Letters and Decretals

A shepherd is proved to have great solicitude and watchfulness over his flock. Likewise, for the sake of the city, a cautious watchman keeps guard day and night from a high tower. A prudent ship's master, in the hour of storm and danger, suffers great tossing of mind, lest the ship be dashed upon the rocks by tempests and the roughest waves. With like spirit, the holy and honorable man Theophilus, our brother and fellow bishop, does not cease to watch over the interests of salvation, lest the people of God, through the various churches, by reading Origen, fall into grave blasphemies.

Summoned by the aforesaid letters, I entreat your holiness, that just as we, placed in the city of Rome, which the Prince of the Apostles, the glorious Peter, established and confirmed by his faith—lest anyone read against the precept those things which we have said, we have condemned them, and with great entreaties have petitioned that the institutions of the Gospels, which the judgment of God and Christ taught from His own mouth, ought in no wise to be departed from; but rather that be brought to mind which the venerable Apostle Paul foretold and admonished: If anyone should preach to you a gospel other than that which has been preached to you, let him be anathema. Holding, therefore, to this precept, whatever we have found contrary to our faith, once written by Origen, we have declared to be alien from us and to be punished.

This we have written to your holiness through the presbyter Eusebius, who, bearing the warmth of faith and love toward the Lord, brought forward certain chapters of blasphemy, which we not only shuddered at and judged, but you may know that whatever else was set forth by Origen has likewise, together with its author, been condemned by us. May the Lord keep you safe, lord brother, deservedly honorable.

ANASTASIUS, bishop, to all the bishops of the region of Germany and Burgundy, greeting in the Lord. Your love, dearest ones, requires that we should respond to your consultations by the authority of the apostolic see. And although, on account of certain other occupations, we hasten to do this not at length but briefly, yet do not hesitate, charitably, to send again, if it be necessary, on account of these or other needs, as it were to the head; for we hold your prayers acceptable both now and always. For you have signified that certain priests in church, when the Gospels are read, sit, and hear the words of the Lord Savior not standing but sitting, and they relate that they have received this from the tradition of their elders: which, that it be done no longer henceforth, we command by apostolic authority.

But while the Holy Gospels are recited in church, let the priests and all others present, not sitting, but reverently bowed, standing in the sight of the holy Gospel, hear the Lord's words attentively and worship them faithfully. Likewise, concerning men from overseas, about whom you have consulted us, do not receive them into the honor of the clergy, unless they are attested by the signatures of five bishops or more; because many things are wont to happen through fraudulent intrusion. Therefore these things too must be most carefully guarded against. But the Manichaeans, whom we have found in the city of Rome, and their followers, do not receive, nor communicate with them, nor have any participation with them, before they are converted to the right faith; lest their evilly sprouting seeds, which are being extinguished by us in the City, be sown or sprout among you with their most wicked roots.

Very many of them indeed, and the followers of their impiety, and their teachers, our investigation has discovered, our vigilance has made known, our authority and censure has restrained. Those whom we could correct, we have corrected: and we have compelled them, by public profession in the church and by the subscription of their own hand, to condemn Manichaeus together with his preaching and teachings: and thus, having confessed out of the pit of their impiety, we have raised them up by granting penance.

But some, who had so sunk themselves that no remedy of aid could avail them twice, being subject to the laws, according to the decrees of Christian princes, lest they should pollute the holy flock with their contagion, have been banished into perpetual exile by the public judges; and all the things, whether in their writings or in their hidden traditions, that are profane or shameful, we have made manifest with certain proof to the eyes of the Christian people, so that the people might know what to flee or avoid, to such a degree that he who was called their bishop, being seized by us, disclosed the shameful things kept in their mysteries, as the record of the proceedings will be able to inform you. For your instruction we have also sent these same proceedings: having read them, you will be able to know all that has been discovered by us.

And because we have learned that some of those whom a stricter guilt had so entangled that they should not be absolved, have fled, we have sent this letter to your love, so that your holiness, being thereby made more certain, may deign to act more carefully and cautiously, lest anywhere men of Manichaean perversity find an opportunity to harm your people, and teachers of this sacrilege. For we cannot otherwise govern those committed to us, unless we pursue, with zeal for the Lord's faith, those who are perverse and lost teachers, and cut them off, with what severity we can, from healthy minds, lest this plague be spread more widely. Wherefore I exhort your love, I beseech and warn you, that with the solicitude you owe and are able, you keep watch to search them out, lest they find anywhere an opportunity to hide themselves. These, brothers, are greatly to be guarded against, lest they be able to contaminate the Lord's flock with whatever perversities they can.

For some of them, by their own garb, signify sheep, but within are ravening wolves: whom (according to the voice of truth) we ought to recognize by their fruits. But when they begin to take up impiety, that which was hidden in them is laid open, and all their deceit becomes manifest to all. There are also found men of weak faith, and those who thirst for divine readings, whom they drag down with themselves into perdition. For they scatter and disparage the teachings of the fathers, and abandon the holy Scriptures to their own perdition. These, as has been said, we ought to foresee, and to guard much against, lest, some being occupied in their malice, they fall from their steadfastness. I greet you, therefore, brothers, and all the churches that are well disposed with you.

I ask also that you, as you now do, address us more often by letters, and gladden us more frequently with news of your faith and good intention and well-being, that we may both have common joy, and serve the Lord faithfully with equal devotion. Given on the Nones of October, in the consulship of the most illustrious men Arcadius and Bauto.

To my most beloved brother Nerianus, Anastasius.

Many things in all your letters, man of faith and goodness, are a cause of joy to me, in that you show such zeal for the cultivation of religion, and strive to assist the priests of the Lord in your parts. Whence I give thanks to God, who spurs you on to this, and I entreat that He make you persevering in good works. Yet you ought both in prosperity and in adversity to praise God magnificently, being humbled under his mighty hand, that in the time of tribulation he may strengthen and exalt you. The affliction of your brotherhood, then, which we have heard you underwent from the loss of your kinsfolk, cast upon us so great a cause of sorrow, that since love has made one of us two, we felt our heart to be burning especially in your tribulations.

But in this grief I was much consoled by recalling to mind your holiness, both because it is fitting to bear sadness patiently, and because one ought not to have prolonged mourning further over the death of your people. Yet lest any tribulation still remain in your mind, I exhort you to rest from grief: because it is unbecoming that you be given over to the weariness of affection for those who, it must be believed, by dying have arrived at true life. Perhaps those have a just excuse for long grief who know not another life, who have no confidence of passing from this world to a better state. But we who know, who believe and teach, ought not to be excessively saddened over the departed, lest what among others holds the appearance of piety should be the more a fault in us.

For it is in a certain manner a kind of distrust; against which every preacher who loves justice complains, the Apostle saying: “But we would not have you ignorant concerning them that sleep, that you be not sorrowful, even as others who have no hope.” This reasoning, therefore, dearest brother, being perceived, we must take care lest (as we have said) we be afflicted over the dead, but rather bestow our affection upon the living, toward whom piety may be for their benefit, and love may be for its fruit. Lay aside, therefore, dearest one, your sorrow, and take up the spiritual fruit of gladness for the benefit of the holy Church of God, and for the advancement of his servants: and strive to illumine whatever remains of this life’s span with eternal and divine offices, that He who has made you distinguished may render you more illustrious throughout the ages. Given the seventh day before the Ides of June, in the consulship of Theodosius Augustus for the seventh time, and of Palladius, most illustrious men.