Letter 14: Gelasius excuses the delay in notifying them of his election and then explains how the Eutychian heresy, born among...

Of Pope Gelasius, to the bishops established throughout Dardania. (A.D. 498.) [Argument:] Wherein he excuses his tardiness, the reason why he did not announce his election to them more promptly (sect. 1); and he sets forth how the Eutychian heresy, born among the Greeks, is contrary to the Scriptures and on that account has been condemned by the catholics (sect. 2); he teaches that it is not permitted to recite the names of those who have been condemned because of their obstinate communion with those heretics, and he exhorts that they exclude from themselves those who recite them (sects. 3 and 4). To our most beloved brethren, all the bishops established throughout Dardania, Gelasius the bishop. 1. As soon as it is lawful to draw breath after the storm of continuous wars, which the quality of the times has ceaselessly stirred up whether in those provinces or in these, we have resolved to address all the priests of the Lord throughout Dardania with the solicitude of brotherly charity: first, because, having obtained the governance of the apostolic see, with the public uproar (as has been said) delaying us, we were unable, by our own letters as the custom was, to make known the office of the sacred dispensation committed to us, whereby your fraternity might rejoice with us at the gift of the Lord's communion; next, that after so many bitternesses and worldly inconveniences a mutual discourse might bring forth how we fare with respect to one another; and lastly, that, if there be any matters to be reported concerning ecclesiastical causes - which, on account of the snares of the perpetual enemy, must continually be watched over with pastoral vigilance - we might disclose them to one another by mutual notification. Stirred therefore by these things, we have taken care to direct the present writings through our brother and fellow bishop Ursicinus, exhorting you with the grace of a salutation going before, that, magnanimously enduring with the Lord's help the devastation of passing things, we ought rather to be intent lest - which God forbid - we incur the loss of eternal life; and accordingly let your love attend for a little to what the advantage of catholic truth demands must be guarded against. 2. Among the Greeks, with whom it is not doubtful that many heresies abound, already nearly forty-five years ago a dispute arose concerning the incarnation of our Lord and Saviour: a certain Eutyches, a presbyter of Constantinople, breaking forth into blasphemies, by which he said that we ought to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ only one - that is, the sole nature or substance of the Divinity - the truth of the flesh he had assumed being utterly abolished. Which impious and depraved invention, allied with the Marcionists and Manichaeans, would without doubt do away with the sacrament of our salvation; since, as much as both the authority of the venerable Scripture declares and the doctrine of our forefathers attests, the Redeemer of the world is wholly God and wholly man; it is certain that he was begotten of the Virgin Mary and shown forth visible to this world. It is established that he so suffered and rose again from the dead, that for forty days he was found conversing with the disciples, that he ascended into heaven in full light clearly, and that in that manner he was said, with the angel bearing witness, to be about to come to judgment - so that the Son of Man, whom the blessed martyr Stephen saw standing at the right hand of the Power [cf. Zechariah 12:10], may appear manifest, and that those who pierced him may look upon him with the eyes of the heart: which assuredly cannot stand without the matter of human flesh, whose assumption was glorified by the Deity, not absorbed. Whence also the blessed apostle John says: He who denies that Christ has come in the flesh, this one is antichrist [2 John 7]; and the glorious apostle Paul, declaring openly what manner of Lord we ought even today to believe our Lord Jesus Christ to be, professed it plainly, saying: In whom dwells all the fullness of the Divinity bodily. By which brief chapter at once he overthrows by heavenly preaching both the Arian plague and this Eutychian one of which we have spoken; because there is nothing less where all and the full Divinity is declared to dwell, and by expressing it bodily he persists in the truth, which is approved as of our body. 3. Concerning these matters, moreover, it is certain that the Greeks were frequently convicted by the apostolic see, both through Leo of blessed memory and through his successors, as is shown without ambiguity by their own documents, which we have in our possession. But now, although they do not dare to profess that very pestilence, nevertheless those who communicated with such men - and who, according to the decrees of the council of Chalcedon, were condemned by the apostolic see and, obstinate in the same condemnation, died - they defend with a pernicious frenzy, and they strive to thrust the recitation of them upon the catholic Church. By whom, indeed - which God forbid - once received, we should consequently incur even the contagion of the depravity with whose communion they associated themselves; just as - which the Lord avert - if the name of Arius or of any heretic whatsoever is admitted to ecclesiastical recitation, at the same time the fellowship of the detestable error is also taken on. 4. Whence, because they indeed confess the error, but think that catholic communion is to be relaxed for them on this condition, that it be permitted to recite in the church the names of those who prevaricated - and they strive not so much to correct themselves as to infect catholic sincerity with the contagion of the faithless: we have not ceased to admonish your love with the affection of brotherly charity, that if any sowing such things should happen to come to your regions, they be by all means excluded, and that with you the communion of the blessed apostle Peter, as it was handed down by our fathers, may continue unspotted and on every side unshaken. Surely if anyone believe that your ears are to be assailed concerning this stealthy intrusion, with pastoral solicitude make haste to report to us as quickly as possible, so that by common zeal and catholic deliberation all catholic priests may confer for the house of the one Lord: so that both the things which belong to the orthodox definition may be preserved inviolate, and in what measure aid ought to be brought to those who err may be known by reasonable deliberation. Let this your love also prudently cause to come to all the neighboring provinces and the bishops nearby, that all the prelates of the churches, having received instruction in the truth, may be able to turn aside the death-bearing falsehood. And so [I pray]: May God keep you unharmed, most dear brethren!

Oelasii papae ad episcopos per Dardaniam constitatos. (a.498.) Ubi tardUatem excusavit, cur eleclionem suam eis non citius nuntiarit (n. 1), atgue escposuit, quomodo Eutychiana haeresis apud Graecos nata Scripturis adversa ideoque catholicis damnata sit {n. 2), eorum, qui ob pertinacem cum illis haereticis eommutttonem damnati sunt, nomina recitare non licere docet, aique ut recitantes a se excludani hortatur (n. 3 et 4). Dilectissimis fratribus universis episcopis per Dardaniam constitutis Gelasius episcopus.^) 1. Ubi primum respirare fas est a continuorum tempestate bellorum, quae vel in illis provinciis vel in istis temporum qualitas incessauter exercuit, cunctos per Dardaniam Domini sacerdotes fra- teniae soUicitudine caritatis duximus alloquendos : primum quia legimen apostolicae sedis indepti, strepitu publico, sicut dictum est, retardante, commissum nobis sacrae dispensationis officium propriis, ut mos erat, litteris nequivimus*) indicare, quo vestra fraternitas I de communionis Domini nobiscum munere gratuletur; deinde, ut post tantas aeerbitates incommoditatesque mundanas, qualiter in- Ticem valeremus, mutuus sermo depromeret; postremo si qua de wdesiasticis referenda sunt causis, quae propter insidias perpetui koetis pastprali sunt jugiter circimispicienda vigilantia, significatio- iuku8 panderemus altemis. Ilis igitur incitati, per fratrem et co- *pi3copmn nostrum Ursicinum praesentia dirigere scripta curavimus, praeeunte gratia salutationis hortantes^), ut magnanimiter auxilio Domini tolerando rerum transeuntium vastitatem magis esse debea- ^08 attenti, ne, quod absit, perpetuae subeamus vitae dispendium ; proinde quae catholicae veritatis poseit utilitas praecavenda, dilectio ^«tra paulisper advertat. 2. Apud Graecos, quibus multas haereses abundare non du- wum est, jam ante annos fere quadraginta et quinque de Domiui '^wtri et Salvatoris incamatione nata conquaestio est : Eutyche ^dam presbytero Constantinopolitano in blasphemias proruente, P^' qoas diceret, unam tantummodo, id est solam Divinitatis, na- "^'^ sive substantiam in Domino Jesu Christo credere nos debere, ; Q' addit: sicut etiam cunctis fratribus pcr Daimatiam destinata est, Deinde ""8*ti cormpte aut minus concinue temporibus qualitas . . . soiliciiudinis caritate. ^'^tiieiulain tempontm jam BaroniuB et MatFejus mouucrant. Mox editi adepti, I (a.493.) suBceptae camis veritate prorsus abolita. Quod utique^) impii pravumque commentum^ Marcionistis Manichaeisque conjunctum, i tum sine dubio saluiis nostrae solveret sacramentum; siquidei quantum et Scripturae renerabilis dicit auctoritas et majorum test. tur doctrina nostrorum^ Redemptorem mundi Deum^ totum simi Deum totumque hominem; ex Maria virgine fuisse genitum^) 4 huic mundo certum est exstitisse conspicuum. Sic passum atqne n surrexisse constat a mortuis^ ita^) quadraginta diebus fuisse cai discipulis conversatum^ in coelum adscendisse^ plena luce sit clanuci eoque modo dictum ad judiciimi angelo testante venturum^ at < ^ Zach Fi^^s hominis, quem beatus Stephanus martyr a dexiris viriutis T^ 12, 10. vidit ddstantem, manifestus appareat^ et quem compunxerunt penea'* 19^7 ^^^^ ^j^^; adspiciant: quod nimirum sine camis humanae non pot^ constare materia; cujus assumptio glorificata est Deitate, nonpn^ 2Joh.7,7«sus absumpta.') Unde et beatus Johannes apostolus dicit: Qui m gat Christum in carne venisse, hic est antichristus; et gloriosus %^ stolus PauluS; qualem hodieque credere debeamus Dominum nosfam ^^g^Q^* Jesum Christum, palam professus est, dicens : /n quo habitat mr^ plenitudo Divinitatis corporaliter, Quo^) brevi capitulo simul Aiian» pestem et hanc, quam diximus^ Eutychianam coelesti praedicatioci subvertit^ quia et nihil minus est^ ubi omnis ptenaque Divinitas AoZ tare perhibetur, et corporaliter exprimendo in veritate persiat^ nostri corporis approbatur. 3. Super his autem frequenter ab apostolica sede et per beatd memoriae sanctum Leonem et per successores ejus certum est Gm cos fuisse convictos, sicut ipsorum chartiS; quas apud nos hftbemc sine ambiguitate monstratur. Nunc vero quamvis ipsam pestilenii^ non audeant profiteri^ eos tamen^ qui talibus communicayerunt*) nP Nec divina enim humains praejudicant nec humana dimnis, quum ita in id ipt que concurrant, ut in eis nec proprietas absttmatur, nec persona gemineter, UU militer pro absumatur msB. fiellov. legit adsumatur. Denique manif^nta erat pag? verborum illorum assumtio et non assumta, i EPISTOLAE 7. 8. 337 tiioqae secnndom Caldiedonensis decreta concilii ab apostolica sede (a. 493.) ^Unmati sunty obstinatique in eadem damnatione defimcti^ pemicioso farore defendunt^ et eorum recitationem Ecclesiae catholicae mo- lniiitar ingerere. Quibus utique, quod absit, receptis, etiam conta- ♦ rium pravitatiS; cui se communione sociarunt, consequenter incurri- . 11*9 qaemadmodum^ quod Dominus avertat^ si Arii vel cujuslibet aeretici ad ecclesiasticam recitationem nomen admittitur^ simul et >i:isortium detestabilis erroris assumitur. 4. Unde quia errorem quidem fatentur, sed ea sibi putant >iEmiunionem catholicam conditione laxandam^ ut nomina eorum xi praevaricAti sunt illis in ecclesia recitare sit licitum, et non km ipsi corrigere quam siuceritatem catholicam inficere nitantur >xitagio' perfidorum : dileetionem vestram fraternae caritatig aflfectu on destitimus admonere^ ut si qui talia seminant^s ad vestras re- iones forte pervenerint, modis omnibus excludantur, vobisque cum edc beati apostoli Petri, sicut a patribus nostris est tradita/ illibata iommanio atque ex onmi parte inconvulsa perduret. Certe si quis anres vestras de hac crediderit subreptione pulsandas, soUicitudine pastorali ad nos quam citius referre properetis, ut**^) communi stu- fio catholicoque tractatu pro dorao unius Domini cuncti catholici conferaiit sacerdotes: ut et quae orthodoxae befinitioni competunt, intemerata serventur, et quatenus errantibus debeat subveniri, ratio-. Mbili deliberatione noscatur. Haec autem vestra dilectio etiam ad •Otttiguas sibi quasque provincias vicinosque pontifices prudenter fieiat pervenire, ut^^) ecclesiarum praesules universi, veritatis in- «trudione percepta, mortiferam declinare valeant falsitatem. E( *tenipft*o: Deus vos incolimies custodiat, fratres carissimi!