Session III.
[The imperial representatives do not seem to have
been present, and after Aëtius the Archdeacon of Constantinople
had opened the Session,]
Paschasinus the bishop of Lilybæum, in the province
of Silicia, and holding the place of the most holy Leo, archbishop of
the Apostolic see of old Rome, said in Latin what being interpreted is
as follows: It is well known to this beloved of God synod, that
divine letters were sent to the blessed and
apostolic pope Leo, inviting him to deign to be present at the holy
synod. But since ancient custom did not sanction this, nor the
general necessity of the time seemed to permit it, our littleness in
the place of himself he τὰ
τῆς ἁγίας
συνόδου
επέτρεψε, and therefore
it is necessary that whatever things are brought into discussion should
be examined by our interference (διαλαλιᾶς). [The Latin reads where I have placed the Greek of the ordinary text, thus, “commanded our littleness to preside in his place over this holy council.”] Therefore let the book presented by our most beloved-of-God brother, and fellow-bishop Eusebius be received, and read by the beloved of God archdeacon and primicerius of the notaries, Aëtius.
And Aëtius, the archdeacon and primicerius of the
notaries, took the book and read as follows.
[Next follows the petition of Eusebius et post
nonnulla four petitions each addressed to “The most holy
and beloved-of-God ecumenical archbishop and patriarch of great Rome
Leo, and to the holy and ecumenical Synod assembled at Chalcedon, etc., etc.;” The first two by deacons of Alexandria, the third by a quondam presbyter of the diocese, and the fourth by a layman also of Alexandria. After this Dioscorus was again summoned and, as he did not come, sentence was given against him, which was communicated to him in a letter contained in the acts. (L. and C., Conc., Tom. IV., col. 418.) The Bishops expressed their opinions for the most part one by one, but the Roman Legates spoke together, and in their speech occurs the following (Col. 426:)]
Wherefore the most holy and blessed Leo, archbishop of
the great and elder Rome, through us, and through this present most
holy synod together with the thrice
blessed and all-glorious Peter the Apostle, who is the rock and
foundation of the Catholic Church, and the foundation of the orthodox faith, hath stripped him of the episcopate, and hath alienated from him all hieratic worthiness. Therefore let this most holy and great synod sentence the before mentioned Dioscorus to the canonical penalties.
[The bishops then, one by one, spoke in favour of the
deposition of Dioscorus, but usually on the ground of his refusal to
appear when thrice summoned.]
And when all the most holy bishops had spoken on the
subject, they signed this which follows.