To Januarius of Aquileia, on Clergy Returning from Heresy

Leo, bishop of the city of Rome, to Januarius, bishop of Aquileia. [a]

On reading your letter, brother, we recognized the vigor of your faith, which we already knew. We congratulate you on the watchful care you give, as a shepherd, to keeping Christ’s flock, so that the wolves that come in disguised as sheep may not tear the simple to pieces in their beastly fierceness, and may not only run riot themselves without restraint but also corrupt those who are sound. So that this viper’s deceit may not succeed, we have thought it right to warn you, beloved. We remind you that it puts a man’s soul in danger if anyone who has fallen away from us into a sect of heretics and schismatics, and has stained himself to any degree with the pollution of heretical communion, is received into catholic communion when he comes to his senses, without making proper and explicit amends. It is most wholesome, and full of all the benefits of spiritual healing, that presbyters, deacons, subdeacons or clergy of any rank who wish to appear reformed, and who beg to return once more to the catholic faith they had long ago lost, should first confess without any ambiguity that they condemn their errors and the very authors of those errors. In this way their base opinions may be utterly destroyed, no hope may remain of their coming back, and no member may be harmed by contact with them, since every point will have been met by its proper renunciation. [b]

With regard to them we also order that this rule of the canons be kept: they are to count it a great kindness if they are allowed to remain undisturbed in their present rank, without any hope of further advancement, and this only on condition that they have not been defiled by a second baptism. No light penalty from the Lord awaits anyone who judges such a person fit to be advanced to holy orders. If advancement is granted even to the blameless only after full examination, how much more ought it to be refused to those who are under suspicion.

So, beloved brother, in whose devotion we rejoice, give your care to our directions. See that these praiseworthy suggestions and wholesome commands, which concern the welfare of the whole church, are carried out carefully and quickly. But do not doubt, beloved, that if what we decree for the keeping of the canons and the soundness of the faith is neglected, which we do not expect, we will be deeply moved. For the faults of those of lower rank are to be laid at no one’s door more than that of lazy and careless rulers, who often let much disease grow by refusing to apply the remedy that is needed. Dated the 30th of December, in the consulship of the illustrious Calepius and Ardabur (in the year 447).