The Synodal
Letter.
(
Found in Labbe and Cossart,
Concilia, Tom. II.,
col. 559.
It really is no part of the canons, but I have
placed it here, because, as Labbe notes, “it is usually prefixed
to the canons in the Greek
.”)
The holy and most peaceful Synod which has been gathered
together in Antioch from the provinces of Cœle-Syria,
Phœnicia, Palestine, Arabia, Mesopotamia, Cilicia, and
Isauria;
166
to our like-minded
and holy fellow Ministers in every Province, health in the Lord.
The grace and truth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
hath regarded the holy Church of the Antiochians, and, by joining it
together with unity of mind and concord and the Spirit of Peace, hath
likewise bettered many other things; and in them all this betterment is
wrought by the assistance of the holy and peace-giving Spirit.
Wherefore, that which after much examination and investigation, was
unanimously agreed upon by us bishops, who coming out of various
Provinces have met together in Antioch, we have now brought to your
knowledge; trusting in the grace of Christ and in the Holy Spirit of
Peace, that ye also will agree with us and stand by us as far as in you
lies, striving with us in prayers, and being even more united with us,
following the Holy Spirit, uniting in our definitions, and decreeing
the same things as we; ye, in the concord which proceedeth of the Holy
Spirit, sealing and confirming what has been determined.
Now the Canons of the Church which have been settled are
hereto appended.
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Hefele thinks this
list of provinces is probably an interpolation. In the Latin
version this letter is followed by the names of the bishops.