Letters LV. to LVIII.
A series of Letters.
(1) From Valentinian the Emperor to Theodosius
Augustus.
(2) From Galla Placidia Augusta to Theodosius
Augustus.
(3) From Licinia Eudoxia Augusta to Theodosius
Augustus.
(4) From Galla Placidia Augusta to Pulcheria
Augusta, all graphically describing how Leo had appealed to them in
public to press his suit with Theodosius. Of these, LVI. is
subjoined as perhaps the most interesting specimen.
Letter LVI.
(From Galla Placidia Augusta to
Theodosius).
To the
Lord
Theodosius,
Conqueror and
Emperor, her
ever august son, Galla Placidia, most pious and prosperous, perpetual
Augusta and mother.
When on our very arrival in the ancient city, we
were engaged in paying our devotion to the most blessed Apostle Peter,
at the martyr’s very altar, the most reverend Bishop Leo waiting
behind awhile after the service uttered laments over the catholic Faith
to us, and taking to witness the chief of the Apostles himself
likewise, whom we had just approached, and surrounded by a number of
bishops whom he had brought together from numerous cities in Italy by
the authority and dignity of his position, adding also tears to his
words, called upon us to join our moans to his own. For no slight
harm has arisen from those occurrences, whereby the standard of the
catholic Faith so long guarded since the days of our most Divine father
Constantine, who was the first in the palace to stand out as a
Christian, has been recently disturbed by the assumption of one man,
who in the synod held at Ephesus is alleged to have rather stirred up
hatred and contention, intimidating by the presence of soldiers,
Flavianus, the bishop of Constantinople, because he had sent an appeal
to the Apostolic See, and to all the bishops of these parts by the
hands of those who had been deputed to attend the Synod by the most
reverend Bishop of Rome, who have been always wont so to attend, most
sacred
Lord
and Son and adored King, in
accordance with the provisions of the Nicene Synod
383
. For this cause we pray your
clemency to oppose such disturbances with the Truth, and to order the
Faith of the catholic religion to be preserved without spot, in order
that according to the standard and decision of the Apostolic See, which
we likewise revere as pre-eminent, Flavianus may remain altogether
uninjured in his priestly office, and the matter be referred to the
Synod of the Apostolic See, wherein assuredly he first adorned the
primacy, who was deemed worthy to receive the keys of heaven: for
it becomes us in all things to maintain the respect due to this great
city, which is the mistress of all the earth; and this too we must most
carefully provide that what in former times our house guarded seem not
in our day to be infringed, and that by the present example schisms be
not advanced either between the bishops or the most holy
churches.
383
See no. 9a to
Lett. XLIV., 3, where it is shown that this is a mistake, willful or
otherwise, on Leo’s part.