Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume XIV/The Fourth Ecumenical Council/Extracts from the Acts 5

Session III.

[The imperial representatives do not seem to have been present, and after A&#235;tius the Archdeacon of Constantinople had opened the Session,]

Paschasinus the bishop of Lilyb&#230;um, in the province of Silicia, and holding the place of the most holy Leo, archbishop of the Apostolic see of old Rome, said in Latin what being interpreted is as follows:&#160; It is well known to this beloved of God synod, that divine letters were sent to the blessed and apostolic pope Leo, inviting him to deign to be present at the holy synod.&#160; But since ancient custom did not sanction this, nor the general necessity of the time seemed to permit it, our littleness in the place of himself he &#964;&#8048; &#964;&#8134;&#962; &#7937;&#947;&#8055;&#945;&#962; &#963;&#965;&#957;&#8057;&#948;&#959;&#965; &#949;&#960;&#8051;&#964;&#961;&#949;&#968;&#949;, and therefore it is necessary that whatever things are brought into discussion should be examined by our interference (&#948;&#953;&#945;&#955;&#945;&#955;&#953;&#8118;&#962;).&#160; [The Latin reads where I have placed the Greek of the ordinary text, thus, &#8220;commanded our littleness to preside in his place over this holy council.&#8221;]&#160; Therefore let the book presented by our most beloved-of-God brother, and fellow-bishop Eusebius be received, and read by the beloved of God archdeacon and primicerius of the notaries, A&#235;tius.

And A&#235;tius, the archdeacon and primicerius of the notaries, took the book and read as follows.

[Next follows the petition of Eusebius et post nonnulla four petitions each addressed to &#8220;The most holy and beloved-of-God ecumenical archbishop and patriarch of great Rome Leo, and to the holy and ecumenical Synod assembled at Chalcedon, etc., etc.;&#8221;&#160; The first two by deacons of Alexandria, the third by a quondam presbyter of the diocese, and the fourth by a layman also of Alexandria.&#160; After this Dioscorus was again summoned and, as he did not come, sentence was given against him, which was communicated to him in a letter contained in the acts.&#160; (L. and C., Conc., Tom. IV., col. 418.)&#160; The Bishops expressed their opinions for the most part one by one, but the Roman Legates spoke together, and in their speech occurs the following (Col. 426:)]

Wherefore the most holy and blessed Leo, archbishop of the great and elder Rome, through us, and through this present most holy synod together with the thrice blessed and all-glorious Peter the Apostle, who is the rock and foundation of the Catholic Church, and the foundation of the orthodox faith, hath stripped him of the episcopate, and hath alienated from him all hieratic worthiness.&#160; Therefore let this most holy and great synod sentence the before mentioned Dioscorus to the canonical penalties.

[The bishops then, one by one, spoke in favour of the deposition of Dioscorus, but usually on the ground of his refusal to appear when thrice summoned.]

And when all the most holy bishops had spoken on the subject, they signed this which follows.