To Domnus, Bishop of Antioch, on the Ordination of Irenaeus

When I read your letter, I remembered the most blessed Susanna. When she saw those notorious villains, and believed that the God of all was present, she uttered that remarkable cry, “I am hemmed in on every side”; and yet she chose to fall into the snares of slander rather than to despise the just God. I too, sir, as I have often said, have two choices: to offend God and wound my conscience, or to fall by an unjust human sentence. The most pious emperor, I think, knows nothing of this. For what kept him from writing and ordering the ordination to take place, if it truly pleased him? Why in the world do they make threats from outside and cause alarm, and yet send no letters openly ordering it? One of two things must be true: either the most pious emperor has not been persuaded to write, or they are trying to make us break the law, and afterward to prosecute us for illegality. I have before me the example of the blessed Principius: in his case, after they had given orders in writing, they punished him for obeying. Moreover, the letters I read on the very day the letter carrier arrived say the opposite. One of the holy monks has written to someone that he has received letters both from the most illustrious guardsman and from the most glorious former magister, saying that the case of the very godly lord bishop Irenaeus will go more favorably; and in return for this goodwill they ask for prayers on their behalf. So I think a reply ought to be written to the clergy who have written from the imperial city, to this effect: “In obedience to the decision of the very godly bishops of Phoenicia, and knowing the zeal, the greatness of spirit, the love for the poor, and all the other virtues of the very godly bishop Irenaeus, and besides this the orthodoxy of his views, I ordained him. I do not know of his ever having objected to giving the holy Virgin the title Theotokos, or of his ever having held any other opinion contrary to the teachings of the gospel. “As to the question of a second marriage, I have followed my predecessors. Alexander of blessed and holy memory, the glory of this apostolic see, and also the most blessed Acacius, bishop of Beroea, ordained Diogenes of blessed memory, who had been married twice; and in the same way the blessed Praylius ordained Domninus of Caesarea, who had been married twice. So we have followed precedent, and the example of men well known and distinguished for both learning and character. Proclus of blessed memory, bishop of Constantinople, knew well of this and of many other cases; he himself accepted the ordination, and wrote in praise and admiration of it. So did the leading godly bishops of the Pontic Diocese, and all those of Palestine. [a]

“No doubt has been raised about the matter, and we hold it wrong to condemn a man distinguished for many and varied noble deeds.” In my opinion it is fitting to write in these terms. If your holiness takes any other view, let what seems good to you be done. I, as they suppose, have undergone one punishment, and by God’s help I am ready to undergo another. Even a third and a fourth, if they like, I will endure, praising the Lord, with God’s grace to hold me up. If your holiness thinks it right, let us see what answer comes from Palestine, and after considering more exactly what course to take, let us write accordingly to Constantinople.