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ER 1733
Pope Leo the Great sends a letter to the archimandrites of Conastantinople concerning the ordination of Bishop Anatolius of Constantinople in which he recommends his legates, Bishops Asterius and Abundius, and the Presbyters Basilius and Senator. Letter 71 of Pope Leo the Great "Causa fidei", written in Rome, AD 450.
Letter 71
 
Leo the Great writes to the archimandrites faithful to the late Bishop Flavian (who died in consequence of an attack at the Second Council of Ephesus in 449) that he was surprised that a new bishop of Constantinople, Anatolius had been elected as if nothing scandalous had ever happened.
 
[...] Ne ergo, quod inter longinquas regiones accidere solet, in nimias dilationes tenderet veritatis examen, fratres et coepiscopos nostros Abundium, et Asterium, sed et Basilium, et Senatorem presbyteros, probatissimos viros, ad piissimum principem cum sufficienti paternarum auctoritatum instructione direximus. Quos in omnibus, fratres charissimi, diligentia ac sollicitudine vestra cupimus adiuvari, ut impietas, quae caecis ausibus in exitialia abrupta processit, simplices quosque decipiendi ulterius non habeat potestatem; cum aptiore medicina etiam illis cupiamus per (0896B) correctionis remedia subveniri, qui aut imperitia sunt lapsi, aut terrore traducti. Et ideo vos, qui iustificamini per fidem, quia catholicam diligitis veritatem, et de singulari sacramento salutis humanae per Spiritum sanctum estis edocti, collaborate nobiscum, et quanta potestis devotione satagite ut, falsitate destructa et fidei soliditate defensa, secura per totum mundum Dei pace potiamur. Data XVI kal. Augusti, Valentiniano Augusto septies, et Avieno v. c. consulibus.
 
(Patrologia Latina 54, 895-896 = Ballerini 1753: 1012-1014)
Letter 71
 
Leo the Great writes to the archimandrites faithful to the late Bishop Flavian (who died in consequence of an attack at the Second Council of Ephesus in 449) that he was surprised that a new bishop of Constantinople, Anatolius had been elected as if nothing scandalous had ever happened.
 
Lest then the examination of truth be delayed, as it usually is in case of two regions far away from each other, we have sent our brothers and fellow-bishops Abundius and Asterius as well as the Presbyters Basilius and Senator, the proven men, to the most pious ruler supplied with the instruction of paternal authority. We wish that you, dearest brothers, will help them in everything with diligence and care so that the impiety which in its blind attempts resulted in the deadly outbursts will have have no more possibility to deceive the simple minds. We desire to help with the medicine of correction those who lapsed because of the lack of experience or were misguided by fear. Therefore, as you are justified by faith and you love the Catholic truth, and you are instructed by the Holy Spirit about the exceptional sacrament of the human salvation, please, work together with us, and spare no pious effort so that having destroy falseness and defended the solidity of faith, we can secure the peace of God in whole world. Given on the sixteenth day before the Kalends of August in the consulship of Valentinianus for the seventh time and of Avienus, vir clarissimus. [=17 July 450].
 
(trans. and summary M. Szada)

Discussion:

We know that the Presbyter Basilius belonged to the clergy of Naples from the fragmentary acts of the synod that took place in Constantinople in 450 (see PCBE, Italie, v. 1, Basilius 5). Senator  was most probably the presbyter of Milan - Bishop Eusebius of Milan (Letter 97 in the collection of the letters of Leo) calls Senator his "compresbyter" [...].

Place of event:

Region
  • Rome
  • East
City
  • Rome
  • Constantinople

About the source:

Author: Leo the Great
Title: Letters, Epistulae
Origin: Rome (Rome)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian
Leo the Great was the bishop of Rome from AD 440 to his death in AD 461. We have the collection of 173 letters of Leo.
 
Anatolius succeeded in the see of Constantinople Flavianus, deposed by the Second Council of Ephesus in AD 449. Leo the Great considered the decisions of the council void, but after the death of Flavianus in AD 449, he informed the Emperor that he could accept Anatolius as the Bishop of Constantinople if he confesses the faith as defined by the councils of Nicea and Ephesus I, the letter of Cyril of Alexandria and the Tome to Flavianus. Anatolius complied to that, and in AD 451 he presided over the Council of Chalcedon. He died in AD 458. See Wessel 2008: 42-43.
Edition:
P. and G. Ballerini eds., Sancti Leoni Magni Romani pontificis opera, vol. 1, Venice 1753
Patrologia Latina, vol. 54
Bibliography:
S. Wessel, Leo the Great and the spiritual rebuilding of a universal Rome, Leiden; Boston 2008.

Categories:

Travel and change of residence
Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος
Ecclesiastical administration - Ecclesiastical envoy
Relation with - Another presbyter
Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior
Relation with - Monk/Nun
Administration of justice - Ecclesiastical
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1733, https://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1733
Record by: Marta Szada
last edited: 2020-03-31 13:06:43
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