To Julian of Cos, Asking Him to Act as Leo’s Legate

Leo, bishop of Rome, to Julian, bishop of Cos.

In your letter, beloved, I recognize the feelings of brotherly love, in that you share our true grief at the many grievous evils we have borne. But we pray that the things the Lord has either allowed or willed us to suffer may serve to correct those who have lived through them, and that troubles may cease as offenses cease. Both will follow through the mercy of God, if only he removes the scourge and turns the hearts of his people to himself. But as you, brother, are saddened by the hostilities that have raged around us, so I am made anxious because, as your letter shows, the treacherous attacks of heretics have not been set at rest in the church of Constantinople, and people are looking for occasions to persecute those who have been the defenders of the catholic faith. For as long as Aetius is removed from his office of archdeacon under the pretense of promotion, and Andrew, who had been cast off for associating with heretics, is taken into his place; as long as respect is shown to the accusers of Flavian of holy memory, and the companions or disciples of that most pious confessor are put down, it is only too plain what pleases the bishop of that church. I am putting off taking action toward him until I hear the merits of the case, and I am waiting for his own dealings with me in the letter that our son Aetius tells me he will send. This gives him room for voluntary correction, by which I wish my displeasure to be appeased. Even so, I have written to our most clement prince and the most pious Augusta about these things, which concern the peace of the church. And I do not doubt that in the devotion of their faith they will take care that a heresy already condemned does not succeed in springing up again, to the harm of their own glorious work. [a]

See to it, then, beloved brother, that you give the necessary thought to the cares of the Apostolic See. By her rights as your mother she entrusts to you, who were nourished at her breast, the defense of the catholic truth against Nestorians and Eutychians, so that, supported by divine help, you may never cease to watch over the interests of the city of Constantinople, and the storms of error may never arise within her. And because the faith of our glorious princes is so great that you may confidently suggest to them what is necessary, use their piety for the good of the universal church. But whenever you consult me, beloved, on things you think doubtful, my reply will not fail to give you instruction. In this way, apart from cases that ought to be decided by the inquiries of the bishops of each particular church, you may act as my legate and take on the special charge of preventing the Nestorian or Eutychian heresy from reviving anywhere. For the bishop of Constantinople does not have catholic vigor, and is not very zealous either for the mystery of mankind’s salvation or for his own reputation. If he had any spiritual energy, he ought to have considered by whom he was ordained and whom he succeeded, so as to follow the blessed Flavian rather than the instruments of his promotion. And so, when our most religious princes, in answer to my entreaties, deign to reprimand our brother Anatolius on the matters that rightly come under blame, join your diligence to theirs, beloved, so that every cause of offense may be removed by the fullest correction, and he may stop injuring our son Aetius. For in a catholic-minded bishop, even if there was something in his archdeacon that seemed likely to annoy him, it ought to have been passed over out of regard for the faith, rather than letting the most worthless heretic take the place of a catholic. So when I have learned the rest of the story, I will see more clearly what ought to be done. For meanwhile I have thought it better to restrain my displeasure and to practice patience, so that there may be room for forgiveness. [e]

As for the monks of Palestine, who are said to have been in a state of mutiny for a long time now, I do not know what spirit is moving them at present. Nor has anyone yet explained to me what reasons they seem to put forward for their discontent: whether, for instance, they wish to serve the Eutychian heresy by such madness, or whether they are irreconcilably vexed that their bishop could have been misled into that blasphemy. By it, in spite of the very associations of the holy places from which instruction went out to the whole world, he has cut himself off from the truth of the Lord’s incarnation; and in their opinion, what in others had to be wiped out by absolution cannot be pardonable in him. So I wish to be more fully informed about these things, so that proper means may be taken for their correction. For it is one thing to arm oneself wickedly against the faith, and another to be immoderately disturbed on its behalf. You should know, too, that the documents which Aetius the presbyter told me earlier had been sent, and the summary of the faith that you say you have sent, have not yet arrived. So, if the chance of a faster messenger presents itself, I will be glad to have any information that seems useful sent to me as soon as possible. I am anxious to know about the monks of Egypt, whether they have regained their peace and their faith, and what trustworthy news reaches you about the church of Alexandria. I want you to know what I wrote to its bishop, or to those who ordained him, or to the clergy, and so I have sent you a copy of the letter. You will also learn what I have said to our most clement prince and our most religious empress from the copies sent. [f]

I would like to know whether my letter on the faith of the Lord’s incarnation, which I sent you by Basil the deacon while Flavian of holy memory was still alive, has been delivered to you, brother; for I imagine you have never made any comment on its contents. We have no very clear information about the acts of the synod that were drawn up at the time of the council at Chalcedon, because of the difference of language. So I especially charge you, brother, to have the whole collected into one volume, translated accurately into Latin, of course, so that we may not be in doubt about any part of the proceedings, and so that there may be no uncertainty of any kind once you have taken pains to bring it fully within my understanding. Dated the 11th of March, in the consulship of the illustrious Opilio (in the year 453). [g]