Simatis: The Council Removes the Priesthood from the Heretic

 The Council Removes the Office of the Priesthood from the Heretic

Panagiotis Simatis, Theologian

(The passage is from a broader text)

The Holy Fathers celebrated today (among other things) enlighten us regarding the time of the loss of the grace of priesthood by the heretics. Heretics—specifically here Dioscorus—are subject to judgment by the Fourth Ecumenical Council, but, regardless of the necessity of distancing oneself from them (since communion with them defiles, according to the teaching of the Holy Fathers), they retain the priestly office until their deposition.

This is also seen to apply in the stance of the Fathers in other Councils; for example, in the case of the three Bishops who supported Arius, in the case of the faithful of Constantinople who are praised by Saint Cyril for distancing themselves from Nestorius, yet Saint Cyril considers Nestorius as possessing the grace of priesthood, which the Council removed from him by deposing him.

We observe, therefore, in the Acts of the Fourth Ecumenical Council that the heretic Dioscorus, President of the Robber Council of 449 (corresponding to Bartholomew of Kolymbari, Crete), is initially included in the list of Bishops, even placed after Anatolius of Constantinople and before the names of the Patriarchs of Antioch and Jerusalem:

"Beginning of the Council of Chalcedon

"In the consulship of our lord Marcian..., and Anatolius, the most pious Archbishop of the renowned city of Constantinople, New Rome, and Dioscorus, the most God-beloved Archbishop of the great city of Alexandria, and the rest of the most pious and devout bishops, namely Maximus of Antioch in Syria, Juvenal of Jerusalem..."

The Acts continue with the listing of the names of all the magistrates, prefects, consuls, and finally the bishops (over approximately 680 individuals). Once this lengthy list of names is completed in the Acts, the representatives of Leo of Rome, Anatolius of Constantinople, Maximus of Antioch... "and the rest of the most devout bishops of the Eastern, Pontic, Asian, and Thracian provinces" sit on the left. On their right side are seated Dioscorus, the most devout Archbishop of Alexandria, and Juvenal, the most devout Bishop of Jerusalem..."

After they had taken their seats, the representative of Pope Leo, Paschasinus, declared that he had a mandate from the Pope to "withdraw from the hall if Dioscorus remained among the positions of the conciliar judges:

"From the apostolic bishop of the city of the Romans, who is the head of all the churches, we have instructions... that Dioscorus is not to sit together with the council, and if he dares to attempt this, he is to be expelled... If he is present, therefore, before your majesty, either he must leave or we will depart." (T.LG., Concilia Oecumenica (ACO): Concilium universale Chalcedonense anno 451: Volume 2,1,1, page 65, line 17).

The officials conducting the discussions of the Council intervened, and the matter was resolved after the papal representatives agreed "that Dioscorus be moved to the center of the hall as one who did not have the right to vote" (Vlasios Phidas, Ecclesiastical History, vol. A, 2015, p. 642).

"The most glorious officials and the most distinguished senators said: 'What specific accusation is brought against the most devout Bishop Dioscorus?'" The indictment was clarified by "Eusebius, the most devout Bishop of the city of Dorylaeum," who, among other things, said: "...the noble Dioscorus, disregarding the principle of justice and the fear of God, being of the same belief and mindset as Eutyches, the vain and heretical one... confirmed the heretical doctrine of Eutyches. ...We plead and beseech our authority to decree that the most devout Bishop Dioscorus defend himself against the charges brought by us against him..., through which we can demonstrate that he is alien to the Orthodox faith, that he has strengthened a heresy filled with impiety, and that he unjustly deposed us." (T.LG., Concilia Oecumenica (ACO): Concilium universale Chalcedonense anno 451: Volume 2,1,1, page 66, line 20).

We see, therefore, from many points in the Acts that Dioscorus, who was proven to be a heretic, and indeed a heresiarch, and primarily the President of the Robber Council, which had synodically recognized heretical doctrines, is accepted and judged by the Council as a Bishop with valid sacraments.

In the continuation of the proceedings, of course, the scale tipped against Dioscorus, as his errors and disobedience—contempt for the Council—were demonstrated, and the penalty prescribed was deposition.

Since Dioscorus realized that his deposition was imminent, he did not appear at the Council.

"Paschasinus the bishop said: Since we do not see present Dioscorus, the most holy bishop of Alexandria…" (T.LG., Concilia Oecumenica (ACO): Concilium universale Chalcedonense anno 451: Volume 2,1,2, page 9, line 39).

The Council summons him three times, always addressing him as bishop:

"The Holy and Ecumenical Council to the most God-beloved bishop of the Alexandrians, Dioscorus…" (T.LG., Concilia Oecumenica (ACO): Concilium universale Chalcedonense anno 451: Volume 2,1,2, page 12, line 31).

And in the third summons:

"The Most Holy and Great Ecumenical Council to the most pious Bishop Dioscorus…" (T.LG., Concilia Oecumenica (ACO): Concilium universale Chalcedonense anno 451: Volume 2,1,2, page 25, line 7).

Since Dioscorus chose not to appear, the Council deposed him, and from that point onward, they no longer addressed him as bishop but simply as Dioscorus!

Dioscorus "by his own actions brought forth the verdict... thus the most holy Leo of Rome, through us and the present most holy council... stripped him of the episcopal dignity and alienated him from every priestly rank" (T.LG., Concilia Oecumenica (ACO): Concilium universale Chalcedonense anno 451: Volume 2,1,2, page 29, line 7).

"Anatolius, bishop of the reigning city of Constantinople, New Rome, said: ...I also cast my vote for the deposition of Dioscorus, who was bishop of the great city of the Alexandrians, having demonstrated himself to be alien to all priestly ministry." (T.LG., Concilia Oecumenica (ACO): Concilium universale Chalcedonense anno 451: Volume 2,1,2, page 29, line 21).

We read in the Acts:

"Deposition issued by the Holy and Ecumenical Council to Dioscorus.

"The Holy and Great and Ecumenical Council, convened by the grace of God in accordance with the decree of our most pious and God-beloved emperors, in the city of Chalcedon of Bithynia, in the martyrion of the most holy and triumphant martyr Euphemia, to Dioscorus:

"Know yourself, because of your contempt for the divine canons and your disobedience toward this holy and ecumenical council …and your other offenses… On the 13th day of the present month of October (i.e., October 13, 451 AD), the Holy and Ecumenical Council declares you deposed from the episcopacy and alienated from every ecclesiastical office." (T.LG., Concilia Oecumenica (ACO): Concilium universale Chalcedonense anno 451: Volume 2,1,2, page 41, line 33, pp. 229–230).

Immediately below, we also read the following:

"To the clergy of Alexandria concerning the deposition of Dioscorus.

"The Holy and Great and Ecumenical Council, convened by the grace of God in accordance with the decree… Let your reverence know that Dioscorus, who was your bishop… on the day before yesterday, that is, on the 13th day of the present month of October, a Saturday, was deposed by the Holy and Ecumenical Council, in accordance with what is deemed appropriate for ecclesiastical order, and has been rendered alien to the episcopacy and to every ecclesiastical rank." (T.LG., Concilia Oecumenica (ACO): Concilium universale Chalcedonense anno 451: Volume 2,1,2, page 42, line 4, p. 230).

This is also evident in another part of the Acts: when some Archimandrites appeared before the Council to intercede on behalf of Dioscorus and said, among other things: "…we beseech your holiness to proceed accordingly and to have present in this council the most holy Archbishop Dioscorus…," as soon as they began to say this, they were interrupted by the bishops of the Council:

"…The most devout bishops cried out: Anathema to Dioscorus! Christ has deposed Dioscorus. Cast these people out. Remove the insult to the Council… It is not for the Council to listen to such petitions. They dared to call the bishop who was deposed by the unanimous decision of the entire Council a bishop! Why are the canons being trampled upon?" (T.LG., Concilia Oecumenica (ACO): Concilium universale Chalcedonense anno 451: Volume 2,1,2, page 117, line 9, p. 300).

"Proclamation Against Dioscorus

"The Holy and Great and Ecumenical Council, convened by the grace of God in accordance with the decree of the most pious and God-beloved [emperors]… Dioscorus, who was formerly the bishop of the great city of Alexandria, after having been deprived of priesthood according to the divine canons, came to the Holy and Great Council seeking to reclaim the priesthood, which he previously possessed but did not use to serve Christ, the giver, but rather for injustice and the violation of the divine canons and ecclesiastical order. Therefore, so that all the faithful adherents of the pious faith may have no doubt about the righteous judgment of his deposition rendered by the Holy and Ecumenical Council, we have sanctioned that this document be presented, declaring that he, having been stripped of the grace of priesthood by the Lord God and by so great a multitude of bishops due to his inexcusable actions, has no hope of restoration. With his removal, the scandals caused by him have also ceased.

"The second session of the Holy and Blessed Fathers who convened in Chalcedon is hereby completed." (T.LG., Concilia Oecumenica (ACO): Concilium universale Chalcedonense anno 451: Volume 2,1,2, page 42, line 20, p. 230).

From the above, it becomes evident that deposition by the Council signifies the removal of priesthood. Therefore, Dioscorus did not cease to be a bishop or to perform valid sacraments before his deposition. However, from the specific day of his deposition onward, since the Church, which had bestowed upon him the gift of priesthood, withdrew it, Dioscorus is no longer called a bishop. It must, of course, be reiterated that the fact that he had not been deposed did not mean he was not a heretic or that he did not contaminate the faithful with his teaching. He was indeed a heretic and spread the defilement of heresy "like a plague" (according to St. Nicodemus the Hagiorite). For this reason, the faithful were obligated to separate themselves from heretics "as from a serpent," just as they are obligated today to separate themselves from contemporary heretics. Whether the heretic is condemned or not, the harm caused to the faithful and to the body of the Church as a whole is significant.

Greek source: https://paterikiparadosi.blogspot.com/2018/07/blog-post_56.html