Letters.

 Letters.

 Letter II.

 Letter III.

 Letter IV.

 Letter V.

 Letter VI.

 Letter VII.

 Letter VIII.

 Letter IX.

 Letter X.

 Letter XI.

 Letter XII.

 Letter XIII.

 Letter XIV.

 Letter XV.

 Letter XVI.

 To All the Bishops of Sicily.

 Letter XVIII.

 Letter XIX.

 Letter XX.

 Letter XXI.

 The first from Flavian, Bp. of Constantinople to Pope Leo.

 Letter XXIII.

 Letter XXIV.

 Letter XXV.

 A Second One from Flavian to Leo.

 Letter XXVII.

 Letter XXVIII.

 Letter XXIX.

 Letter XXX.

 Letter XXXI.

 Letter XXXII.

 Letter XXXIII.

 Letter XXXIV.

 Letter XXXV.

 Letter XXXVI.

 To Theodosius Augustus.

 To Flavian, Bishop of Constantinople.

 Letter XXXIX.

 Letter XL.

 Letter XLI.

 Letter XLII.

 To Theodosius Augustus.

 Letter XLIV.

 Letter XLV.

 Letter XLVI.

 Letter XLVII.

 Letter XLVIII.

 Letter XLIX.

 Letter L.

 Letter LI.

 Letter LII.

 Letter LIII.

 Letter LIV.

 Letters LV. to LVIII.

 Letter LIX.

 Letter LX.

 Letter LXI.

 (Letters LXII., LXIII., LXIV., are the Emperor Theodosius’ answers (a) to Valentinian, (b) to Galla Placidia, and (c) to Licinia Eudoxia (assuring the

 Letter LXV.

 Letter LXVI.

 To Ravennius, Bishop of Arles.

 Letter LXVIII.

 Letter LXIX.

 Letter LXX.

 Letter LXXI.

 Letter LXXII.

 Letter LXXIII.

 Letter LXXIV.

 Letter LXXV.

 Letter LXXVI.

 Letter LXXVII.

 Letter LXXVIII.

 Letter LXXIX.

 Letter LXXX.

 Letter LXXXI.

 Letter LXXXII.

 Letter LXXXIII.

 Letter LXXXIV.

 Letter LXXXV.

 Letter LXXXVI.

 Letter LXXXVII.

 Letter LXXXVIII.

 Letter LXXXIX.

 Letter XC.

 Letter XCI.

 Letter XCII.

 Letter XCIII.

 Letter XCIV.

 Letter XCV.

 Letter XCVI.

 Letter XCVII.

 Letter XCVIII.

 Letter XCIX.

 Letter C.

 Letter CI.

 Letter CII.

 Letter CIII.

 Letter CIV.

 Letter CV.

 Letter CVI.

 Letter CVII.

 Letter CVIII.

 Letter CIX.

 Letter CX.

 Letter CXI.

 Letter CXII.

 Letter CXIII.

 Letter CXIV.

 Letter CXV.

 Letter CXVI.

 Letter CXVII.

 Letter CXVIII.

 Letter CXIX.

 Letter CXX.

 Letters CXXI. and CXXII.

 Letter CXXIII.

 Letter CXXIV.

 Letter CXXV.

 Letter CXXVI.

 Letter CXXVII.

 Letter CXXVIII.

 Letter CXXIX.

 Letter CXXX.

 Letter CXXXI.

 Letter CXXXII.

 Letter CXXXIII.

 Letter CXXXIV.

 Letter CXXXV.

 Letter CXXXVI.

 Letter CXXXVII.

 Letter CXXXVIII.

 Letter CXXXIX.

 Letter CXL.

 Letter CXLI.

 Letter CXLII.

 Letter CXLIII.

 Letter CXLIV.

 Letter CXLV.

 Letter CXLVI.

 Letter CXLVII.

 Letter CXLVIII.

 Letter CXLIX.

 Letter CL.

 Letter CLI.

 Letter CLII.

 Letter CLIII.

 Letter CLIV.

 Letter CLV.

 Letter CLVI.

 Letter CLVII.

 To the Catholic Bishops of Egypt Sojourning in Constantinople.

 Letter CLIX.

 Letter CLX.

 Letter CLXI.

 Letter CLXII.

 Letter CLXIII.

 To Leo Augustus.

 Letter CLXV.

 Letter CLXVI.

 To Rusticus, Bishop of Gallia Narbonensis, with the replies to his Questions on various points.

 Letter CLXVIII.

 Letter CLXIX.

 Letter CLXX.

 Letter CLXXI.

 Letter CLXXII.

 Letter CLXXIII.

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 Christ388 2 Cor. xi. 2..” 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 us389 Rom. viii. 34..” 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 Eustathius390 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 Eusebius391 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).