LETTER IX. [A.D.381.]

A FORMAL letter from the Italian Bishops assembled at Aquileia, thanking the Bishops of the three Provinces for the presence of their deputies, and announcing officially the condemnation of Palladius and Secundianus.

THE COUNCIL WHICH IS ASSEMBLED AT AQUILEIA TO OUR MOST BELOVED BRETHREN, THE BISHOPS OF THE VIENNESE AND THE FIRST AND SECOND NARBONESE PROVINCES  01-168 168. a It is probable that similar letters were addressed to the Bishops of the other Provinces of Gaul, who had sent Justus as their deputy, and to Africa and lllyricum, though no record of them remains. Possibly they were identical, except the address. Gaul had at this time been so subdivided, that the Vicariate or civil Diocese consisted of no less than seventeen provinces. See Marquardt's Table, as quoted above. IN GAUL.

1. WE return thanks to your holy unanimity that in the persons of our Lords and brethren Constantius and Proculus you have given us the presence of you all, and at the same time following the directions of former times, have added not a little weight to our judgement, with which the profession of your holinesses also is in agreement, Lords and brethren most beloved. Therefore, as we received with gladness the above mentioned holy men of your order and ours, so do we also dismiss them with an abundant offering of thanks.

2. But how necessary the meeting was will be plain from the mere facts, since the adversaries and enemies of God, the defenders of the Arian sect and heresy, Palladius and Secundianus, the only two who dared to come to the meeting of the Council, received in person their due sentence, being convicted of impiety. Farewell. May our Almighty God keep you safe and prosperous, Lords and brethren most beloved. Amen.

806 EPISTOLA IX.

 Concilium Gallis episcopis gratias agit, eisque Palladii et Secundiani damnationem scribit. 

Concilium quod convenit Aquileiae, dilectissimis fratribus episcopis Galliarum provinciae Viennensis et Narbonensis primae et secundae .

 0939D 

1. Agimus gratias sanctae unanimitati vestrae, quod in dominis et fratribus nostris Constantio et Proculo omnium vestri praesentiam nobis contulistis: simulque praescripta majorum sequentes, non  0940A mediocre addidistis pondus sententiis nostris, cum quibus etiam vestrae sanctitatis convenit professio, domini fratres dilectissimi. Itaque ut libenter suscepimus memoratos de vestro nostroque consortio sanctos viros, ita etiam uberi gratiarum actione dimittimus.

2. Quam necessarius autem conventus hic fuerit, rebus ipsis patescet, quando adversarii et inimici Dei, Arianae sectae ac haeresis defensores, Palladius ac Secundianus, duo tantum, qui ausi sunt ad Concilium convenire, debitam praesentes excepere sententiam, super impietate convicti. Valete. Incolumes vos et florentissimos Deus noster tueatur omnipotens domini, fratres dilectissimi. Amen.