The Eighth Session: George and Macarius Answer

Extracts from the acts of the council, the eighth session (Labbe and Cossart, Concilia, volume 6, column 730). The emperor said: “Let George, the most holy archbishop of this our God-preserved city, and Macarius, the venerable archbishop of Antioch, and the synod subject to them, that is, the bishops under them, say whether they submit to the force of the suggestions sent by the most holy Agatho, pope of Old Rome, and by his synod.” [a]

The answer of George follows. All his bishops, many of them speaking one by one, agreed with it, except Theodore of Metilene, who handed in his assent at the end of the tenth session. [c] “I have diligently examined the whole force of the suggestions sent to your most pious fortitude, both by Agatho, the most holy pope of Old Rome, and by his synod. I have also scrutinized the works of the holy and approved fathers that are kept in my venerable patriarchate. And I have found that all the testimonies of the holy and accepted fathers contained in those suggestions agree with the holy and accepted fathers, and differ from them in nothing. Therefore I give my submission to them, and so I profess and believe.” [d]

The answer of all the rest of the bishops subject to the See of Constantinople (column 735): “And we, most pious lord, accept the teaching of the suggestion sent to your most gentle fortitude by the most holy and blessed Agatho, pope of Old Rome, and of that other suggestion adopted by the council subject to him. Following the sense contained in them, so we think, so we profess, and so we believe: that in our one Lord Jesus Christ, our true God, there are two natures, without confusion, without change, and without division, and two natural wills and two natural operations. And all who have taught, and who now say, that there is only one will and one operation in the two natures of our one Lord Jesus Christ, our true God, we anathematize.” [e]

The emperor’s demand to Macarius (column 739): “Let Macarius, the venerable archbishop of Antioch, who has now heard what this holy and ecumenical synod has said in asking him to state his faith, answer as seems good to him.” The answer of Macarius: “I do not say that there are two wills or two operations in the divine plan of the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, but one will and one theandric operation.” [f]