Bad Advertisement?
Are you a Christian?
Online Store:Visit Our Store
| To Anatolius, Bishop of Constantinople.
PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP 
Letter LXXX.
(To Anatolius, Bishop of
Constantinople.)
Leo, the bishop, to Anatolius, the bishop.
I. He rejoices at Anatolius having proved
himself orthodox.
We rejoice in the Lord
and glory in the gift of His Grace, Who has shown you a follower of
Gospel-teaching as we have found from your letter, beloved, and our
brothers’ account whom we sent to Constantinople: for now
through the approved faith of the priest, we are justifying in
presuming that the whole church committed to him will have no wrinkle
nor spot of error, as says the Apostle, “for I have espoused you
to one husband to present you a pure virgin to Christ411
.” For that virgin is the Church,
the spouse of one husband Christ, who suffers herself to be corrupted
by no error, so that through the whole world we have one entire and
pure communion in which we now welcome you as a fellow, beloved, and
give our approval to the order of proceedings which we have received,
ratified, as was proper, with the necessary signatures. In order,
therefore, that your spirit in turn, beloved, might be strengthened by
words of ours, we sent back after the Easter festival with our letters,
our sons, Casterius, the Presbyter, and Patricius and Asclepias, the
Deacons, who brought your writings to us, informing you, as we said
above, that we rejoice at the peace of the church of Constantinople, on
which we have ever spent such care that we wish it to be polluted by no
heretical deceit.
II. The penitents among the backsliding
bishops are to be received back into full communion upon some plan to
be settled by Anatolius and Leo’s delegates.
But concerning the brethren whom we learn from your
letters, and from our delegates’ account, to be desirous of
communion with us, on the ground of their sorrow that they did
not remain constant against
violence and intimidation, but gave their assent to another’s
crime when terror had so bewildered them, that with hasty acquiescence
they ministered to the condemnation of the catholic and guiltless
bishop (Flavian), and to the acceptance of the detestable heresy (of
Eutyches), we approve of that which was determined upon in the presence
and with the co-operation of our delegates, viz., that they should be
content meanwhile with the communion of their own churches, but we wish
our delegates whom we have sent to consult with you, and come to some
arrangement whereby those who condemn their ill-doings with full
assurances of penitence, and choose rather to accuse than to defend
themselves, may be gladdened by being at peace and in communion with
us; on condition that what has been received against the catholic Faith
is first condemned with complete anathema. For otherwise in the
Church of God, which is Christ’s Body,
there are neither valid priesthoods nor true sacrifices, unless in the
reality of our nature the true High Priest makes atonement for us, and
the true Blood of the spotless Lamb makes us clean. For although
He be set on the Father’s right hand, yet in the same flesh which
He took from the Virgin, he carries on the mystery of propitiation, as
says the Apostle, “Christ Jesus Who died, yea, Who also rose, Who
is on the right hand of God, Who also maketh
intercession for us412
.” For
our kindness cannot be blamed in any case where we receive those who
give assurance of penitence, and at whose deception we were
grieved. The boon of communion with us, therefore, must neither
harshly be withheld nor rashly granted, because as it is fully
consistent with our religion to treat the oppressed with a Christlike
charity, so it is fair to lay the full blame upon the authors of the
disturbance.
III. The Names of Dioscorus, Juvenal, and
Eustathius are not to be read aloud at the holy altar.
Concerning the reading out of the names of
Dioscorus, Juvenal, and Eustathius413
| 413 Juvenal (Bishop of
Jerusalem), and Eustathius (Bishop of Berytus), had been two of the
principal abettors of Dioscorus in the Latrocinium. The
“reading out of their names at the altar” alludes to the
practice in the early Church of keeping registers (called
“diptychs”) of the members (alive and dead) of the Church,
from which one or two of the more prominent names (clerical and lay)
were read out at the celebration of the Holy mysteries: cf. the
modern “Bidding” prayer, &c. | at the holy
altar, it beseems you, beloved, to observe that which our friends who
were there present said ought to be done, and which is consistent with
the honourable memory of S. Flavian, and will not turn the minds of the
laity away from you. For it is very wrong and unbecoming that
those who have harassed innocent catholics with their attacks, should
be mingled indiscriminately with the names of the saints, seeing that
by not forsaking their condemned heresy, they condemn themselves by
their perversity: such men should either be chastised for their
unfaithfulness; or strive hard after forgiveness.
IV. One or two instructions about
individuals.
But our brother and fellow-bishop, Julian, and the
clergy who adhered to Flavian of holy memory, rendering him faithful
service, we wish to adhere to you also beloved, that they may know him
who we are sure lives by the merits of his faith with our God to be present with them in you. We wish you to
know this too, beloved, that our brother and fellow-bishop
Eusebius414
| 414 This is the Bishop of
Dorylæum in Phrygia, Eutyches former friend, but more recently his
relentless accuser of heresy. | , who for the
Faith’s sake endured many dangers and toils, is at present
staying with us and continuing in our communion; whose church we would
that your care should protect, that nothing may be destroyed in his
absence, and no one may venture to injure him in anything until he come
to you bearing a letter from us. And that our or rather all
Christian people’s affection for you may be stirred up in greater
measure, we wish this that we have written to you, beloved, to come to
all men’s knowledge, that they who serve our God may give thanks for the consummation of the peace of
the Apostolic See with you. But on other matters and persons you
will be more fully instructed, beloved, by the letter you will have
received through our delegates. Dated 13 April, in the consulship
of the illustrious Adelfius (451).E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
|
