Canon XXX.
Since
the most religious bishops
of Egypt have postponed for the present their subscription to the
letter of the most holy Archbishop Leo, not because they oppose the
Catholic Faith, but because they declare that it is the custom in the
Egyptian diocese to do no such thing without the consent and order of
their Archbishop, and ask to be excused until the ordination of the new
bishop of the metropolis of Alexandria, it has seemed to us reasonable
and kind that this concession should be made to them, they remaining in
their official habit in the imperial city until the Archbishop of the
Metropolis of Alexandria shall have been ordained.
And the most religious Bishop Paschasinus,
representative of the Apostolic throne for Rome
298
], said:
If your authority suggests and commands that any
indulgence be shewn to them, let them give securities that they will
not depart from this city until the city of Alexandria receives a
Bishop.
And the most magnificent and glorious judges, and the
whole Senate, said:
Let the sentence of the most holy Paschasinus be
confirmed.
And therefore let them [i.e., the most religious Bishops
of the Egyptians] remain in their official habit, either giving
securities, if they can, or being bound by the obligation of an
oath.
Notes.
Ancient Epitome of Canon
XXX.
It is the custom of the Egyptians that none
subscribe
299
without the
permission of their Archbishop. Wherefore they are not to be
blamed who did not subscribe the Epistle of the holy Leo until an
Archbishop had been appointed for them.
As in the case of the last so-called “canon”
I have followed a usual Greek method, the wording departs but little
from that of the acts (
Vide
L. and C.,
Conc
., Tom. IV.,
col. 517).
Hefele.
This paragraph, like the previous one, is not a proper
canon, but a verbal repetition of a proposal made in the fourth session
by the imperial commissioners, improved by the legate Paschasinus, and
approved by the Synod. Moreover, this so-called canon is not
found in the ancient collections, and was probably added to the
twenty-eight canons in the same manner and for the same reasons as the
preceding.
Bright.
The council could insist with all plainness on the duty
of hearing before condemning (see on Canon XXIX.); yet on this occasion
bishop after bishop gave vent to
harsh unfeeling absolutism, the only excuse for which consists in the
fact that the outrages of the Latrocinium were fresh in their minds,
and that three of the Egyptian supplicants, whom they were so eager to
terrify or crush, had actually supported Dioscorus on the tragical
August 8, 449. It was not in human nature to forget this; but the
result is a blot on the history of the Council of
Chalcedon.
298
These words do not
occur in the Acts.
299
i.e., a conciliar
decree.