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Council of Nicea I

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THE SYNODAL LETTER.
(Found in Gelasius, Historia Concilii Nicaeni, lib. II, cap. xxxiii. ; 
Socr., H. E., lib. I., cap. 6; Theodor., H. E., lib. I., cap. 9.)
 
To the Church of Alexandria, by the grace of GOD, holy and great; 
and to our well-beloved brethren, the orthodox clergy and laity 
throughout Egypt, and Pentapolis, and Lybia, and every nation under 
heaven, the holy and great synod, the bishops assembled at Nicea, 
wish health in the LORD.
 
FORASMUCH as the great and holy Synod, which was assembled at 
Niece through the grace of Christ and our most religious Sovereign 
Constantine, who brought us together from our several provinces and 
cities, has considered matters which concern the faith of the Church, it 
seemed to us to be necessary that certain things should be 
communicated from us to you in writing, so that you might have the 
means of knowing what has been mooted and investigated, and also 
what has been decreed and confirmed.
 
First of all, then, in the presence of our most religious Sovereign 
Constantine, investigation was made of matters concerning the impiety 
and transgression of Arias and his adherents; and it was unanimously 
decreed that he and his impious opinion should be anathematized, 
together with the blasphemous words and speculations in which he 
indulged, blaspheming the Son of God, and saying that he is from 
things that are not, and that before he was begotten he was not, and 
that there was a time when he was not, and that the Son of God is by 
his free will capable of vice and virtue; saying also that he is a 
creature. All these things the holy Synod has anathematized, not even 
enduring to hear his impious doctrine and madness and blasphemous 
words. And of the charges against him and of the results they had, ye 
have either already heard or will hear the particulars, lest we should 
seem to be oppressing a man who has in fact received a fitting 
recompense for his own sin. So far indeed has his impiety prevailed, 
that he has even destroyed Theonas of Marmorica and Secundes of 
Ptolemais; for they also have received the same sentence as the rest.
 
But when the grace of God had delivered Egypt from that heresy and 
blasphemy, and from the persons who have dared to make disturbance 
and division among a people heretofore at peace, there remained the 
matter of the insolence of Meletius and those who have been ordained 
by him; and concerning this part of our work we now, beloved 
brethren, proceed to inform you of the decrees of the Synod. The 
Synod, then, being disposed to deal gently with Meletius(for in strict 
justice he deserved no leniency), decreed that he should remain in his 
own city, but have no authority either to ordain, or to administer 
affairs, or to make appointments; and that he should not appear in the 
country or in any other city for this purpose, but should enjoy the bare 
title of his rank; but that those who have been placed by him, after they 
have been confirmed by a more sacred laying on of hands, shall on 
these conditions be admitted to communion: that they shall both have 
their rank and the right to officiate, but that they shall be altogether the 
inferiors of all those who are enrolled in any church or parish, and 
have been appointed by our most honourable colleague Alexander. So 
that these men are to have no authority to make appointments of 
persons who may be pleasing to them, nor to suggest names, nor to do 
anything whatever, without  the consent of the bishops of the Catholic 
and Apostolic Church, who are serving under our most holy colleague 
Alexander; while those who, by the grace of God and through your 
prayers, have been found in no schism, but on the contrary are without 
spot in the Catholic and Apostolic Church, are to have authority to 
make appointments and nominations of worthy persons among the 
clergy, and in short to do all things according to the law and ordinance 
of the Church. But, if it happen that any of the clergy who are now in 
the Church should die, then those who have been lately received are to 
succeed to the office of the deceased; always provided that they shall 
appear to be worthy, and that the people elect them, and that the 
bishop of Alexandria shall concur in the election and ratify it. This 
concession has been made to all the rest; but, on account of his 
disorderly conduct from the first, and the rashness and precipitation of 
his character, the same decree was not made concerning Meletius himself, but that, inasmuch as he is a man 
capable of committing again the same disorders, no authority nor 
privilege should be conceded to him.
 
These are the particulars, which are of special interest to Egypt and to 
the most holy Church of Alexandria; but if in the presence of our most 
honoured lord, our colleague and brother Alexander, anything else has 
been enacted by canon or other decree, he will himself convey it to 
you in greater detail, he having been both a guide and fellow-worker in 
what has been done.
 
We further proclaim to you the good news of the agreement 
concerning the holy Easter, that this particular also has through your 
prayers been rightly settled; so that all our brethren in the East who 
formerly followed the custom of the Jews are henceforth to celebrate 
the said most sacred feast of Easter at the same time with the Romans 
and yourselves and all those who have observed Easter from the 
beginning.
 
Wherefore, rejoicing in these wholesome results, and in our common 
peace and harmony, and in the cutting off of every heresy, receive ye 
with the greater honour and with increased love, our colleague your 
Bishop Alexander, who has gladdened us by his presence, and who at 
so great an age has undergone so great fatigue that peace might be 
established among you and all of us. Pray ye also for us all, that the 
things which have been deemed advisable may stand fast; for they 
have been done, as we believe, to the well-pleasing of Almighty God 
and of his only Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Holy 
Ghost, to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
 
 



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