The Imperial
Edict Posted in the Third Atrium of the Great Church Near What is
Called Dicymbala.
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
(
τὸν
κατὰ πάντα
τούτοις
συναιρέτην
καὶ
σύνδρομον
καὶ
βεβαιωτὴν
τῆς
αἱρέσεως
, 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 (
ζώνη
); if a private person,
banished from the residence and all other cities.”