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Transliteration of Greek words: All phonetical except: w = omega; h serves
three puposes: 1. = Eta; 2. = rough breathing, when appearing initially
before a vowel; 3. = in the aspirated letters theta = th, phi = ph, chi =
ch. Accents are given immediately after their corresponding vowels: acute =
' , grave = `, circumflex = ^. The character ' doubles as an apostrophe,
when necessary.
THE FIFTH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL.
THE SECOND COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE.
A.D. 553; Emperor--Justinian I; Pope--Vigilius.
The Emperor's Letter; Extracts from the Acts, Session VII.; The Sentence of
the Synod; The Capitula of the Council; The Anathemas against Origen
paralleled with the Anathematisms of the Emperor Justinian; The Decretal
Letter of the Pope.
EXTRACTS FROM THE ACTS.
SESSION I.
[The Emperor's Letter which was read to the Fathers.]
In the Name of our Lord God Jesus Christ. The Emperor Flavius
Justinian, German, Gothic, etc., and always Augustus, to the most blessed
bishops and patriarchs, Eutychius of Constantinople, Apollinarius of
Alexandria, Domninus of Theopolis, Stephen, George, and Damian, the most
religious bishops taking the place of that man of singular blessedness,
Eustochius, the Archbishop and Patriarch of Jerusalem, and the other most
religious bishops stopping in this royal city from the different provinces.
[The following is the letter condensed, including Hefele's digest.
History of the Councils, Vol. IV., p. 298.]
The effort of my predecessors, the orthodox Emperors, ever aimed at the
settling of controversies which had arisen respecting the faith by the
calling of Synods. For this cause Constantine assembled 318 Fathers at
Nice, and was himself present at the Council, and assisted those who
confessed the Son to be consubstantial with the Father. Theodosius, 150 at
Constantinople, Theodosius the younger, the Synod of Ephesus, the Emperor
Marcian, the bishops at Chalcedon. As, however, after Marcian's death,
controversies respecting the Synod of Chalcedon had broken out in several
places, the Emperor Leo wrote to all bishops of all places, in order that
everyone might declare his opinion in writing with regard to this holy
Council. Soon afterwards, however, had arisen again the adherents of
Nestorius and Eutyches, and caused great divisions, so that many Churches
had broken off communion with one another. When, now, the grace of God
raised us to the throne, we regarded it as our chief business to unite the
Churches again, and to bring the Synod of Chalcedon, together with the
three earlier, to universal acceptance. We have won many who previously
opposed that Synod; others, who persevered in their opposition, we
banished, and so restored the unity of the Church again. But the Nestorians
want to impose their heresy upon the Church; and, as they could not use
Nestorius for that purpose, they made haste to introduce their errors
through Theodore of Mopsuestia, the teacher of Nestorius, who taught still
more grievous blasphemies than his. He maintained, e.g., that God the Word
was one, and Christ another. For the same purpose they made use of those
impious writings of Theodoret which were directed against the first Synod
of Ephesus, against Cyril and his Twelve Chapters, and also the shameful
letter which Ibas is said to have written. They maintain that this letter
was accepted by the Synod of Chalcedon, and so would free from condemnation
Nestorius and Theodore who were commended in the letter. If they were to
succeed, the Logos could no longer be said to be "made man," nor Mary
called the Mother (genetrix) of God. We, therefore, following the holy
Fathers, have first asked you in writing to give your judgment on the three
impious chapters named, and you have answered, and have joyfully confessed
the true faith. Because, however, after the condemnation proceeding from
you, there are still some who defend the Three Chapters, therefore we have
summoned you to the capital, that you may here, in common assembly, place
again your view in the light of day. When, for example, Vigilius, Pope of
Old Rome, came hither, he, in answer to our questions, repeatedly
anathematised in writing the Three Chapters, and confirmed his
steadfastness in this view by much, even by the condemnation of his
deacons, Rusticus and Sebastian. We possess still his declarations in his
own hand. Then he issued his Judicatum, in which he anathematised the Three
Chapters, with the words, Et quoniam, etc. You know that he not only
deposed Rusticus and Sebastian because they defended the Three Chapters,
but also wrote to Valentinian, bishop of Scythia, and Aurelian, bishop of
Aries, that nothing might be undertaken against the Judicatum. When you
afterwards came hither at my invitation, letters were exchanged between you
and Vigilius in order to a common assembly.(1) But now he had altered his
view would no longer have a synod, but required that only the three
patriarchs and one other bishop (in communion with the Pope and the three
bishops about him) should decide the matter. In vain we sent several
commands to him to take part in the synod. He rejected also our two
proposals, either to call a tribunal for decision, or to hold a smaller
assembly, at which, besides him and his three bishops, every other
patriarch should have place and voice, with from three to five bishops of
his diocese. * We further declare that we hold fast to the decrees of the
four Councils, and in every way follow the holy Fathers, Athanasius,
Hilary, Basil, Gregory the Theologian, Gregory of Nyssa, Ambrose,
Theophilus, John (Chrysostom) of Constantinople, Cyril, Augustine, Proclus,
Leo and their writings on the true faith. As, however, the heretics are
resolved to defend Theodore of Mopsuestia and Nestorius with their
impieties, and maintain that that letter of Ibas was received by the Synod
of Chalcedon, so do we exhort you to direct your attention to the impious
writings of Theodore, and especially to his Jewish Creed which was brought
forward at Ephesus and Chalcedon, and anathematized by each synod with
those who had so held or did so hold; and we further exhort you to consider
what the holy Fathers have written concerning him and his blasphemies, as
well as what our predecessors have promulgated, as also what the Church
historians have set forth concerning him.(2) You will thence see that he
and his heresies have since been condemned and that therefore his name has
long since been struck from the diptychs of the Church of Mopsuestia.
Consider the absurd assertion that heretics ought not to be anathematized
after their deaths; and we exhort you further to follow in this matter the
doctrine of the holy Fathers, who condemned not only living heretics but
also anathematized after their death those who had died in their iniquity,
just as those who had been unjustly condemned they restored after their
death and wrote their names in the sacred diptychs; which took place in the
case of John and of Flavian of pious memory, both of them bishops of
Constantinople.(3) Moreover we exhort you to examine the writing of
Theodoret and the supposed letter of Ibas, in which the incarnation of the
Word is denied, the expression "Mother of God" and the holy Synod of
Ephesus rejected, Cyril called a heretic, and Theodore and Nestorius
defended and praised. And as they say that the Council of Chalcedon has
received this letter, you must compare the declarations of this Council
relating to the faith with the contents of the impious letter. Finally, we
entreat you to accelerate the matter. For he who when asked concerning the
right faith, puts off his answer for a long while, does nothing else but
deny the right faith. For in questioning and answering on things which are
of faith, it is not he who is found first or second, but he who is the more
ready with a right confession, that is acceptable to God. May God keep you,
most holy and religious fathers, for many years. Given IV. Nones of May, at
Constantinople, in the xxviith year of the reign of the imperial lord
Justinian, the perpetual Augustus, and in the xiith year after the
consulate of the most illustrious Basil.
EXTRACTS FROM THE ACTS.
SESSION VII.
You know how much care the most invincible Emperor has always had that
the contention raised up by certain persons with regard to the Three
Chapters should have a termination. ... For this intent he has required
themost religious Vigilius to assemble withyou and draw up a decree on this
matter in accordance with the Orthodox faith. Although therefore, Vigilius
has already frequently condemned the Three Chapters in writing, and has
done this also by word of mouth in the presence of the Emperor, and of the
most glorious judges and of many members of this synod, and has always been
ready to smite with anathema the defenders of Theodore of Mopsuestia, and
the letter which was attributed to Ibas, and the writings of Theodoret
which be set forth against the orthodox faith and against the twelve
capitula of the holy Cyril:(1) yet he has refused to do this in communion
with you and your synod.
Yesterday Vigilius sent Servus Dei, a most reverend Subdeacon of the
Roman Church, and invited Belisarius,(2) Cethegus, as also Justinus and
Constantine the most glorious consuls, as well as bishops Theodore,
Ascidas, Benignus, and Phocas, to come to him as he wished to give through
them an answer to the Emperor. They came, but speedily returned and
informed the most pious lord, that we had visited Vigilius, the most
religious bishop, and that he had said to us: "We have called you for this
reason, that you may know what things have been done in the past days. To
this end I have written a document about the disputed Three Chapters,
addressed to the most pious Emperor,(3) pray be good enough to read it, and
to carry it to his Serenity." But when we had heard this and had seen the
document written to your serenity, we said to him that we could not by any
means receive any document written to the most pious Emperor without his
bidding. "But you have deacons for running with messages, by whom you can
send it." He, however, said to us: "You now know that I have made the
document." But we, bishops, answered him: "If your blessedness is willing
to meet together with us and the most holy Patriarchs, and the most
religious bishops, and to treat of the Three Chapters and to give, in
unison with us all, a suitable form of the orthodox faith, as the Holy
Apostles and the holy Fathers and the four Councils have done, we will hold
thee as our head, as a farmer and primate. But if your holiness has drawn
up a document for the Emperor, you have errand-runners, as we have said;
send it by them." And when he had heard these things from us, he sent
Servus Dei the Subdeacon, who now awaits the answer of your serenity. And
when his Piety had heard this, he commanded through the aforesaid most
religious and glorious men, the before-named subdeacon to carry back this
message to the most religious Vigilius: "We invited him (you) to meet
together with the most blessed patriarchs and other religious bishops, and
with them in common to examine and judge the Three Chapters. But since you
have refused to do this, and you say that you alone have written by
yourself somewhat on the Three Chapters; if you have condemned them, in
accordance with those things which you did before, we have already many
such statements and need no more; but if you have written now something
contrary to these things which were done by you before, you have condemned
yourself by your own writing, since you have departed from orthodox
doctrine and have defended impiety. And how can you expect us to receive
such a document from you?"
And when this answer was given by the most pious Emperor, he did not
send through the same deacon any document in writing from himself. And all
this was done without writing as also to your blessedness.
[He then, according to all the MSS., presented certain documents to be
read, in the MS. printed by Labbe and Cossart, Tom. V., col. 549 et seqq.
These are fewer than in the Paris MS., which last also contains the
following just after the reading of the documents and after the Council had
declared that they proved the Emperor's zeal for the faith.]
Constantine, the most glorious Quaestor, said: While I am still present
at your holy council by reason of the reading of the documents which have
been presented to you, I would say that the most pious Emperor has sent a
minute (formam), to your Holy Synod, concerning the name of Vigilius, that
it be no more inserted in the holy diptychs of the Church, on account of
the impiety which he defended. Neither let it be recited by you, nor
retained, either in the church of the royal city, or in other churches
which are intrusted to you and to the other bishops in the State committed
by God to his rule. And when you hear this minute, again you will perceive
by it how much the most serene Emperor cares for the unity of the holy
churches and for the purity of the holy mysteries.
[The letter was then read.]
The holy Synod said: What has seemed good to the most pious Emperor is
congruous to the labours which he bears for the unity of the churches. Let
us preserve unity to (ad) the Apostolic See of the most holy Church of
ancient Rome, carrying out all things according to the tenor of what has
been read. De proposita vero quaestione quod jam promisimus procedat.
THE SENTENCE OF THE SYNOD.
Our Great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, as we learn from the parable in
the Gospel, distributes talents to each man according to his ability, and
at the fitting time demands an account of the work done by every man. And
if he to whom but one talent has been committed is condemned because he has
not worked with it but only kept it without loss, to how much greater and
more horrible judgment must he be subject who not only is negligent
concerning himself, but even places a stumbling-block and cause of offence
in the way of others? Since it is manifest to all the faithful that
whenever any question arises concerning the faith, not only the impious man
himself is condemned, but also he who when he has the power to correct
impiety in others, neglects to do so.(1)
We therefore, to whom it has been committed to rule the church of the
Lord, fearing the curse which hangs over those who negligently perform the
Lord's work, hasten to preserve the good seed of faith pure from the tares
of impiety which are being sown by the enemy.
When, therefore, we saw that the followers of Nestorius were attempting
to introduce their impiety into the church of God through the impious
Theodore, who was bishop of Mopsuestia, and through his impious writings;
and moreover through those things which Theodoret impiously wrote, and
through the wicked epistle which is said to have been written by Ibas to
Maris the Persian, moved by all these sights we rose up for the correction
of what was going on, and assembled in this royal city called thither by
the will of God and the bidding of the most religious Emperor.
And because it happened that the most religious Vigilius stopping in
this royal city, was present at all the discussions with regard to the
Three Chapters, and had often condemned them orally and in writing,
nevertheless afterwards he gave his consent in writing to be present at the
Council and examine together with us the Three Chapters, that a suitable
definition of the right faith might be set forth by us all. Moreover the
most pious Emperor, according to what had seemed good between us, exhorted
both him and us to meet together, because it is comely that the priesthood
should after common discussion impose a common faith. On this account we
besought his reverence to fulfil his written promises; for it was not right
that tile scandal with regard to these Three Chapters should go any
further, and the Church of God be disturbed thereby. And to this end we
brought to his remembrance the great examples left us by the Apostles, and
the traditions of the Fathers. For although the grace of the Holy Spirit
abounded in each one of the Apostles, so that no one of them needed the
counsel of another in the execution of his work, yet they were not willing
to define on the question then raised touching the circumcision of the
Gentiles, until being gathered together they had confirmed their own
several sayings by the testimony of the divine Scriptures.
And thus they arrived unanimously at this sentence, which they wrote to
the Gentiles: "It has seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, to lay upon
you no other burden than these necessary things, that ye abstain from
things offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and
from fornication."
But also the Holy Fathers, who from time to time have met in the four
holy councils, following the example of tile ancients, have by a common
discussion, disposed of by a fixed decree the heresies and questions which
had sprung up, as it was certainly known, that by common discussion when
the matter in dispute was presented by each side, the light of truth expels
the darkness of falsehood.
Nor is there any other way in which the truth can be made manifest when
there are discussions concerning the faith, since each one needs the help
of his neighbour, as we read in the Proverbs of Solomon: "A brother helping
his brother shall be exalted like a walled city; and he shall be strong as
a well-founded kingdom;" and again in Ecclesiastes he says: "Two are better
than one; because they have a good reward for their labour."
So also the Lord himself says: "Verily I say unto you that if two of
you shall agree upon earth as touching anything they shall seek for, they
shall have it from my Father which is in heaven. For wheresoever two or
three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
But when often he had been invited by us all, and when the most
glorious judges had been sent to him by the most religious Emperor, he
promised to give sentence himself on the Three Chapters (sententiam
proferre): And when we heard this answer, having the Apostle's admonition
in mind, that "each one must, give an account of himself to God" and
fearing the judgment that hangs over those who scandalize one, even of the
least important, and knowing how much sorer it must be to give offence to
so entirely Christian an Emperor, and to the people, and to all the
Churches; and further recalling what was said by God to Paul: "Fear not,
but speak, and be not silent, for I am with thee, and no one can harm
thee." Therefore, being gathered together, before all things we have
briefly confessed that we hold that faith which our Lord Jesus Christ, the
true God, delivered to his holy Apostles, and through them to the holy
churches, and which they who after thorn were holy fathers and doctors,
handed down to the people credited to them.
We confessed that we hold, preserve, and declare to the holy churches
that confession of faith which the 318 holy Fathers more at length set
forth, who were gathered together at Nice, who handed down the holy mathema
or creed. Moreover, the 150 gathered together at Constantinople set forth
our faith, who followed that same confession of faith and explained it. And
the consent of fire 200 holy fathers gathered for the same faith in the
first Council of Ephesus. And what things were defined by the 630 gathered
at Chalcedon for the one and the same faith, which they both followed and
taught. And all those wile from time to time have been condemned or
anathematized by the Catholic Church, and by the aforesaid four Councils,
we confessed that we hold them condemned and anathematized. And when we had
thus made profession of our faith we began the examination of the Three
Chapters, and first we brought into review the matter of Theodore of
Mopsuestia; and when all the blasphemies contained in his writings were
made manifest, we marvelled at the long-suffering of God, that the tongue
and mind which had framed such blasphemies were not immediately consumed by
the divine fire; and we never would have suffered the reader of the
aforenamed blasphemies to proceed, fearing [as we did] the indignation of
God for their record alone (as each blasphemy surpassed its predecessor in
the magnitude of its impiety and moved from its foundation the mind of the
hearer) had it not been that we saw they who gloried in such blasphemies
stood in need of the confusion which would come upon them through their
manifestation. So that all of us, moved with indignation by these
blasphemies against God, both during and after the reading, broke forth
into denunciations and anathematisms against Theodore, as if he had been
living and present. O Lord be merciful, we cried, not even devils have
dared to utter such things against thee.
O intolerable tongue! O the depravity of the man! O that high hand he
lifted up against his Creator! For the wretched man who had promised to
know the Scriptures, had no recollection of the words of the Prophet Hosea,
"Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: they are become famous because
they were impious as touching me; they spake iniquities against me, and
when they had thought them out, they spake the violent things against me.
Therefore shall they fall in the snare by reason of the wickedness of their
own tongues. Their contempt shall turn into their own bosom: because they
have transgressed my covenant and have acted impiously against my laws."
To these curses the impious Theodore is justly subject. For the
prophecies concerning Christ he rejected and hastened to destroy, so far as
he had the power, the great mystery of the dispensation for our salvation;
attempting in many ways to show the divine words to be nothing but fables,
for the mirth of the gentiles, and spurned the other prophetic
announcements made against the impious, especially that which the divine
Habacuc said of those who teach falsely, "Woe unto him that giveth his
neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him and makest him drunken that
thou mayest look on their nakedness," that is, their doctrines full of
darkness and altogether foreign to the light.
And why should we add anything further? For anyone can take in his
hands the writings of the impious Theodore or the impious chapters which
from his impious writings were inserted by us in our acts, and find the
incredible foolishness and the detestable things which he said. For we are
afraid to proceed further and again to remember these infamies.
There was also read to us what had been written by the holy Fathers
against him, and his foolishness which exceeded that of all heretics, and
moreover the histories and the imperial laws, setting forth his impiety
from the beginning, and since after all these things the defenders of his
impiety, glorying in the injuries uttered by him against his Creator, said
that it was not right to anathematize him after death, although we knew the
ecclesiastical tradition concerning the impious, that even after death,
heretics are anathematized; nevertheless we thought it necessary concerning
this also to make examination, and there were found in the acts how divers
heretics had been anathematized after death; and in many ways it was
manifest to us that those who were saying this cared nothing for the
judgment of God, nor for the Apostolic announcements, nor for the tradition
of the Fathers. And we would like to ask them what they have to say to the
Lord's having said of himself: "Whosoever should have believed in him, is
not judged: but who should not have believed in him is judged already,
because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God,"
and of that exclamation of the Apostle: Although we or an angel from heaven
were to preach to you another gospel than that we have preached unto you,
let him be anathema: as we have said, so now I say again, If anyone preach
to you another gospel than that you have received, let him be anathema."
For when the Lord says: "he is judged already," and when the Apostle
anathematizes even angels, if they teach anything different from what we
have preached, how can even those who dare all things, presume to say that
these words refer only to the living? or are they ignorant, or is it not
rather that they feign to be ignorant, that the judgment of anathema is
nothing else than that of separation from God? For the impious person,
although he may not have been verbally anathematized by anyone,
nevertheless he really is anathematized, having separated himself from the
true life by his impiety.
For what have they to answer to the Apostle again when he says, "A man
that is an heretic reject after the first and second corrections. Knowing
that such a man is perverse, and sins, and is condemned by himself."
In accordance with which words Cyril of blessed memory, in the books
which he wrote against Theodore, says as follows: They are to be avoided
who are in the grasp of such awful crimes whether they be among the quick
or not. For it is necessary always to flee from that which is hurtful, and
not to have respect of persons, but to consider what is pleasing to God.
And again the same Cyril of holy memory, writing to John, bishop of
Antioch, and to the synod assembled in that city concerning Theodore who
was anathematized together with Nestorius, says thus: It was therefore
necessary to keep a brilliant festival, since every voice which agreed with
the blasphemies of Nestorius had been cast out no matter whose. For it
proceeded against all those who held these same opinions or had at one time
held them, which is exactly what we and your holiness have said: We
anathematize those who say that there are two Sons and two Christs. For one
is he who is preached by us and you, as we have said, Christ, the Son and
Lord, only begotten as man, according to the saying of the most learned
Paul. And also in his letter to Alexander and Martinian and John and
Paregorius and Maximus, presbyters and monastic fathers, and those who with
them were leading the solitary life, he so says: The holy synod of Ephesus,
gathered together according to the will of God against the Nestorian
perfidy with a just and keen sentence condemned together with him the empty
words of those who afterwards should embrace or who had in time past
embraced the same opinions with him, and who presumed to say or write any
such thing, laying upon them an equal condemnation. For it followed
naturally that when one was condemned for such profane emptiness of speech,
the sentence should not come against one only, but (so to speak) against
every one of their heresies or calumnies, which they utter against the
pious doctrines of the Christ, worshipping two Sons, and dividing the
indivisible, and bringing in the crime of man-worship (anthropolatry), both
into heaven and earth. For with us the holy multitude of the supernal
spirits adore one Lord Jesus Christ. Moreover several letters of Augustine,
of most religious memory, who shone forth resplendent among the African
bishops, were read, shewing that it was quite right that heretics should be
anathematized after death. And this ecclesiastical tradition, the other
most reverend bishops of Africa have preserved: and the holy Roman Church
as well had anathematized certain bishops after their death, although they
had not been accused of any falling from the faith during their lives: and
of each we have the evidence in our hands.
But since the disciples of Theodore and of his impiety, who are so
manifestly enemies of the truth, have attempted to bring forward certain
passages of Cyril of holy memory and of Proclus, as though they had been
written in favour of Theodore, it is opportune to fit to them the words of
the prophet when he says: "The ways of the Lord are right and the just walk
therein; but the wicked shall be weak in them." For these, evilly receiving
the fixings which have been well and opportunely written by the holy
Fathers, and making excuses in their sins, quote these words. The fathers
do not appear as delivering Theodore from anathema, but rather as
economically using certain expressions on account of those who defended
Nestorius and his impiety, in order to draw them away from this error, and
to lead them to perfection and to teach them to condemn not only Nestorius,
the disciple of the impiety, but also his teacher Theodore. So in these
very words of economy the Fathers shew their intention on tiffs point, that
Theodore should be anathematized, as has been abundantly demonstrated by us
in our acts from the writings of Cyril and Proclus of holy memory with
regard to the condemnation of Theodore and his impiety. And such economy is
found in divine Scripture: and it is evident that Paul the Apostle made use
of this in the beginning of his ministry, in relation to those who had been
brought up as Jews, and circumcised Timothy, that by this economy and
condescension he might lead them on to perfection. But afterwards he
forbade circumcision, writing thus to the Galatians: "Behold, I Paul say to
you, that if ye be circumcised Christ profiteth you nothing." But we found
that that which heretics were wont to do, the defenders of Theodore had
done also. For cutting out certain of the things which the holy Fathers had
written, and placing with them and mixing up certain false things of their
own, they have tried by a letter of Cyril of holy memory as though from a
testimony of the Fathers, to free from anathema the aforesaid impious
Theodore: in which very passages the truth was demonstrated, when the parts
which had been cut off were read in their proper order, and the falsehood
was thoroughly evinced by the collation of the true. But in all these
things, they who spake such vanities, "trusted in falsehood," as it is
written, "they trust in falsehood, and speak vanity; they conceive grief
and bring forth iniquity, weaving the spider's web." When we had thus
considered Theodore and his impiety, we took care to have re cited and
inserted in our acts a few of these things which had been impiously written
by Theodoret against the right faith and against the Twelve Chapters of St.
Cyril and against the First Council of Ephesus, also certain things written
by him in defence of those impious ones Theodore and Nestorius, for the
satisfaction of the reader; that all might know that these had been justly
cast out and anathematized. In the third place the letter which is said to
have been written by Ibas to Maris the Persian, was brought forward for
examination, and we found that it, too, should be read. When it was read
immediately its impiety was manifest to all. And it was right to make the
condemnation and anathematism of the aforesaid Three Chapters, as even to
this time there had been some question on the subject. But because the
defenders of these impious ones, Theodore and Nestorius, were scheming in
some way or other to confirm these persons and their impiety, and were
saving that this impious letter, which praised and defended Theodore and
Nestorius and their impiety, had been received by the holy Council of
Chalcedon we thought it necessary to shew that the holy synod was free of
the impiety which was contained in that letter, that it might be clear that
they who say such things do not do so with the favour of this holy council,
but that through its name they may confirm their own impiety. And it was
shewn in the acts that in former times Ibas had been accused because of the
very impiety which is contained in this letter; at first by Proclus, of
holy memory, the bishop of Constantinople, and afterwards by Theodosius, of
pious memory, and by Flavian, who was ordained bishop in succession to
Proclus, who delegated the examination of the matter to Photius, bishop of
Tyre, and to Eustathius, bishop of the city of Beyroot. Afterwards the same
Ibas, being found guilty, was cast out of his bishopric. Such was the state
of the case, how could anyone presume to say that that impious letter was
received by the holy council of Chalcedon and that the holy council of
Chalcedon agreed with it throughout? Nevertheless in order that they who
thus calumniate the holy council of Chalcedon may have no further
opportunity of doing so, we ordered to be recited the decisions of the holy
Synods, to wit, of first Ephesus, and of Chalcedon, with regard to the
Epistles of Cyril of blessed memory and of Leo, of pious memory, sometime
Pope of Old Rome. And since we had learned from these that nothing written
by anyone else ought to be received unless it had been proved to agree with
the orthodox faith of the holy Fathers, we interrupted our proceedings so
as to recite also the definition of the faith which was set forth by the
holy council of Chalcedon, so that we might compare the things in the
epistle with this decree. And when this was done it was perfectly clear
that the contents of the epistle were wholly opposite to those of the
definition.
For the definition agreed with the one and unchanging faith set forth
as well by the 318 holy Fathers as by the 150 and by those who assembled at
the first synod at Ephesus. But that impious letter, on the other hand,
contained the blasphemies of the heretics Theodore and Nestorius, and
defended them, and calls them doctors, while it calls the holy Fathers
heretics.
And this we made manifest to all, that we did not have any intention of
omitting the Fathers of the first and second interlocutions, which the
followers of Theodore and Nestorius cited on their side, but these and all
the others having been read and their contents examined, we found that the
aforesaid Ibas was not allowed to be received without being compelled to
anathematize Nestorius and his impious teachings, which were defended in
that epistle. And this the rest of the religious bishops of the aforesaid
holy Council did as well as those two whose interlocutions certain tried to
use.
For this they observed in the case of Theodoret, and required him to
anathematize those things of which he was accused. If therefore they were
willing to allow the reception of Ibas in no other manner unless he
condemned the impiety which was contained in his letters, and subscribed
the definition of faith adopted by the Council, how can they attempt to
make out that this impious letter was received by the same holy council?
For we are taught, "What fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what
concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with
an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols."
Having thus detailed all that has been done by us, we again confess
that we receive the four holy Synods, that is, the Nicene, the
Constantinopolitan, the first of Ephesus, and that of Chalcedon, and we
have taught, and do teach all that they defined respecting the one faith.
And we account those who do not receive these things aliens from the
Catholic Church. Moreover we condemn and anathematize, together with all
the other heretics who have been condemned and anathematized by the before-
mentioned four holy Synods, and by the holy Catholic and Apostolic Church,
Theodore who was Bishop of Mopsuestia, and his impious writings, and also
those things which Theodoret impiously wrote against the right faith, and
against the Twelve Chapters of the holy Cyril, and against the first Synod
of Ephesus, and also those which he wrote in defence of Theodore and
Nestorius. In addition to these we also anathematize the impious Epistle
which Ibas is said to have written to Maris, the Persian, which denies that
God the Word was incarnate of the holy Mother of God, and ever Virgin Mary,
and accuses Cyril of holy memory, who taught the truth, as an heretic, and
of the same sentiments with Apollinaris, and blames the first Synod of
Ephesus as deposing Nestorius without examination and inquiry, and calls
the Twelve Chapters of the holy Cyril impious, and contrary to the right
faith, and defends Theodorus and Nestorius, and their impious dogmas and
writings. We therefore anathematize the Three Chapters before-mentioned,
that is, the impious Theodore of Mopsuestia, with his execrable writings,
and those things which Theodoret impiously wrote, and the impious letter
which is said to be of Ibas, and their defenders, and those who have
written or do write in defence of them, or who dare to say that they are
correct, and who have defended or attempt to defend their impiety with the
names of the holy Fathers, or of the holy Council of Chalcedon. These
things therefore being settled with all accuracy, we, bearing in
remembrance the promises made respecting the holy Church, and who it was
that said that the gates of hell should not prevail against her, that is,
the deadly tongues of heretics; remembering also what was prophesied
respecting it by Hosea, saying, "I will betroth thee unto me in
faithfulness, and thou shalt know the Lord," and numbering together with
the devil, the father of lies, the unbridled tongues of heretics who
persevered in their impiety unto death, and their most impious writings,
will say to them, "Behold, all ye kindle a fire, and cause the flame of the
fire to grow strong, ye shall walk in the light of your fire, and the flame
which ye kindle." But we, having a commandment to exhort the people with
right doctrine, and to speak to the heart of Jerusalem, that is, the Church
of God, do rightly make haste to sow in righteousness, and to reap the
fruit of life; and kindling for ourselves the light of knowledge from the
holy Scriptures, and the doctrine of the Fathers, we have considered it
necessary to comprehend in certain Capitula, both the declaration of the
truth, and the condemnation of heretics, and of their wickedness.
THE CAPITULA OF THE COUNCIL.
I.
If anyone shall not confess that the nature or essence of the Father,
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is one, as also the force and the power;
[if anyone does not confess] a consubstantial Trinity, one Godhead to be
worshipped in three subsistences or Persons: let him be anathema. For there
is but one God even the Father of whom are all things, and one Lord Jesus
Christ through whom are all things, and one Holy Spirit in whom are all
things.
II.
If anyone shall not confess that the Word of God has two nativities,
the one from all eternity of the Father, without time and without body; the
other in these last days, coming down from heaven and being made flesh of
the holy and glorious Mary, Mother of God and always a virgin, and born of
her: let him be anathema.
III.
IF anyone shall say that the wonder-working Word of God is one [Person]
and the Christ that suffered another; or shall say that God the Word was
with the woman-born Christ, or was in him as one person in another, but
that he was not one and the same our Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God,
incarnate and made man, and that his miracles and the sufferings which of
his own will he endured in the flesh were not of the same [Person]: let him
be anathema.
IV.
If anyone shall say that the union of the Word of God to man was only
according to grace or energy, or dignity, or equality of honour, or
authority, or relation, or effect, or power, or according to good pleasure
in this sense that God the Word was pleased with a man, that is to say,
that he loved him for his own sake, as says the senseless Theodorus, or [if
anyone pretends that this union exists only] so far as likeness of name is
concerned, as the Nestorians understand, who call also the Word of God
Jesus and Christ, and even accord to the man the names of Christ and of
Son, speaking thus clearly of two persons, and only designating
disingenuously one Person and one Christ when the reference is to his
honour, or his dignity, or his worship; if anyone shall not acknowledge as
the Holy Fathers teach, that the union of God the Word is made with the
flesh animated by a reasonable and living soul, and that such union is made
synthetically and hypostatically, and that therefore there is only one
Person, to wit: our Lord Jesus Christ, one of the Holy Trinity: let him be
anathema. As a matter of fact the word "union" (th^s henw'sews)has many
meanings, and the partisans of Apollinaris and Eutyches have affirmed that
these natures are confounded inter se, and have asserted a union produced
by the mixture of both. On the other hand the followers of Theodorus and of
Nestorius rejoicing in the division of the natures, have taught only a
relative union. Meanwhile the Holy Church of God, condemning equally the
impiety of both sorts of heresies, recognises the union of God the Word
with the flesh synthetically, that is to say, hypostatically. For in the
mystery of Christ the synthetical union not only preserves unconfusedly the
natures which are united, but also allows no separation.
V
If anyone understands the expression "one only Person of our Lord Jesus
Christ" in this sense, that it is the union of many hypostases, and if he
attempts thus to introduce into the mystery of Christ two hypostases, or
two Persons, and, after having introduced two persons, speaks of one Person
only out of dignity, honour or worship, as both Theodorus and Nestorius
insanely have written; if anyone shall calumniate the holy Council of
Chalcedon, pretending that it made use of this expression [one hypostasis]
in this impious sense, and if he will not recognize rather that the Word of
God is united with the flesh hypostatically, and that therefore there is
but one hypostasis or one only Person, and that the holy Council of
Chalcedon has professed in this sense the one Person of our Lord Jesus
Christ: let him be anathema. For since one of the Holy Trinity has been
made man, viz.: God the Word, the Holy Trinity has not been increased by
the addition of another person or hypostasis.
VI.
IF anyone shall not call in a true acceptation, but only in a false
acceptation, the holy, glorious, and ever-virgin Mary, the Mother of God,
or shall call her so only in a relative sense, believing that she bare only
a simple man and that God the word was not incarnate of her, but that the
incarnation of God the Word resulted only from the fact that he united
himself to that man who was born [of her];(1) if he shall calumniate the
Holy Synod of Chalcedon as though it had asserted the Virgin to be Mother
of God according to the impious sense of Theodore; or if anyone shall call
her the mother of a man anqrwpoto'kon or the Mother of Christ
(Chrisristo'tokon), as if Christ were not God, and shall not confess that
she is exactly and truly the Mother of God, because that God the Word who
before all ages was begotten of the Father was in these last days made
flesh and born of her, and if anyone shall not confess that in this sense
the holy Synod of Chalcedon acknowledged her to be the Mother of God: let
him be anathema.
VII.
IF anyone using the expression, "in two natures," does not confess that
our one Lord Jesus Christ has been revealed in the divinity and in the
humanity, so as to designate by that expression a difference of the natures
of which an ineffable union is unconfusedly made, [a union] in which
neither the nature of the Word was changed into that of the flesh, nor that
of the flesh into that of the Word, for each remained that it was by
nature, the union being hypostatic; but shall take the expression with
regard to the mystery of Christ in a sense so as to divide the parties, or
recognising the two natures in the only Lord Jesus, God the Word made man,
does not content himself with taking in a theoretical manner(2) the
difference of the natures which compose him, which difference is not
destroyed by the union between them, for one is composed of the two and the
two are in one, but shall make use of the number [two] to divide the
natures or to make of them Persons properly so called: let him be
anathema.(3)
VIII.
IF anyone uses the expression "of two natures," confessing that a union
was made of the Godhead and of the humanity, or the expression "the one
nature made flesh of God the Word," and shall not so understand those
expressions as the holy Fathers have taught, to wit: that of the divine and
human nature there was made an hypostatic union, whereof is one Christ; but
from these expressions shall try to introduce one nature or substance [made
by a mixture] of the Godhead and manhood of Christ; let him be anathema.
For in teaching that the only-begotten Word was united hypostatically [to
humanity] we do not mean to say that there was made a mutual confusion of
natures, but rather each [nature] remaining what it was, we understand that
the Word was united to the flesh. Wherefore there is one Christ, both God
and man, consubstantial with the Father as touching his Godhead, and
consubstantial with us as touching his manhood. Therefore they are equally
condemned and anathematized by the Church of God, who divide or part the
mystery of the divine dispensation of Christ, or who introduce confusion
into that mystery.
IX.
IF anyone shall take the expression, Christ ought to be worshipped in
his two natures, in the sense that he wishes to introduce thus two
adorations, the one in special relation to God the Word and the other as
pertaining to the man; or if anyone to get rid of the flesh, [that is of
the humanity of Christ,] or to mix together the divinity and the humanity,
shall speak monstrously of one only nature or essence (phu'sin h'goun
ousi'an) of the united (natures), and so worship Christ, and does not
venerate, by one adoration, God the Word made man, together with his flesh,
as the Holy Church has taught from the beginning: let him be anathema.
X.
IF anyone does not confess that our Lord Jesus Christ who was crucified
in the flesh is true God and the Lord of Glory and one of the Holy Trinity:
let him be anathema.
XI.
IF anyone does not anathematize Arius, Eunomius, Macedonius,
Apollinaris, Nestorius, Eutyches and Origen, as well as their impious
writings, as also all other heretics already condemned and anathematized by
the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, and by the aforesaid four Holy
Synods and [if anyone does not equally anathematize] all those who have
held and hold or who in their impiety persist in holding to the end the
same opinion as those heretics just mentioned: let him be anathema.
XII.
IF anyone defends the impious Theodore of Mopsuestia, who has said that
the Word of God is one person, but that another person is Christ, vexed by
the sufferings of the soul and the desires of the flesh, and separated
little by little above that which is inferior, and become better by the
progress in good works and irreproachable in Iris manner of life, as a mere
man was baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost, and obtained by this baptism the grace of the Holy Spirit, and
became worthy of Sonship, and to be worshipped out of regard to the Person
of God the Word (just as one worships the image of an emperor) and that he
is become, after the resurrection, unchangeable in his thoughts and
altogether without sin. And, again, this same impious Theodore has also
said that the union of God the Word with Christ is like to that which,
according to the doctrine of the Apostle, exists between a man and his
wife, "They twain shall be in one flesh." The same [Theodore] has dared,
among numerous other blasphemies, to say that when after the resurrection
the Lord breathed upon his disciples, saying, "Receive the Holy Ghost," he
did not really give them the Holy Spirit, but that he breathed upon them
only as a sign. He likewise has said that the profession of faith made by
Thomas when he had, after the resurrection, touched the hands and the side
of the Lord, viz.: "My Lord and my God," was not said in reference to
Christ, but that Thomas, filled with wonder at the miracle of the
resurrection, thus thanked God who had raised up Christ. And moreover
(which is still more scandalous) this same Theodore in his Commentary on
the Acts of the Apostles compares Christ to Plato, Manichaeus, Epicurus and
Marcion, and says that as each of these men having discovered his own
doctrine, had given his name to his disciples, who were called Platonists,
Manicheans, Epicureans and Marcionites, just so Christ, having discovered
his doctrine, had given the name Christians to his disciples. If, then,
anyone shall defend this most impious Theodore and his impious writings, in
which he vomits the blasphemies mentioned above, and countless others
besides against our Great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, and if anyone does
not anathematize him or his impious writings, as well as all those who
protect or defend him, or who assert that his exegesis is orthodox, or who
write in favour of him and of his impious works, or those who share the
same opinions, or those who have shared them and still continue unto the
end in this heresy: let him be anathema.
XIII.
IF anyone shall defend the impious writings of Theodoret, directed
against the true faith and against the first holy Synod of Ephesus and
against St. Cyril and his XII. Anathemas, and [defends] that which he has
written in defence of the impious Theodore and Nestorius, and of others
having the same opinions as the aforesaid Theodore and Nestorius, if anyone
admits them or their impiety, or shall give the name of impious to the
doctors of the Church who profess the hypostatic union of God the Word; and
if anyone does not anathematize these impious writings and those who have
held or who hold these sentiments, and all those who have written contrary
to the true faith or against St. Cyril and his XII. Chapters, and who die
in their impiety: let him be anathema.
XIV.
IF anyone shall defend that letter which Ibas is said to have written
to Maris the Persian, in which he denies that the Word of God incarnate of
Mary, the Holy Mother of God and ever-virgin, was made man, but says that a
mere man was born of her, whom he styles a Temple, as though the Word of
God was one Person and the man another person; in which letter also he
reprehends St. Cyril as a heretic, when he teaches the right faith of
Christians, and charges him with writing things like to the wicked
Apollinaris. In addition to this he vituperates the First Holy Council of
Ephesus, affirming that it deposed Nestorius without discrimination and
without examination. The aforesaid impious epistle styles the XII. Chapters
of Cyril of blessed memory, impious and contrary to the right faith and
defends Theodore and Nestorius and their impious teachings and writings. If
anyone therefore shall defend the aforementioned epistle and shall not
anathematize it and those who defend it and say that it is right or that a
part of it is right, or if anyone shall defend those who have written or
shall write in its favour, or in defence of the impieties which are
contained in it, as well as those who shall presume to defend it or the
impieties which it contains in the name of the Holy Fathers or of the Holy
Synod of Chalcedon, and shall remain in these offences unto the end: let
him be anathema.
THE ANATHEMAS AGAINST ORIGEN (from a synod held in Constantinople in 543).
IF anyone asserts the fabulous pre-existence of souls, and shall assert
the monstrous restoration which follows from it: let him be anathema.
II.
IF anyone shall say that the creation (th`u paragwgh`n) of all
reasonable things includes only intelligences (no'as>) without bodies and
altogether immaterial, having neither number nor name, so that there is
unity between them all by identity of substance, force and energy, and by
their union with and knowledge of God the Word; but that no longer desiring
the sight of God, they gave themselves over to worse things, each one
following his own inclinations, and that they have taken bodies more or
less subtile, and have received names, for among the heavenly Powers there
is a difference of names as there is also a difference of bodies; and
thence some became and are called Cherubims, others Seraphims, and
Principalities, and Powers, and Dominations, and Thrones, and Angels, and
as many other heavenly orders as there may be: let him be anathema.
III.
IF anyone shall say that the sun, the moon and the stars are also
reasonable beings, and that they have only become what they are because
they turned towards evil: let him be anathema.
IV.
IF anyone shall say that the reasonable creatures in whom the divine
love had grown cold have been hidden in gross bodies such as ours, and have
been called men, while those who have attained the lowest degree of
wickedness have shared cold and obscure bodies and are become and called
demons and evil spirits: let him be anathema,.
V.
IF anyone shall say that a psychic (psuchikh`n) condition has come from
an angelic or archangelic state, and moreover that a demoniac and a human
condition has come from a psychic condition, and that from a human state
they may become again angels and demons, and that each order of heavenly
virtues is either all from those below or from those above, or from those
above and below: let him be anathema.
VI.
IF anyone shall say that there is a twofold race of demons, of which
the one includes the souls of men and the other the superior spirits who
fell to this, and that of all the number of reasonable beings there is but
one which has remained unshaken in the love and contemplation of God, and
that that spirit is become Christ and the king of all reasonable beings,
and that he has created(1) all the bodies which exist in heaven, on earth,
and between heaven and earth; and that the world which has in itself
elements more ancient than itself, and which exists by themselves, viz.:
dryness, damp, heat and cold, and the image (ide'an) to which it was
formed, was so formed, and that the most holy and consubstantial Trinity
did not create the world, but that it was created by the working
intelligence (Nou^s dhmiourgo's) which is more ancient than the world, and
which communicates to it its being: let him be anathema.
VII.
IF anyone shah say that Christ, of whom it is said that he appeared in
the form of God, and that he was united before all time with God the Word,
and humbled himself in these last days even to humanity, had (according to
their expression) pity upon the divers falls which had appeared in the
spirits united in the same unity (of which he himself is part), and that to
restore them he passed through divers classes, had different bodies and
different names, became all to all, an Angel among Angels, a Power among
Powers, has clothed I himself in the different classes of reasonable beings
with a form corresponding to that class, and finally has taken flesh and
blood like ours and is become man for men; [if anyone says all this] and
does not profess that God the Word humbled himself and became man: let him
be anathema.
VIII.
IF anyone shall not acknowledge that God the Word, of the same
substance with the Father and the Holy Ghost, and who was made flesh and
became man, one of the Trinity, is Christ in every sense of the word, but
[shall affirm] that he is so only in an inaccurate manner, and because of
the abasement (kenw'santa), as they call it, of the intelligence (nou^s);
if anyone shall affirm that this intelligence united (sunhmme'non) to God
the Word, is the Christ in the true sense of the word, while the Logos is
only called Christ because of this union with the intelligence, and e
converse that the intelligence is only called God because of the Logos:
let him be anathema.
IX.
IF anyone shall say that it was not the Divine Loges made man by taking
an animated body with a psuchh` logikh` and noera`, that he descended into
hell and ascended into heaven, but shall pretend that it is the Nou^s which
has done this, that Nou^s of which they say (in an impious fashion) he is
Christ properly so called, and that he is become so by the knowledge of the
Monad: let him be anathema.
X.
IF anyone shall say that after the resurrection the body of the Lord
was ethereal, having the form of a sphere, and that such shall be the
bodies of all after the resurrection; and that after the Lord himself shall
have rejected his true body and after the others who rise shall have
rejected theirs, the nature of their bodies shall be annihilated: let him
be anathema.
XI.
IF anyone shall say that the future judgment signifies the destruction
of the body and that the end of the story will be an immaterial psu'sis,
and that thereafter there will no longer be any matter, but only spirit
nou^s): let him be anathema.
XII.
IF anyone shall say that the heavenly Powers and all men and the Devil
and evil spirits are united with the Word of God in all respects, as the
Nou^s which is by them called Christ and which is in the form of God, and
which humbled itself as they say; and [if anyone shall say] that the
Kingdom of Christ shall have an end: let him be anathema.
XIII.
IF anyone shall say that Christ [i.e., the Nou^s is in no wise
different from other reasonable beings, neither substantially nor by wisdom
nor by his power and might over all things but that all will be placed at
the right hand of God, as well as he that is called by them Christ [the
Nou^s, as also they were in the reigned pre-existence of all things: let
him be anathema.
XIV.
IF anyone shall say that all reasonable beings will one day be united
in one, when the hypostases as well as the numbers and the bodies shall
have disappeared, and that the knowledge of the world to come will carry
with it the ruin of the worlds, and the rejection of bodies as also the
abolition of [all] names, and that there shall be finally an identity of
the gnw^sis and of the hypostasis; moreover, that in this pretended
apocatastasis, spirits only will continue to exist, as it was in the
reigned pre-existence: let him be anathema.
XV.
IF anyone shall say that the life of the spirits (now^n) shall be like
to the life which was in the beginning while as yet the spirits had not
come down or fallen, so that the end and the beginning shall be alike, and
that the end shall be the true measure of the beginning: let him be
anathema.
THE ANATHEMATISMS OF THE EMPEROR JUSTINIAN AGAINST ORIGEN.(1)
I.
Whoever says or thinks that human souls pre-existed, i.e., that they
had previously been spirits and holy powers, but that, satiated with the
vision of God, they had turned to evil, and in this way the divine love in
them had died out (appsugei'sas) and they had therefore become souls
(psucha's) and had been condemned to punishment in bodies, shall be
anathema.
II.
If anyone says or thinks that the soul of the Lord pre-existed and was
united with God the Word before the Incarnation and Conception of the
Virgin, let him be anathema.
III.
If anyone says or thinks that the body of our Lord Jesus Christ was
first formed in the womb of the holy Virgin and that afterwards there was
united with it God the Word and the pre-existing soul, let him be anathema.
IV.
If anyone says or thinks that the Word of God has become like to all
heavenly orders, so that for the cherubim he was a cherub, for the seraphim
a seraph: in short, like all the superior powers, let him be anathema.
V.
If anyone says or thinks that, at the resurrection, human bodies will
rise spherical in form and unlike our present form, let him be anathema.
VI.
If anyone says that the heaven, the sun, the moon, the stars, and the
waters that are above heavens, have souls, and are reasonable beings, let
him be anathema.
VII.
If anyone says or thinks that Christ the Lord in a future time will be
crucified for demons as he was for men, let him be anathema.
VIII.
If anyone says or thinks that the power of God is limited, and that he
created as much as he was able to compass, let him be anathema.
IX.
If anyone says or thinks that the punishment of demons and of impious
men is only temporary, and will one day have an end, and that a restoration
(apokata'stasis) will take place of demons and of impious men, let him be
anathema.
Anathema to Origen and to that Adamantius, who set forth these opinions
together with his nefarious and execrable and wicked doctrine? and to
whomsoever there is who thinks thus, or defends these opinions, or in any
way hereafter at any time shall presume to protect them.
THE DECRETAL EPISTLE OF POPE VIGILIUS IN CONFIRMATION OF THE FIFTH
ECUMENICAL SYNOD.
Vigilius to his beloved brother Eutychius.
No one is ignorant of the scandals which the enemy of the human race
has stirred up in all the world: so that he made each one with a wicked
object in view, striving in some way to fulfil his wish to destroy the
Church of God spread over the whole world, not only in his own name but
even in ours and in those of others to compose diverse things as well in
words as in writing; in so much that he attempted to divide us who,
together with our brethren and fellow bishops, are stopping in this royal
city, and who defend with equal reverence the four synods, and sincerely
persist in the one and the same faith of those four synods, by his
sophistries and machinations he tried to part from them; so that we
ourselves who were and are of the same opinion as they touching the faith,
went apart into discord, brotherly love being despised.(1)
But since Christ our God, who is the true light, whom the darkness
comprehendeth not, hath removed all confusion from our minds, and hath so
recalled peace to the whole world and to the Church, so that what things
should be defined by us have been healthfully fulfilled through the
revelation of the Lord and through the investigation of the truth.
Therefore, my dear brothers, I do you to wit, that in common with all
of you, our brethren, we receive in all respects the four synods, that is
to say the Nicene, the Constantinopolitan, the first Ephesian, and the
Chalcedonian; and we venerate them with devout mind, and watch over them
with all our mind. And should there be any who do not follow these holy
synods in all things which they have defined concerning the faith, we judge
them to be aliens to the communion of the holy and Catholic Church.
Wherefore on account of our desire that you, my brothers, should know
what we have done in this matter, we make it known to you by this letter.
For no one can doubt how many were the discussions raised on account of the
Three Chapters, that is, concerning Theodore, sometime bishop of
Mopsuestia, and his writings, as well as concerning the writings of
Theodoret, and concerning that letter which is said to have been written by
Ibas to Maris the Persian: and how diverse were the things spoken and
written concerning these Three Chapters. Now if in every business sound
wisdom demands that there should be a retractation of what was propounded
after examination, there ought to be no shame when what was at first
omitted is made public after it is discovered by a further study of the
truth. [And if this is the case in ordinary affairs] how much more in
ecclesiastical strifes should the same dictate of sound reason be observed?
Especially since it is manifest that our Fathers, and especially the
blessed Augustine, who was in very sooth illustrious in the Divine
Scriptures, and a master in Roman eloquence, retracted some of his own
writings, and corrected some of his own sayings, and added what he had
omitted and afterward found out. We, led by their example never gave over
the study of the questions raised by the controversy with regard to the
before-mentioned Three Chapters, nor our search for passages in the
writings of our Fathers which were applicable to the matter.
As a result of this investigation it became evident that in the sayings
of Theodore of Mopsuestia (which are spoken against on all hands) there are
contained very many things contrary to the right faith and to the teachings
of the holy Fathers; and for this very reason these same holy Fathers have
left for the instruction of tile Church treatises which they had written
against him.
For among other blasphemies of his we find that he openly said that God
the Word was one [Person] and Christ another [Person], vexed with the
passions of the soul and with the desires of the flesh, and that he little
by little advanced from a lower to a higher stage of excellence by the
improvement (prokoph(i)^, per profectum operum) of his works, and became
irreprehensible in his manner of life.(1) And further he taught that it was
a mere man who was baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Ghost, and that he received through ilia baptism the grace of the
Holy Spirit, and merited his adoption; and therefore that Christ could be
venerated in the same way that the image of the Emperor is venerated as
being the persona (eis pro'swpon) of God the Word. And he also taught that
[only] after his resurrection he became immutable in his thoughts and
altogether impeccable.
Moreover he said that the union of the Word of God was made with Christ
as the Apostle says the union is made between a man and his wife: They
twain shall be one flesh; and that after his resurrection, when the Lord
breathed upon his disciples and said, Receive tile Holy Ghost, he did not
give to them the Holy Spirit. In like strain of profanity he dared to say
that the confession which Thomas made, when he touched the hands and side
of the Lord after his resurrection, saying, My Lord and my God, did not
apply to Christ (for Theodore did not acknowledge Christ to be God); but
that Thomas gave glory to God being filled with wonder at the miracle of
the resurrection, and so said these words.
But what is still worse is this, that in interpreting the Acts of the
Apostles, Theodore makes Christ like to Plato, and Manichaeus, and
Epicurus, and Marcian, saying: Just as each of these were the authors of
their own peculiar teachings, and called their disciples after their own
names, Platonists, and Munichaeans, and Epicureans, and Marcionites, just
so Christ invented dogmas and called his followers Christians after
himself.
Let therefore the whole Catholic Church know that justly and
irreproachably we have arrived at the conclusions contained in this our
constitution. Wherefore we condemn and anathematize Theodore, formerly
bishop of Mopsuestia, and his impious writings, together with all other
heretics, who (as is manifest) have been condemned and anathematized by the
four holy Synods aforesaid, and by the Catholic Church: also the writings
of Theodoret which are opposed to the right faith, and are against the
Twelve Chapters of St. Cyril, and against the first Council of Ephesus,
which were written by him in defence of Theodore and Nestorius.
Moreover we anathematize and condemn the letter to the Persian heretic
Maris, which is said to have been written by Ibas, which denies that Christ
the Word was incarnate of the holy Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary, and
was made man, but declares that a mere man was born of her, and this man it
styles a temple, so from this we are given to understand that God the Word
is one [Person] and Christ another [Person]. Moreover it calumniates Saint
Cyril, the master and herald of the orthodox faith, calling him a heretic,
and charging him with writing things similar to Apollinaris; and it reviles
the first Synod of Ephesus, as having condemned Nestorius without
deliberation or investigation; it likewise declares the twelve chapters of
St. Cyril to be impious and contrary to the right faith; and further still
it defends Theodore and Nestorius, and their impious teachings and
writings.
Therefore we anathematize and condemn the aforesaid impious Three
Chapters, to-wit, the impious Theodore of Mopsuestia and his impious
writings; And all that Theodoret impiously wrote, as well as the letter
said to have been written by Ibas, in which are contained the above
mentioned profane blasphemies. We likewise subject to anathema whoever
shall at any time believe that these chapters should be received or
defended; or shall attempt to subvert this present condemnation.
And further we define that they are our brethren and fellow-priests who
ever keep the right faith set forth by those afore-mentioned synods, and
shall have condemned the above-named Three Chapters, or even do now condemn
them.
And further we annul and evacuate by this present written definition of
ours whatever has been said by me (a me) or by others in defence of the
aforesaid Three Chapters.
Far be it from the Catholic Church that anyone should say that all the
blasphemies above related or they who held and followed such things, were
received by the before-mentioned four synods or by any one of them. For it
is most clear, that no one was admitted by the before-mentioned holy
Fathers and especially by the Council of Chalcedon, about whom there was
any suspicion, unless he had first repelled the above-named blasphemies
and all like to them, or else had denied and condemned the heresy or
blasphemies of which he was suspected.
Subscription.
May God preserve thee in health, most honourable brother. Dated VI. Id.
Dec. in the xxijd year of our lord the Emperor Justinian, eternal Augustus,
the xijth year after the consulate of the illustrious Basil.(1)
Taken from "The Early Church Fathers and Other Works" originally published
by Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co. in English in Edinburgh, Scotland, beginning in
1867. (LNPF II/XIV, Schaff and Wace). The digital version is by The
Electronic Bible Society, P.O. Box 701356, Dallas, TX 75370, 214-407-WORD.
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