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| To Leo Augustus.
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Letter CLVI.
To Leo Augustus.
Leo, the bishop, to Leo Augustus.
I. There is no need to open the question
of doctrine again now.
Your clemency’s letter, which was full of
vigorous faith and of the light of truth, I have respectfully received,
which I wish I could obey, even in the matter of my personal
attendance, which your Majesty thinks necessary; for then I should gain
the greater advantage from the sight of your splendour. But I
believe you will approve of my view when reason has shown it
preferable. For since with holy and spiritual zeal you
consistently maintain the Church’s peace, and nothing is more
conducive to the defence of the Faith than to adhere to those things
which have been incontrovertibly defined under the unceasing guidance
of the Holy Spirit, we shall seem575
| 575 i.e. by carrying out
your plan. The appeal to the Emperor’s orthodoxy must be
regarded as diplomatic rather than accurate: for Leo was the
nominee of Arianism, if not himself an Arian. | to be doing
our best to upset
the
decrees, and at the bidding of a heretic’s petition to overthrow
the authorities which the universal Church has adopted, and thus to
remove all limits from the conflicts of Churches, and giving full rein
to rebellion, to extend rather than appease contentions. And
hence because after the disgraceful scenes at the synod of Ephesus,
whereat through the wickedness of Dioscorus the catholic Faith was
rejected, and Eutyches’ heresy accepted, nothing more useful
could be devised for the preservation of the Christian Faith than that
the holy Synod of Chalcedon should rescind his wicked acts, and that
such care should be bestowed thereat on heavenly doctrine, that nothing
should linger in any one’s mind in disagreement with the
utterances of either the Prophets or the Apostles, such moderation of
course being observed that only the persistent rebels should be cast
off from the unity of the Church, and no one who was penitent should be
denied pardon, what more in accordance with men’s expectations or
with religion will your Majesty be able to decree, than that no one
henceforth be permitted to attack what has been determined by decrees
which are Divine rather than human, lest they be truly worthy but to
lose God’s gift, who have dared to doubt
concerning His Truth?
II. The proposal to reconsider the
question proceeds from Antichrist or the Devil himself.
Since, therefore, the universal Church has become
a rock (petra) through the building up of that original
Rock576
| 576 Per illius
principalis petræ ædificationem: here petra
is apparently Christ Himself, cf. Letter XXVIII. chap. 5, and
Bright’s n. 64. | , and the first of the Apostles, the most
blessed Peter, heard the voice of the Lord
saying, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock (petra) I will
build My Church577
,” who is
there who dare assail such impregnable strength, unless he be either
antichrist or the devil, who, abiding unconverted in his wickedness, is
anxious to sow lies by the vessels of wrath which are suited to his
treachery, whilst under the false name of diligence he pretends to be
in search of the Truth. And his unrestrained madness and blind
wickedness has deservedly brought contempt and disrepute on himself, so
that while he rages against the holy church of Alexandria with
diabolical purpose, men may learn the character of those who desire to
reconsider the Synod of Chalcedon. For it cannot possibly have
been that an opinion was there expressed contrary to the holy Synod of
Nicæa, as the heretics falsely maintain, who pretend that they
hold the faith of the Nicene Council, in which our holy and venerable
fathers, being assembled against Arius, affirmed not that the
Lord’s Flesh, but that the Son’s
Godhead was homoousion with the Father, whereas in the Council
of Chalcedon against the blasphemy of Eutyches, it was defined that the
Lord Jesus Christ took the reality of our body
from the substance of the Virgin-mother.
III. All the bishops of Christendom agree
with him in this.
Therefore in addressing our most Christian
Emperor, who is worthy to be classed among the champions of Christ, I
use the freedom of the catholic Faith and fearlessly exhort you to
throw in your lot with Apostles and Prophets; firmly to despise and
reject those who have deprived themselves of their Christian name, and
not to let blasphemous parricides, who, it is agreed, wish to annul the
Faith, discuss that Faith under treacherous pretexts. For since
the Lord has enriched your clemency with such
insight into His mystery, you ought unhesitatingly to consider that the
kingly power has been conferred on you not for the governance of the
world alone but more especially for the guardianship of the
Church: that by quelling wicked attempts you may both defend that
which has been rightly decreed, and restore true peace where there has
been disturbance, that is to say by deposing usurpers578
of the rights of others and reinstating
the ancient Faith in the See of Alexandria, that by your reforms
God’s wrath may be appeased, and so He
take not vengeance for their doings on a people hitherto religious, but
forgive them. Set before the eyes of your heart, venerable
Emperor, the fact that all the Lord’s
priests which are in all the world, are beseeching you on behalf of
that Faith, wherein is Redemption for the whole world. In which
those maintainers of the Apostolic Faith more particularly appeal to
you who have presided over the Church of Alexandria, entreating your
Majesty not to allow heretics who have rightfully been condemned for
their perversity, to continue in their usurpation579
| 579 Pervasione,
others read persuasione (false opinion). | ; for, whether you look at the wickedness
of their error or consider the deed which their madness has
perpetrated, not only are they unable to be admitted to the dignity of
the priesthood, but they even deserve to be cut off from the name of
Christian. For—and I entreat your Majesty’s
forgiveness for saying so—they to some extent dim your own
splendour, most glorious Emperor, when such treacherous parricides dare
to ask for
that which even
the guiltless could not lawfully obtain.
IV. The difference between the two
petitions which have been presented to the Emperor.
Petitions have been presented to your
Majesty580
| 580 These had come, one
from either side, as the sequel shows: that of the catholics was
signed by fourteen bishops, four presbyters, and two deacons
(Ball.). | , copies of which you subjoined to your
letter. But in that which comes in deprecation from the
catholics, a list of signatures is contained: and because their
case had good reason in it, the names of individuals, and even their
dignified rank is confidently disclosed. But in that, which
heretical intrusion has not feared to offer to our orthodox Emperor
under the vague sanction of a motley body, all particular names are
withheld for this reason, lest not only the paucity of members but also
their worth might be discovered. For they think it expedient to
conceal their number, though their quality is indicated, and not
improperly they are afraid to proclaim their position, seeing that they
deserve to be condemned. In the one document therefore is
contained the petition of catholics, in the other the fictions of
heretics are set forth. Here the overthrow of the Lord’s priests, of the whole Christian people, and
of the monasteries is bemoaned: there is displayed the
continuance of gigantic wrongs, so that what ought never to have been
heard of581
| 581 Audiri:
others auderi (to have been ventured on). | is allowed to be
widely extended.
V. It is a great opportunity for the
Emperor to show his faith.
Is it not clear which side you ought to support
and which to oppose, if the Church of Alexandria, which has always been
the “house of prayer,” is not now to be “a den of
robbers582
?” For surely it is manifest
that through the cruellest and maddest savagery all the light of the
heavenly mysteries is extinguished. The offering of the sacrifice
is cut off, the hallowing of the chrism has failed583
| 583 Cf. Serm. LXVI.
chap. 2, nobiscum est signaculum circumcisionis, sanctificatio
chrismatum, consecratio sacerdotum: see Bright’s n. 90,
from which we learn that “this chrism was that which, from the
second century, had been administered in connection with
Confirmation.” This rite, which had at first been part of
the Baptism itself, was now apparently performed at a shorter or longer
interval after Baptism according to the convenience of the
Bishop: cf. Serm. LXXVII. 1. | , and from the murderous hands of wicked
men all the mysteries have withdrawn themselves. Nor can there be
any manner of doubt what decree ought to be passed on these then, who
after unutterable acts of sacrilege, after shedding the blood of a most
highly reputed priest, and scattering the ashes of his burnt body to be
the sport of the winds of heaven, dare to demand for themselves the
rights of a usurped dignity and to arraign before councils the
inviolable Faith of the Apostolic teaching. Great, therefore, is
the opportunity for you to add to your diadem from the Lord’s hand the crown of faith also, and to triumph
over the Church’s foes: for, if it be matter of praise to
you to vanquish the armies of opposing nations, how great will be the
glory of freeing from its mad tyrant the church of Alexandria, the
affliction of which is an injury to all Christians?
VI. He promises more detailed statements
on the Faith subsequently, and begs him to correct certain things in
which Anatolius is remiss.
But in order that my correspondence may have the
effect on your Majesty of a mouth to mouth colloquy, I have seen that
whatever suggestions I would make about our common Faith, must be
conveyed in subsequent communications584
| 584 Viz. Letters CLXII.,
CLXIV., and esp. CLXV. (which last is in a large measure a rescription
of Letter CXXIV. q.v.). | . And
lest the pages of this epistle reach too great a length, I have
comprised in another letter what is agreeable to the maintenance of the
catholic Faith, in order that, though the published statements of the
Apostolic See were sufficient, yet these additional statements might
also break down the snares of the heretics. For your
Majesty’s priestly and Apostolic mind ought to be still further
kindled to righteous vengeance by this pestilential evil, which mars
the purity of the church of Constantinople, in which are found certain
clerics, who agree with the interpretations of the heretics and within
the very heart of the Church assist them by their support585
| 585 Two of these are
mentioned by name subsequently, e.g. in Lett. CLVII. (to Anatolius),
chap. 4, viz. Atticus a presbyter and Andrew, in which chapter he
blames Anatolius severely for his double-dealing (cogor vehementius
de tua dissimulatione causari, etc.). | . In removing whom if my brother
Anatolius is found remiss through too good-natured leniency, vouchsafe
to show your faith by administering this remedy also to the Church,
that such men be driven not only from the ranks of the clergy, but also
from dwelling in the city. I commend to you your Majesty’s
loyal subjects, bishop Julian and presbyter Aetius, with a request that
you will deign to listen quietly to their suggestions in defence of the
catholic Faith, because they are in good truth men who may be found
helpful to your faith in all things. Dated the 1st of Dec. in the
consulship of the illustrious Constantine and Rufus
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