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In the name of our Lord and Master
Jesus Christ, our God and Saviour, the most pious Emperor, the peaceful and
Christ-loving Constantine, an Emperor faithful to God in Jesus Christ, to all
our Christ-loving people living in this God-preserved and royal city.
[The document is very long, Hefele
gives the following epitome, which is all sufficient for the ordinary reader,
who will remember that it is an Edict of the Emperor and not anything
proceeding from the council.]
Hefele's Epitome (Hist. of the
Councils, Vol.
v., p. 178).
"The heresy of Apollinaris,
etc., has been renewed by Theodore of Pharan and confirmed by Honorius,
sometime Pope of Old Rome, who also contradicted himself. Also Cyrus, Pyrrhus,
Paul, Peter; more recently. Macarius, Stephen, and Polychronius had diffused
Monothelitism. He, the Emperor, had therefore convoked this holy and Ecumenical
Synod, and published the present edict with the confession of faith, in order
to confirm and establish its decrees. (There follows here an extended
confession of faith, with proofs for the doctrine of two wills and operations.)
As he recognized the five earlier Ecumenical Synods, so he anathematized all
heretics from Simon Magus, but especially the originator and patrons of the new
heresy, Theodore and Sergius; also Pope Honorius, who was their adherent and
patron in everything, and confirmed the heresy (ton kata panta toutois
sunairethn kai bebaiwthn ths airesews, further, Cyrus, etc., and ordained that
no one henceforth should hold a different faith, or venture to teach one will
and one energy. In no other than the orthodox faith could men be saved. Whoever
did not obey the imperial edict should, if he were a bishop or cleric be
deposed; if an official, punished with confiscation of property and loss of the
girdle (zwnh); if a private person, banished from the residence and all other
cities."
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