Letter 39: He rebukes Flavian for not answering his repeated letters. Leo, the bishop, to Flavian, the bishop. Flavian was the Patriarch of Constantinople Our anxiety is increased by your silence, for it is long now since we received a letter from you, beloved: while we who bear a chief share in your cares , through our anxiety for the defense of the Faith...

He rebukes Flavian for not answering his repeated letters. Leo, the bishop, to Flavian [Patriarch of Constantinople], the bishop. Your silence only increases our anxiety. It has been a long time now since we received a letter from you, beloved, while we — who bear a chief share in your concerns through our anxiety for the defense of the Faith — have sent you several letters as opportunity allowed. We wanted to strengthen you with the comfort of our encouragement, so that you would not yield to the attacks of your adversaries in defending the Faith, but would know that we share in your struggle. We believe our messengers reached you some time ago, brother, through whom you should have received our full written instructions. We also sent Basil back to you, as you requested. Now, so that you will not think we have missed any opportunity to stay in contact with you, we are sending this note through our son Eupsychius, a man we hold in great honor and affection. We ask you to reply to our letter as quickly as possible and inform us immediately about your own actions, those of our representatives, and the resolution of the entire matter — so that we may replace the anxiety we now feel in defense of the Faith with better news. Dated August 11 in the consulship of the illustrious Asturius and Protogenes (449).

He rebukes Flavian for not answering his repeated letters. Leo, the bishop, to Flavian, the bishop. Flavian was the Patriarch of Constantinople Our anxiety is increased by your silence, for it is long now since we received a letter from you, beloved: while we who bear a chief share in your cares , through our anxiety for the defense of the Faith, have several times , as occasion served, sent letters to you: that we might aid you with the comfort of our exhortations not to yield to the assaults of your adversaries in defense of the Faith, but to feel that we were the sharers in your labour. Some time since we believe our messengers have reached you, brother, through whom you find yourself fully instructed by our writings and injunctions, and we have ourselves sent back Basil to you as you desired. Now, lest you should think we had omitted any opportunity of communicating with you, we have sent this note by our son Eupsychius, a man whom we hold in great honour and affection, asking you to reply to our letter with all speed, and inform us at once about your own actions and those of our representatives, and about the completion of the whole matter: so that we may allay the anxiety which we now feel in defense of the Faith, by happier tidings. Dated 11th August in the consulship of the illustrious Asturius and Protogenes (449). 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/3604039.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.