The Third Session: Dioscorus Deposed

The emperor’s representatives do not seem to have been present. After Aetius, the archdeacon of Constantinople, had opened the session, [a] Paschasinus, bishop of Lilybaeum in the province of Sicily, who held the place of the most holy Leo, archbishop of the Apostolic See of Old Rome, spoke in Latin. Translated, his words were as follows: “This synod, beloved of God, knows well that imperial letters were sent to the blessed and apostolic Pope Leo, inviting him to be so good as to be present at the holy synod. But since ancient custom did not allow this, and the general needs of the time did not seem to permit it either, he has commanded our littleness to preside over this holy council in his place. So it is necessary that whatever is brought up for discussion should be examined with our intervention. Therefore let the book presented by our brother and fellow bishop Eusebius, most beloved of God, be received, and let it be read by Aetius, the archdeacon beloved of God and chief of the notaries.” [b] Aetius, the archdeacon and chief of the notaries, took the book and read as follows.

Next comes the petition of Eusebius, and, after some other matters, four petitions, each addressed “to the most holy and beloved of God ecumenical archbishop and patriarch of great Rome, Leo, and to the holy and ecumenical synod assembled at Chalcedon,” and so on. The first two were from deacons of Alexandria, the third from a former presbyter of that diocese, and the fourth from a layman, also of Alexandria. After this Dioscorus was summoned again, and since he did not come, sentence was given against him. It was sent to him in a letter that is contained in the acts. The bishops gave their opinions mostly one by one, but the Roman legates spoke together, and their speech includes the following: [f] “Therefore the most holy and blessed Leo, archbishop of great and elder Rome, through us and through this present most holy synod, together with the thrice-blessed and all-glorious Peter the apostle, who is the rock and foundation of the catholic church and the foundation of the orthodox faith, has stripped him of the office of bishop and has cut him off from every priestly dignity. Therefore let this most holy and great synod sentence the aforementioned Dioscorus to the penalties of the canons.” [g]

Then the bishops spoke one by one in favor of deposing Dioscorus, but usually on the ground that he had refused to appear when summoned three times. [h] When all the most holy bishops had spoken on the matter, they signed the following.