The First Session

Paschasinus, the most reverend bishop and legate of the Apostolic See, stood up in the middle of the assembly with his most reverend colleagues and said: “We have received instructions from the most blessed and apostolic bishop of the city of Rome, which is the head of all the churches. These instructions say that Dioscorus is not to be given a seat in this assembly, and that if he tries to take his seat, he is to be thrown out. We must carry out this instruction. If your holiness now so orders, let him be removed; otherwise, we will leave.” [a] The most glorious judges and the full senate said: “What particular charge do you bring against the most reverend bishop Dioscorus?” [c] Paschasinus, the most reverend bishop and legate of the Apostolic See, said: “Since he has come, an objection has to be made against him.” The most glorious judges and the whole senate said: “In keeping with what has been said, let the charge he is under be stated specifically.”

Lucentius, the most reverend bishop, who held the place of the Apostolic See, said: “Let him give an account of his judgment. For he took it on himself to pass sentence on a man over whom he had no jurisdiction. And he dared to hold a synod without the authority of the Apostolic See, a thing that has never happened and cannot happen.” [d] Paschasinus, the most reverend bishop, who held the place of the Apostolic See, said: “We cannot go against the decrees of the most blessed and apostolic bishop who governs the Apostolic See, nor against the canons of the church, nor against the traditions of the fathers.” [e] The most glorious judges and the full senate said: “It is proper for you to set out specifically where he has gone astray.” Lucentius, the venerable bishop, who held the place of the Apostolic See, said: “We will not allow so great a wrong to be done to us and to you, that the man who has come here to be judged should sit down as one who gives judgment.” The glorious judges and the whole senate said: “If you hold the office of judge, you ought not to plead your own case as though you were the one being judged.”

Then, at the bidding of the most glorious judges and of the sacred senate, Dioscorus, the most religious bishop of Alexandria, sat down in the middle. The most reverend Roman bishops also sat down in their proper places and kept silent. And Eusebius, the most reverend bishop of the city of Dorylaeum, stepped into the middle and spoke. [f] He then presented a petition, and the acts of the Robber Synod were read. The acts of the council held at Constantinople under Flavian against Eutyches were read as well. [g]

When these had been read, the most glorious judges and the great senate said: “What do the most reverend bishops of this holy synod say? When Flavian, of holy memory, set out the faith in this way, did he keep the orthodox and catholic religion, or did he go wrong about it in any respect?” Paschasinus, the most reverend bishop, who represented the Apostolic See, said: “Flavian, of blessed memory, has set out the faith in a most holy and perfect way. His faith and his statement of it agree with the letter of the most blessed and apostolic man, the bishop of Rome.” [h] Anatolius, the most reverend archbishop of Constantinople, said: “The blessed Flavian has set out the faith of our fathers beautifully and in an orthodox way.” [i] Lucentius, the most reverend bishop and legate of the Apostolic See, said: “Since the faith of Flavian, of blessed memory, agrees with the Apostolic See and with the tradition of the fathers, it is just that this most holy synod should turn back on the heretics the sentence by which they condemned him.” Maximus, the most reverend bishop of Antioch in Syria, said: “Archbishop Flavian, of blessed memory, has set out the faith in an orthodox way, in agreement with the most holy Archbishop Leo, most beloved of God. And we all receive this eagerly.” Thalassius, the most reverend bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, said: “Flavian, of blessed memory, has spoken in agreement with Cyril, of blessed memory.” [j] And so, one after another, the bishops gave their opinions. Then the reading of the acts of the Council of Constantinople went on.

At this point in the reading, Dioscorus, the most reverend archbishop of Alexandria, said: “I accept ‘out of two.’ ‘Two’ I do not accept. I am forced to be impudent, but this is a matter that touches my soul.” [k] After a few remarks the reading went on, and the rest of the acts of the Robber Synod of Ephesus was read to the end. The judges then put off setting out a decree on the faith until the next day. But they indicated that Dioscorus and his associates ought to suffer the punishment to which they had unjustly sentenced Flavian. All the bishops approved of this except those of Illyricum, who said: “We have all gone wrong; let us all be pardoned.” [l]

The most glorious judges and the whole senate said: “Let each of the most reverend bishops of this synod hurry to set out how he believes. Let him write without any fear, keeping the fear of God before his eyes. He may do so knowing that our most divine and pious lord believes according to the statement of faith of the three hundred and eighteen holy fathers at Nicaea, and according to the statement of the hundred and fifty who came after them, and according to the canonical letters and statements of the holy fathers Gregory, Basil, Athanasius, Hilary, and Ambrose, and according to the two canonical letters of Cyril that were confirmed and published at the first Council of Ephesus. He does not depart from the faith of these fathers in any point. For the most reverend archbishop of Old Rome, Leo, appears to have sent a letter to Flavian, of blessed memory, about the unbelieving doubt of Eutyches, which was springing up against the catholic church.” [m] End of the first session. [o]