Page:Orthodox Eastern Church (Fortescue).djvu/94

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58
THE ORTHODOX EASTERN CHURCH

this all were silent, as the controversy was ended by the decision of the Roman Church, and the question was seen to be at an end."[1] He refers to St. Damasus's letter in 378, and his words are a Greek parallel to St. Augustine's, "The decrees have come from the Apostolic See, the cause is finished"[2]Roma locuta est, causa finita est. St. Cyril of Alexandria († 444) writes to accuse Nestorius of heresy to his "Most loving Father Celestine" (Pope, 422–432). "Since God requires us to be watchful in these matters," he says, "and since the ancient custom of the Church persuades us to communicate them to your Holiness, I write, forced by the necessity of the case, and tell you that Satan is now confusing everything and raging against the Church of God."[3] St. Celestine answers him: "Using the authority of our See, in our place (he is making him his Legate) you shall carry out this sentence with due severity, namely, that he (Nestorius) must either write out a profession condemning his wicked assertions within ten days from this meeting (C. of Ephesus), or, if he will not do so, your Holiness shall provide for that Church (Nestorius was Patriarch of Constantinople), and shall know that he is in every way to be removed from our communion."[4] Theodoret represents our Lord as saying to St. Peter: "As I did not forsake you in the waves, so do you be a support to your brothers in trouble, give to them the same help by which you yourself were saved, do not reject those who stumble, but lift them up when they are falling. For this reason I let you stumble, but do not let you fall, through you I give firmness to those who are tossed about."[5] We have seen how Theodoret knows he has to act towards the Pope as the other Apostles towards their Pope, St. Peter (p. 56). At the time of the Three Chapters, Severus Scholasticus at Constantinople writes to Fulgentius Ferrandus, Deacon at Carthage and a famous Canonist († c. 546), to ask him whether one may say that Jesus Christ is "one of the holy and undivided Trinity" (it is the old question of the Communicatio Idiomatum: may one apply to the man Jesus Christ divine names?). To whom Fulgentius answers: "Most

  1. H.E. vi. 22. M.P.G. Ixvii. 1348.
  2. Sermo 131.
  3. Ep. II. M.P.G. l. 447.
  4. Hardouin, i. 1323.
  5. L.c. Theodoreti.