Letter 93: Leo, the bishop of the city of Rome, to the holy Synod, assembled at Nicæa. I had indeed prayed, dearly beloved, on behalf of my dear colleagues that all the Lord's priests would persist in united devotion to the Catholic Faith, and that no one would be misled by favour or fear of secular powers into departure from the way of Truth; but because ...

To the Synod of Chalcedon [the Fourth Ecumenical Council, 451, which produced the definitive statement on Christ's two natures]. I. He excuses his absence from the Synod and introduces his representatives. Leo, the bishop of the city of Rome, to the holy Synod assembled at Nicaea [the council was moved from Nicaea to Chalcedon before it began]. I had indeed prayed, dearly beloved, on behalf of my dear colleagues that all the Lord's priests would persist in united devotion to the Catholic Faith, and that no one would be misled by favor or fear of secular powers into departing from the way of Truth. But since many things often produce the need for repentance and God's mercy transcends the faults of the guilty, and punishment is postponed so that reformation may take place, we must welcome our most merciful Emperor's council, convened with pious intent. He has desired your holy brotherhood to assemble for the purpose of destroying the devil's traps and restoring the peace of the Church, while showing such respect for the rights and dignity of the most blessed Apostle Peter as to invite us by letter to attend your venerable Synod in person. That is not possible given either the needs of the times or any existing precedent. Yet in these brothers — Paschasinus and Lucentius, bishops, and Boniface and Basil, presbyters, who have been sent by the Apostolic See — let your brotherhood consider that I am presiding at the Synod. For my presence is not withdrawn from you: I am now represented by my delegates, and I have long been truly with you in proclaiming the Catholic Faith. You who cannot help knowing what we believe in accordance with ancient tradition cannot doubt what we desire. II. He urges them to restate the Faith as laid down in the Tome. Therefore, dearest brothers, let all attempts to undermine the divinely inspired Faith be entirely put down. Let the empty unbelief of heretics be laid to rest. Let nothing be defended that may not rightly be believed. For in accordance with the authoritative statements of the Gospel, the utterances of the prophets, and the teaching of the Apostles, with the greatest fullness and clarity in the letter we sent to Bishop Flavian of blessed memory [the Tome], it has been laid down what the faithful and pure confession is regarding the mystery of our Lord Jesus Christ's Incarnation. III. The expelled bishops must be restored, and the anti-Nestorian canons must retain their force. But because we know full well that through malicious jealousy the affairs of many churches have been thrown into chaos, and a large number of bishops have been driven from their sees for refusing to accept the heresy and sent into exile — while others have been placed in their positions even though they are still alive — to these wounds above all the healing of justice must be applied. No one must be deprived of what is rightfully his so that someone else may enjoy it. For if, as we hope, all abandon their error, no one need lose his present rank, and those who have labored for the Faith should have their rights restored with every privilege. Let the decrees specifically directed against Nestorius from the earlier Synod of Ephesus [the Council of Ephesus, 431] — at which Bishop Cyril of holy memory presided — retain their full force, so that the heresy then condemned does not take encouragement simply because Eutyches is now being rightfully condemned. For the purity of the Faith and doctrine that we proclaim in the same spirit as our holy Fathers equally condemns and opposes both the Nestorian and the Eutychian error along with their supporters. Farewell in the Lord, dearest brothers. Dated June 26, in the consulship of the illustrious Adelfius (451).

To the Synod of Chalcedon. I. He excuses his absence from the Synod, and introduces his representatives. Leo, the bishop of the city of Rome, to the holy Synod, assembled at Nicæa. I had indeed prayed, dearly beloved, on behalf of my dear colleagues that all the Lord's priests would persist in united devotion to the Catholic Faith, and that no one would be misled by favour or fear of secular powers into departure from the way of Truth; but because many things often occur to produce penitence and God's mercy transcends the faults of delinquents, and vengeance is postponed in order that reformation may have place, we must make much of our most merciful prince's piously intentioned Council, in which he has desired your holy brotherhood to assemble for the purpose of destroying the snares of the devil and restoring the peace of the Church, so far respecting the rights and dignity of the most blessed Apostle Peter as to invite us too by letter to vouchsafe our presence at your venerable Synod. That indeed is not permitted either by the needs of the times or by any precedent. Yet in these brethren, that is Paschasinus and Lucentius, bishops, Boniface and Basil, presbyters, who have been deputed by the Apostolic See, let your brotherhood reckon that I am presiding at the Synod; for my presence is not withdrawn from you, who am now represented by my vicars, and have this long time been really with you in the proclaiming of the Catholic Faith: so that you who cannot help knowing what we believe in accordance with ancient tradition, cannot doubt what we desire. II. He entreats them to re-State the Faith as laid down in the Tome. Wherefore, brethren most dear, let all attempts at impugning the Divinely-inspired Faith be entirely put down, and the vain unbelief of heretics be laid to rest: and let not that be defended which may not be believed: since in accordance with the authoritative statements of the Gospel, in accordance with the utterances of the prophets, and the teaching of the Apostles, with the greatest fullness and clearness in the letter which we sent to bishop Flavian of happy memory, it has been laid down what is the loyal and pure confession upon the mystery of our Lord Jesus Christ's Incarnation. III. The ejected bishops must be restored, and the Nestorian canons retain their force. But because we know full well that through evil jealousies the state of many churches has been disturbed, and a large number of bishops have been driven from their Sees for not receiving the heresy and conveyed into exile, while others have been put into their places though yet alive, to these wounds first of all must the healing of justice be applied, nor must any one be deprived of his own possession that some one else may enjoy it: for if, as we desire, all forsake their error, no one need lose his present rank, and those who have laboured for the Faith ought to have their rights restored with every privilege. Let the decrees specially directed against Nestorius of the former Synod of Ephesus, at which bishop Cyril of holy memory presided, still retain their force, lest the heresy then condemned flatter itself in anything because Eutyches is visited with condign execration. For the purity of the Faith and doctrine which we proclaim in the same spirit as our holy Fathers, equally condemns and impugns the Nestorian and the Eutychian misbelief with its supporters. Farewell in the Lord, brethren most dear. Dated 26th of June, in the consulship of the illustrious Adelfius (451). 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/3604093.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.