"An Emperor we have, but no Bishop..."

A Supplication of the Monks of Constantinople to Emperor St. Theodosius II the Younger, 429 A.D., during the reign of the heresiarch, Nestorius of Constantinople.

Because this dogma, however, was preached without moderation in the most holy Church of God, and Paul [of Samosata] the heretic was most justly thrown out, divisions arose among the people, as well as disturbances among priests, and agitation among the pastors. But now in this time also some of the most respected priests have often and openly in public assembly accused Nestorius, who occupies this episcopal see (if, however, it is right to call him bishop, for the fact that he continues to deny, with obstinate resolve, that Christ by nature is true God and that the holy Virgin is the Mother of God). These same priests have cut off communion with him, and to this day are still not in communion; some have secretly removed themselves from his fellowship; others from among the most sanctified of priests, have been denied their faculty to preach, for the reason that, in this holy diocese of Irene by the Sea, they attacked the perverse doctrine which was again sprouting forth. It therefore happened that, as the people were seeking the traditional preaching of the Faith, they publicly cried out: “An Emperor we have, but no bishop.” But this effort of the people did not go unpunished. For some of them were seized by ministers, and dragged before the court, and were taken out and beaten in the imperial city with a cruelty not used even in the barbarian nations. There were not lacking those who openly protested before him in the presence of the people who were present and listening in the most holy church, but not without very serious beatings which they bore for that cause. Finally, a certain monk, inflamed with vehement zeal, making his way to the middle of the church while Liturgy was being celebrated, tried to stop the preacher of the impiety from coming in. But he knocked him down, and handed him over to imperial prefects. Then, after having cut him up by the lash, and publicly beaten him, while the preacher was going ahead of him and shouting, he sent him into exile. Nor was it confined to this. After that wicked sermon, the partisans of his sect, since he was in possession of the place, would have brought their bloodshed into God’s most holy church, if God had not forbidden it.

 

 

 

Source (Latin and Greek): Mansi, Sacrorum Conciliorum Nova et Amplissima Collectio, (Florence: 1760) Tom. IV, col. 1103/1104, Section II of the document entitled, Basilii diaconi et reliquorum monachorum supplicatio [A Supplication of Basil the Deacon and Other Monks].

 

English translation (slightly corrected): Sacerdotium (Madison Heights, Troy: Instauratio Catholica), No. XIV, Pars Verna MCMXCV (Spring 1995), pp. 82-83.