The Second Session

When all were seated in front of the railings of the most holy altar, the most magnificent and glorious judges and the great senate said: “At an earlier meeting the condemnation of the most reverend bishop Flavian, of blessed memory, and of Eusebius was examined. All of you saw how justly and carefully the examination was carried out, and it was proved that they had been condemned cruelly and wrongly. What course we should take in that matter became clear after your deliberations. Now, however, the question to be inquired into, studied, and decided is how the true faith is to be established, and this is the chief purpose for which this council has been assembled. We know that you will give God a strict account, not only for your own souls in particular, but also for the souls of all of us who want to be rightly taught everything that belongs to religion, and want all ambiguity taken away by the agreement and consent of all the holy fathers and by their united statement and teaching. So hurry, without any fear of pleasing or displeasing anyone, to set out the pure faith, so that those who do not seem to believe as all the rest do may be brought to unity by acknowledging the truth. For we want you to know that the most divine and pious lord of the whole world, and we ourselves, hold the orthodox faith set out by the three hundred and eighteen and by the hundred and fifty holy fathers, and what has also been taught by the rest of the most holy and glorious fathers. Our belief is in keeping with this.” [a]

The most reverend bishops cried out: “No one is making any other statement of faith, and we will not attempt it, nor will we dare to set out anything new. For the fathers taught, and their writings preserve, what they set out. Beyond this we can say nothing.” Cecropius, the most reverend bishop of Sebastopol, said: “The matters concerning Eutyches have been examined, and the most holy archbishop of Rome has given a pattern, which we follow. We have all signed his letter.” [c] The most reverend bishops cried out: “These are the opinions of all of us. The statements already set out are quite enough. It is not lawful to make any other.” The most glorious judges and the great senate said: “If it pleases your reverence, let the most holy patriarch of each province choose one or two from his own province and come into the middle. Let them consider the faith together and make known to everyone what is agreed. Then, if all are of one mind, as we desire, all ambiguity will be removed. But if some hold contrary opinions, which we do not believe to be the case, we will know what their opinions are.” [d] The most reverend bishops cried out: “We make no new statement in writing. This is the law, which teaches that what has been set out is enough. The law wills that no other statement be made. Let the sayings of the fathers stand firm.” [e]

Florentius, the most reverend bishop of Sardis, said: “Those who follow the teaching of the holy synod of Nicaea, which was rightly and piously confirmed at Ephesus, cannot draw up on the spur of the moment a declaration of faith in keeping with the faith of the holy fathers Cyril and Celestine and with the letter of the most holy Leo. So we ask your magnificence to give us time, so that we can arrive at the truth of the matter with a fitting document. As far as we ourselves are concerned, though, since we have signed the letter of the most holy Leo, nothing further is needed.” [f] Cecropius, the most reverend bishop of Sebastopol, said: “The faith was well defined by the three hundred and eighteen holy fathers and confirmed by the holy fathers Athanasius, Cyril, Celestine, Hilary, Basil, and Gregory, and now once again by the most holy Leo. We ask that what was decreed by the three hundred and eighteen holy fathers and by the most holy Leo be read.” The most glorious judges and the great senate said: “Let the statements of the three hundred and eighteen fathers gathered at Nicaea be read.”

Eunomius, the most reverend bishop of Nicomedia, read from a book the statement of faith of the three hundred and eighteen fathers: [g] The statement of faith of the council held at Nicaea. “In the consulship of Paul and Julian…” and the rest. “We believe in one God…” and the rest. “But those who say…” and the rest. [h] The most reverend bishops cried out: “This is the orthodox faith! This we all believe! Into this we were baptized; into this we baptize! Blessed Cyril taught this! This is the true faith! This is the holy faith! This is the everlasting faith! Into this we were baptized; into this we baptize! We all believe this! Leo, the pope, believes this! Cyril believed this! Pope Leo interpreted it this way!” [i]

The most glorious judges and the great senate said: “Let what was set out by the hundred and fifty holy fathers be read.” Aetius, the reverend deacon of Constantinople, read from a book the creed of the hundred and fifty fathers: The holy faith that the hundred and fifty fathers set out, in agreement with the holy and great synod of Nicaea. “We believe in one God…” and the rest. [j] All the most reverend bishops cried out: “This is the faith of all of us! We all believe this!”

The reverend archdeacon Aetius said: “There remains the letter of Cyril, of holy and blessed memory, once bishop of the great city of Alexandria, which he wrote to Nestorius. It was approved by all the most holy bishops assembled at the first Council at Ephesus, which was called to condemn this same Nestorius, and it was confirmed by the signatures of all. There is also another letter of the same Cyril, of blessed memory, which he wrote to John, of blessed memory, once bishop of the great city of Antioch, and it too was confirmed. If it is so ordered, I will read them.” The most glorious judges and the great senate said: “Let the letters of Cyril, of blessed memory, be read.” Aetius, the archdeacon of the imperial city of Constantinople, read: “To the most reverend and most religious Nestorius, his fellow priest, Cyril sends greeting in the Lord.” This letter begins, “I hear that some people are rashly talking…” It is found among the acts of the Council of Ephesus. [k] In the same way, the archdeacon Aetius read the letter of the same holy Cyril, of blessed memory, to John of Antioch, about the peace. This letter begins, “Let the heavens rejoice…” [l]