper additions to the Faith be rejected. We therefore implore your holiness to continue to show at once our mind and our efforts. The battle is for true religion; for the only hope we have — on account of which we look forward to enjoying, in the world to come, the loving-kindness of our Saviour. As to the very pious and holy bishop Nestorius, be it known to your piety that we have tried to introduce a word about him, but have hitherto failed, because all are ill-affected toward him. We will notwithstanding do our best, though this is so, to take advantage of any opportunity that may offer, and of the goodwill of the audience, to carry out this purpose, God helping us. But that your holiness may not be ignorant of this too, know that we, seeing that the partisans of Cyril have deceived everyone by domineering, cheating, flattering, and bribing, have more than once besought the very pious emperor and most noble princes both to send us back to the East, and let your holiness go home. For we are beginning to learn that we are wasting time in vain, without nearing our end, because Cyril everywhere shirks discussion, in his conviction that the blasphemies published in his Twelve Chapters can be openly refuted. The very pious emperor has determined, after many exhortations, that we all go every one to his own home, and that, further, both the Egyptian and Memnon of Ephesus are to remain in their own places. So the Egyptian will be able to go on blindfolding by bribery. The one, after crimes too many to tell, is to return to his diocese. The other, an innocent man, is barely permitted to go home. We and all here salute you and all the brotherhood with you.