LETTER XII. [A.D.381]

THIS letter, referring to the settlement of affairs in the East, is really addressed to Theodosius, the Emperor of the East. After expressing the thanks due to the Emperors for the success which has attended their efforts to establish the true faith throughout the Empire, the Bishops beg that Theodosius will use his influence to settle the questions of disputed succession, which were vexing the Churches of Alexandria and Antioch, and endangering the maintenance of Communion between the East and West. They ask therefore that a general Council may be summoned to Alexandria to settle both questions.

TO THE MOST GRACIOUS AND CHRISTIAN EMPERORS, THE GLORIOUS AND MOST BLESSED PRINCES, GRATIAN, VALENTINIAN, AND THEODOSIUS, THE HOLY COUNCIL WHICH IS ASSEMBLED AT AQUILEIA.

1. MOST gracious Emperors and most blessed and most glorious princes, Gratian, Valentinian, and Theodosius, beloved of God the Father and of His Son our Lord Jesus Christ, we are unable to match the benefits which your piety has conferred upon us, even with the most overflowing return of thanks. For now that, after many times of trial and various persecutions, which the Arians, especially Lucius  02-8  8. a This Lucius was the person who, after the death of S. Athanasius, was forced upon the Church of Alexandria as Bishop, in the place of Peter who had been duly elected, by the Governor of the Province. His crimes and cruelties are recorded at length by Theodoret. Eccl. Hist. iv. 21, 22. He was eventually expelled from the see he had usurped, and is mentioned by Socrates, Hist. Eccl. v. 7, as afterwards dwelling at Constantinople and sharing the fate of Demophilus. , who marked his course by the impious murder of monks and virgins, and Demophilus  02-9  9. b Demophilus was originally Bishop of Beroea, (probably Beroea in Thrace,) and was deposed from his office for Arianism. In A.D. 370, on the death of Eudoxius, he was elected by the Arian party Bishop of Constantinople, in opposition to Evagrius. He was supported by Valens who was then Emperor, and Evagrius banished. In 380 A.D. after the accession of Theodosius, matters were changed. Theodosius offered to maintain him in his see, if he subscribed the Nicene Confession, but he refused, and withdrew, and maintained, in conjunction with Lucius and others, Arian worship outside the walls of Constantinople. He died A.D. 386. He is mentioned by S. Ambrose (De Fide 1. 6. 45.) as a leader of one of the various forms of Arianism. too, an evil source of perfidy, brought on the Catholics, all the Churches of God, in the East especially, have been restored to the Catholics; while in the West scarce two heretics have been found to oppose the decrees of the Holy Council, who can conceive himself able to make an adequate acknowledgement of your goodness?

2. But though we cannot give full expression to your favours in words, we still desire to recompense them by the prayers of the Council; and though in all the several Churches we celebrate our daily vigils for your Empire before our God, still when assembled in one body, than which service we conceive nothing can be more glorious, we offer thanksgivings to our Almighty God both on behalf of the Empire, and of your own peace and safety, because peace and concord have been so shed over us through you.

3. In the West indeed only in two corners, on the borders of Dacia Ripensis and of Moesia did murmurs appear to have been raised against the faith: and these places after the sentence of the Council should, we conceive, be immediately provided for with your Graces' indulgence. But over all tracts and countries and village departments as far as the Ocean, the communion of the faithful remains one and unpolluted. And in the East we have had the greatest joy and delight in learning that the Arians, who had violently invaded the Churches, have been ejected, and that the sacred temples of God are frequented by Catholics alone.

4. But still since the envy of the Devil is never wont to rest, we hear that there are among the Catholics themselves frequent dissensions and implacable discord; and all our feelings are disturbed at ascertaining that many things have been innovated upon, and that persons are molested now who should have been relieved, men who continued always in our Communion. In short Timotheus Bishop of the Church of Alexandria, and Paulinus Bishop of the Church of Antioch  02-10  10. c This refers to the long schism which had existed in the Church at Antioch, ever since 331 A.D. when Eustathius was deposed by the Arian party: in 361 A.D. Meletius was elected as successor to Eudoxius, having previously subscribed the Creed of Acacius (Socr. ii. 44.); but on his accepting the Nicene Creed, and acknowledging the Homoousion, he was deposed, and banished by the Emperor Constantius, and Euzoius, an Arian, appointed in his stead, who was afterwards succeeded by Dorotheus, (who was afterwards transferred to Constantinople, 385 A. D.) Meanwhile Meletius had returned from exile, but the extreme orthodox party refused to recognise him, because he had at first been appointed as a Semi-Arian, and elected Paulinus, though the Council of Alexandria had urged them to submit to Meletius, so that, as Socrates says, when recounting the Bishops of the chief sees in the year 379, the the Church at Antioch τριχῆ διῄρητο. Paulinus was supported by the Church of Alexandria and by the Bishops of the West, and, as appears from the statements of this letter, a compromise had been proposed, that when either Meletius or Paulinus died, both parties would acknowledge the survivor. The Bishops at Aquileia urge the Emperor to enforce this, not aware that Flavian had already been elected as Meletius' successor at the Council of Constantinople. The schism was thus perpetuated, and continued till 415 A.D. , who always maintained the concord of Communion with us inviolate, are said to be distressed by the variances of other persons, whose faith in former times was scarcely stedfast. These persons, if it be possible, and they are recommended by a sufficient faith, we would wish to have added to our fellowship: but without prejudice to the rights of those who share with us the ancient Communion. And our care for them is not superfluous, first of all because the fellowship of Communion should be clear of all offence, and secondly, because we have long since received letters from both parties, and particularly from those who were divided in the Church of Antioch.

5. Indeed if the irruption of the enemy  02-11  11. d The enemy are the Goths under Fritigern. See Gibbon ch. 26. had not hindered, we had made arrangements to send thither some of our own number, to take the office of umpires and referees for diffusing peace again, should it be possible. But since our desires could not have accomplishment at that time owing to the troubles of the state, we think it right to offer our prayers to your Goodness, asking that by agreement  02-12  12. e The reading 'pactum' which is suggested by Valerius is here adopted instead of 'factum', which seems to give no satisfactory sense. between the factions, on the death of the one, the rights of the Church should remain with the survivor, and that no additional consecration should be forcibly attempted. And therefore we request you, most gracious and Christian Princes, that you would have a Council of all Catholic Bishops held at Alexandria, that they may more fully discuss and define among themselves to whom Communion is to be imparted and with whom it is to be maintained  02-13  13. f Fleury remarks on this 'This letter plainly shews that the Bishops who were there present (i.e. at the Council of Aquileia) either did not acknowledge the Council which had been lately held at Constantinople to be an Oecumenical Council, or that they were not yet informed of what had been transacted in it. .

6. For though we have always supported the disposition and order of the Church of Alexandria, and according to the manner and custom of our predecessors we retain Communion with it in indissoluble fellowship to these present times, still lest it should be thought that persons have been neglected who have sought our Communion according to the agreement, which we wish should stand, or that the shortest road to that peace and fellowship of the faithful has not been taken, we pray you that when they have discussed these matters in a full assembly among themselves, the decrees of the Bishops may be furthered by the assistance ministered by your Goodness. And allow us to be made acquainted with this, that our minds may not waver in uncertainty, but that, full of joy and relieved from anxiety, we may return thanks to your goodness before Almighty God, not only that heresy is shut out, but also that faith and concord are restored to the Catholics. The prayer which the African and Gallic Churches offer you through their deputies is this, that you would make the Bishops over the whole world your debtors, though the debt already due to your excellence is not small.

7. To offer however our entreaties to your clemency and to obtain what we ask for, we have sent as deputies our brethren and fellow-presbyters, whom we pray you that you would condescend graciously to listen to, and allow to return speedily.

EPISTOLA XII.

 Aguntur imperatoribus gratiae ob restitutam Ecclesiae tranquillitatem, eisdemque episcoporum preces promittuntur. Tum nuntiatis quibusdam catholicorum discidiis, rogantur iidem principes, ut Alexandriae jubeant coire concilium, cui et auxilium suum impendere non dedignentur, magnum episcopis collaturi beneficium. 

Imperatoribus clementissimis christianisque, et gloriosis, beatissimisque principibus GRATIANO, VALENTIANO, et THEODOSIO sanctum Concilium quod convenit Aquileiae.

 0947B 1. Quamlibet etiam redundantibus gratiarum actionibus, nequaquam tamen possumus beneficia vestrae pietatis aequare, imperatores clementissimi, atque beatissimi et gloriosissimi principes Gratiane, Valentiniane et Theodosi dilecti Deo Patri, et Filio ejus Domino nostro Jesu Christo. Nam cum post multa tempora, et persecutiones varias, quas Catholicis intulerunt Ariani, maximeque vel Lucius ille monachorum et virginum impia caede grassatus, sed etiam Demophilus dirum perfidiae caput, omnes Ecclesiae Dei, maxime quae per Orientem, Catholicis restitutae sint: in Occidentalibus autem partibus vix duo haeretici, qui obviare possint sancto concilio, sint reperti; quis est qui putet se gratiarum vestrarum fore idoneum relatorem?

 0947C 2. Sed tamen etsi beneficia vestra verbis explicare non possumus, votis tamen concilii compensare desideramus: qui licet per singulas quasque ecclesias quotidianas apud Deum nostrum pro imperio vestro celebremus excubias; tamen conducti in unum, quo munere 813 nihil esse pulchrius opinamur, Deo nostro omnipotenti et pro imperio, et pro pace ac salute  0948A vestra gratias agimus, quod per vos nobis pax et concordia ita sit refusa.

3. Equidem per Occidentales partes duobus in angulis tantum, hoc est, in latere Daciae Ripensis, ac Moesiae, fidei obstrepi videbatur: quibus tandem nunc post concilii sententiam, vestrae favore clementiae opinamur illico consulendum. Per omnes autem tractus atque regiones, et vicorum claustra usque ad oceanum manet una et intemerata fidelium communio. In Orientalibus autem partibus cognovimus quidem summo gaudio atque laetitia, ejectis Arianis qui Ecclesias violenter invaserant, sacra Dei templa per solos catholicos frequentari.

4. Sed tamen quoniam invidia diaboli numquam quiescere solet, inter ipsos catholicos audimus crebras  0948B dissensiones esse, impacatamque discordiam; totoque confundimur affectu, quod innovata pleraque comperimus, eosque gravari nunc, quos oportuit adjuvari, qui in nostra semper communione durabant. Denique Alexandrinae Ecclesiae Timotheus episcopus, sed et Antiochenae Paulinus, qui semper communionis nobiscum intemeratam habuere concordiam, dissensionibus aliorum, quorum fides superioribus temporibus haesitabat, feruntur urgeri. Quos quidem, si fieri potest, et fides plena commendat, ad consortia nostra optamus adjungi: sed ita ut vetustae communionis sociis sua praerogativa servetur, quorum nobis non superflua cura est: primo omnium, quia communionis societas nullam debet habere offensam: deinde, quia utriusque partis dudum  0948C accepimus litteras, praecipueque illorum, qui in Antiochena Ecclesia dissidebant.

5. Et quidem nisi hostilis impedimento fuisset irruptio, aliquos etiam de nostro numero disposueramus illo dirigere, qui sequestres et arbitri refundendae, si fieri posset, pacis existerent. Sed quia studia nostra tunc temporis habere effectum per  0949A tumultus publicos nequiverunt, oblatas pietati vestrae opinamur preces nostras, quibus juxta partium factum poposcimus ut altero decedente, penes superstitem Ecclesiae jura permanerent, nec aliqua superordinatio vi attentaretur. Ideoque petimus vos, clementissimi et christiani principes, ut et Alexandriae sacerdotum catholicorum omnium concilium fieri censeatis, qui inter se plenius tractent atque definiant quibus impertienda communio quibusque servanda sit.

814 6. Nam etsi Alexandrinae Ecclesiae semper dispositionem ordinemque tenuerimus, et juxta morem consuetudinemque majorum, ejus communionem indissolubili societate ad haec usque tempora servemus; tamen ne aut aliqui videantur esse posthabiti,  0949B qui etiam pacto, quod stare volumus, communionem nostram rogarunt: aut illius pacis et societatis fidelium neglecta compendia; id obsecramus, ut cum inter se coetu pleniore tractaverint, etiam auxilia decretis sacerdotalibus vestrae pietatis aspirent. Et nobis deferri in notitiam censeatis; ne titubanti nutemus affectu, sed laeti atque securi pietati vestrae apud Deum omnipotentem agamus gratias, non solum quia exclusa perfidia est, sed quia catholicis fides et concordia est restituta. Quod a vobis Africanae et Gallicanae Ecclesiae per legatos obsecrant, hoc est, ut toto vobis faciatis in orbe episcopos debitores; licet non mediocre sit debitum, quod virtuti vestrae debetur.

7. Ad deprecandam autem clementiam vestram,  0949C et impetranda quae poscimus, legatos fratres et compresbyteros nostros direximus, quos petimus ut et clementer audire dignemini, et redire maturius censeatis.