The Presbyters Project

Letter 89 [inc. "Credebamus clementiam"]

Credebamus clementiam vestram id desiderio nostro posse praestare, ut praesenti necessitate respecta, differri ad opportunius tempus sacerdotalem synodum iuberetis: ut evocatis de cunctis provinciis sacerdotibus, vere possit esse universale concilium. Sed quia vos amore catholicae fidei congregationem nunc fieri voluistis, ne devoto obviare viderer arbitrio, fratrem et coepiscopum meum Paschasinum de ea provincia quae videtur esse securior evocatum, qui vicem praesentiae meae possit implere, direxi; Bonifacio fratre et compresbytero meo sociato, et his quos antea miseramus adiunctis, consortem illis fratrem quoque meum Iulianum addentes episcopum. [...] Data octavo kalendas Iulii, Adelfio viro clarissimo consule.

(Patrologia Latina 54, 930 = Ballerini 1753: 1060-1061)

Letter 89

We believed that Your Clemency would comply with our wish, and respecting the present necessity would order the postponing to a more opportune time the priestly synod so that the priests could be convoked from all the provinces and the synod could truly be universal. But as you wanted to convoke a gathering right now for the love of the Catholic faith, in order not to seem to obstruct your pious will, I have sent my brother and fellow-bishop Paschasinus from the province which seems to be safer, he can act on my behalf. He is joined by Boniface, my brother and fellow-presbyter, and by those whom we had already sent before. I also add to them as their companion my brother Bishop Julian. [...] Given on the 8th day before the Kalends of July in the consulship of the vir clarissimus Adelfius [= 23 VI 451].

(trans. M. Szada)

Discussion:

The letter refers to the Council of Chalcedon in autumn 451. Among the unnamed legates already sent to Constantinople was the Presbyter Basil of Naples [TRZEBA DO CZEGOS ODESLAC]

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.

Edition:

P. and G. Ballerini eds., Sancti Leoni Magni Romani pontificis opera, vol. 1, Venice 1753

Patrologia Latina, vol. 54

Translation:

Leo the Great, Letters, trans. Ch. Lett Feltoe, [in:] The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, 2nd series, vol. 12, Edinburgh 1895, 1-114

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 - Participation in councils and ecclesiastical courts

Ecclesiastical administration - Ecclesiastical envoy

Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior

Relation with - Monarch and royal/imperial family

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1769, https://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1769