To the Synod of Chalcedon

Leo, bishop of the city of Rome, to the holy synod assembled at Nicaea. [a]

Dearly beloved, I had indeed prayed for my dear colleagues that all the Lord’s priests would hold firm in united devotion to the catholic faith, and that no one would be led by favor toward the powers of this world, or by fear of them, to leave the way of truth. But many things often happen that lead to repentance, and God’s mercy rises above the faults of wrongdoers, and vengeance is put off so that there may be room for reform. So we must make much of the council our most merciful prince has devoutly called, in which he has desired your holy brotherhood to assemble in order to destroy the snares of the devil and restore the peace of the church. He has so far respected the rights and dignity of the most blessed apostle Peter as to invite us too, by letter, to be present at your venerable synod. That indeed is not permitted either by the needs of the times or by any precedent. Yet in these brothers, Paschasinus and Lucentius, bishops, and Boniface and Basil, presbyters, who have been sent by the Apostolic See, let your brotherhood consider that I am presiding at the synod. For my presence is not withdrawn from you, since I am now represented by my vicars, and I have long been truly with you in proclaiming the catholic faith. So you, who cannot help knowing what we believe in keeping with ancient tradition, cannot doubt what we desire. [b]

So, dearest brothers, let every attempt to attack the divinely inspired faith be entirely put down, and let the empty unbelief of heretics be laid to rest. Let no one defend what may not be believed. For in keeping with the authoritative statements of the gospel, the sayings of the prophets and the teaching of the apostles, it has been set out with the greatest fullness and clearness, in the letter we sent to Bishop Flavian of happy memory, what the loyal and pure confession is on the mystery of the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. [c]

But we know full well that through wicked jealousies the state of many churches has been thrown into disorder. A great number of bishops have been driven from their sees and carried off into exile for refusing to accept the heresy, while others have been put into their places while they were still alive. To these wounds the healing of justice must be applied first of all, and no one must be deprived of what is his own so that someone else may enjoy it. For if, as we desire, all forsake their error, no one need lose his present rank, and those who have labored for the faith ought to have their rights restored with every privilege. Let the decrees of the former Synod of Ephesus, at which Bishop Cyril of holy memory presided, which were directed specially against Nestorius, still keep their force, so that the heresy condemned then may not flatter itself in any way because Eutyches is now visited with the curse he deserves. For the purity of faith and teaching which we proclaim in the same spirit as our holy fathers condemns and attacks equally the Nestorian and the Eutychian false belief, with their supporters. Farewell in the Lord, dearest brothers. Dated the 26th of June, in the consulship of the illustrious Adelfius (in the year 451). [d]