THE SYNODICAL LETTER.

(note 1: found in Theod. H.E.v.9. The reader is warned against 

inaccurate translations of the dogmatic portions)

To the right honourable lords our right reverend brethren and 

colleagues, Damasus, Ambrosius, Britton, Valerianus, Ascholius, Anemius, 

Basilius and the rest of the holy bishops assembled in the great city of 

Rome, the holy synod of the orthodox bishops assembled at the great city 

of Constantinople sends greeting in the Lord.

To recount all the sufferings inflicted on us by the power of the 

Arians, and to attempt to give information to your reverences, as though 

you were not already well acquainted with them, might seem superfluous. 

For we do not suppose your piety to hold what is befalling us as of such 

secondary importance as that you stand in any need of information on 

matters which cannot but evoke your sympathy. Nor indeed were the storms 

which beset us such as to escape notice from their insignificance. Our 

persecutions are but of yesterday. The sound of them still rings in the 

ears alike of those who suffered them and of those whose love made the 

sufferers' pain their own. It was but a day or two ago, so to speak, 

that some released from chains in foreign lands returned to their own 

churches through manifold afflictions; of others who had died in exile 

the relics were brought home; others again, even after their return from 

exile, found the passion of the heretics still at the boiling heat, and, 

slain by them with stones as was the blessed Stephen, met with a sadder 

fate in their own than in a stranger's land. Others, worn away with 

various cruelties, still bear in their bodies the scars of their wounds 

and the marks of Christ. Who could tell the tale of fines, of 

disfranchisements, of individual confiscations, of intrigues, of 

outrages, of prisons? In truth all kinds of tribulation were wrought out 

beyond number in us, perhaps because we were paying the penalty of sins, 

perhaps because the merciful God was trying us by means of the multitude 

of our sufferings. For these all thanks to God, who by means of Such 

afflictions trained his servants and, according to the multitude of his 

mercies, brought us again to refreshment. We indeed needed long leisure, 

time, and toil to restore the church once more, that so, like physicians 

healing the body after long sickness and expelling its disease by 

gradual treatment, we might bring her back to her ancient health of true 

religion. It is true that on the whole we seem to have been delivered 

from the violence of our persecutions and to be just now recovering the 

churches which, have for a long time been the prey of the heretics. But 

wolves are troublesome to us who, though they have been driven from the 

fold, yet harry the flock up and down the glades, daring to hold rival 

assemblies, stirring seditious among the people, and shrinking from 

nothing which can do damage to the churches. So, as we have already 

said, we needs must labour all the longer. Since, however, you showed 

your brotherly love to us by inviting us (as though we were your own 

members) by the letters of our most religious emperor to the synod which 

you are gathering by divine permission at Rome, to the end that since we 

alone were then condemned to suffer persecution, you should not now, 

when our emperors are at one with us as to true religion, reign apart 

from us, but that we, to use the Apostle's phrase, should reign with 

you, our prayer was, if it were possible, all in company to leave our 

churches, and rather gratify our longing to see you than consult their 

needs. For who will give us wings as of a dove, and we will fly and be 

at rest? But this course seemed likely to leave the churches who were 

just recovering quite uncle-fended, and the undertaking was to most of 

us impossible, for, in accordance witch the letters sent a year ago from 

your holiness after the synod at Aquileia to the most pious emperor 

Theodosius, we had journeyed to Constantinople, equipped only for 

travelling

so far as Constantinople, and bringing the consent of the bishops 

remaining in the provinces of this synod alone. We had been in no 

expectation of any longer journey nor had heard a word about it, before 

our arrival at Constantinople. In addition to all this, and on account 

of the narrow limits of the appointed time which allowed of no 

preparation for a longer journey, nor of communicating with the bishops 

of our communion in the provinces and of obtaining their consent, the 

journey to Rome was for the majority impossible. We have therefore 

adopted the next best course open to us under the circumstances, both 

for the better administration of the church, and for manifesting our 

love towards you, by strongly urging our most venerated, and honoured 

colleagues and brother bishops Cyriacus, Eusebius and Priscianus, to 

consent to travel to you.

Through them we wish to make it plain that our disposition is all for 

peace with unity for its sole object, and that we are full of zeal for 

the right faith. For we, whether we suffered persecutions, or 

afflictions, or the threats of emperors, or the cruelties of prince, s, 

or any other trial at the hands of heretics, have undergone all for the 

sake of the evangelic faith, ratified by the three hundred and eighteen 

fathers at Nicaea in Bithynia. This is the faith which ought to be 

sufficient for you, for us, for all who wrest not the word of the true 

faith; for it is the ancient faith; it is the faith of our baptism; it 

is the faith that teaches us to believe in the name of the Father, of 

the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. According to this faith there is one 

Godhead, Power and Substance of the Father and of the Son and of the 

Holy Ghost; the dignity being equal, and the majesty being equal in 

three perfect hypostases, i.e. three perfect persons. Thus there is no 

room for the heresy of Sabellius by the confusion of the hypostases, 

i.e. the destruction of the personalities; thus the blasphemy of the 

Eunomians, of the Arians, and of the Pneumatomachi is nullified, which 

divides the substance, the nature, dud the godhead, and super-induces on 

the uncreated consubstantial and co-eternal Trinity a nature posterior, 

created and of a different substance. We moreover preserve unperverted 

the doctrine of the incarnation of the Lord, holding the tradition that 

the dispensation of the flesh is neither soulless nor mindless nor 

imperfect; and knowing full well that God's Word was perfect before the 

ages, and became perfect man in the last days for our salvation.

Let this suffice for a summary of the doctrine which is fearlessly and 

frankly preached by us, and concerning which you will be able to be 

still further satisfied if you will deign to read the tome of the synod 

of Antioch, and also that tome issued last year by the Ecumenical 

Council held at Constantinople, in which we have set forth our 

confession of the faith at greater length, and have appended an anathema 

against the heresies which innovators have recently inscribed.

Now as to the particular administration of individual churches, an 

ancient custom, as you know, has obtained, confirmed by the enactment of 

the holy fathers of Nicaea, that in every province, the bishops of the 

province, and, with their consent, the neighbouring bishops with them, 

should perform ordinations as expediency may require. In conforming with 

these customs note that other churches have been administered by us and 

the priests of the most famous, churches publicly appointed. Accordingly 

over the new made (if the expression be allowable) church at 

Constantinople, which, as through from a lion's mouth, we have lately 

snatched by God's mercy from the blasphemy of the heretics, we have or-

dained bishop the right reverend and most religious Nectarius, in the 

presence of the Ecumenical Council, with common consent, before the most 

religious emperor Theodosius, and with the assent of all the clergy and 

of the whole city. And over the most ancient and truly apostolic church 

in Syria, where first the noble name of Christians was given them, the 

bishops of the province and of the eastern diocese have met together and 

canonically ordained bishop the right reverend and most religious 

Flavianus, with the consent of all the church, who as though with one 

voice joined in expressing their respect for him. This rightful 

ordination also received the sanction of the General Council. Of the 

church at Jerusalem, mother of all the churches, we make known that the 

right reverend and most religious Cyril is bishop, who was some time ago 

canonically ordained by the bishops of the province, and has in several 

places fought a good fight against the Arians. We beseech your reverence 

to rejoice at what has thus been rightly and canonically settled by us, 

by the intervention of spiritual love and by the influence of the fear 

of the Lord, compelling the feelings of men, and making the edification 

of churches of more importance than individual grace or favour. Thus 

since among us there is agreement in the faith and Christian charity has 

been established, we shall cease to use the phrase condemned by the 

apostles, I am of Paul and I of Apollos and I of Cephas, and all 

appearing as Christ's, who in us is not divided, by God's grace we will 

keep the body of the church unrent, and will boldly stand at the 

judgment seat of the Lord.