SYNODAL LETTER
THE COUNCIL OF NICAEA
325

1. To the holy, by the grace of God, and great Church of the Alexandrians, and to our beloved brethren throughout Egypt, Libya and Pentapolis, the bishops assembled at Nicaea, constituting the great and holy Synod, send greeting in the Lord.

2. Since, by the grace of God, a great and holy Synod has been convened at Nicaea, our most pious sovereign Constantine having summoned us out of various cities and provinces for that purpose, it appeared to us indispensably necessary that a letter should be written to you on the part of the sacred Synod; in order that ye may know what subjects were brought under consideration, what rigidly investigated, and also what was eventually determined on and decreed.

3. In the first place, then, the impiety and guilt of Arius and his adherents were examined into, in the presence of our most religious Emperor Constantine; and it was unanimously decided that his impious opinion should be anathematized with all the blasphemous expressions he has uttered in affirming that "the Son of God sprang from nothing," and that "there was a time when He was not"; saying, moreover, that "the Son of God was possessed of free-will, so as to be capable either of vice or virtue"; and calling Him a creature and a work. All these sentiments the holy Synod has anathematized, having scarcely patience to endure the hearing of such an impious, or rather bewildered, an opinion and such abominable blasphemies.

4. But the conclusion of our proceedings against him you must either have been informed of already, or will soon be apprised of; for we would not seem to trample on a man who has received the chastisement which his crime deserved. Yet so contagious has his pestilential error proved, as to involve in the same perdition Theonas, Bishop of Marmarica, and Secundus of Ptolemais; for they have suffered the same condemnation as himself.

5. But when, by the grace of God, we were delivered from these execrable dogmas, with all their impiety and blasphemy, and from those persons who had dared to cause discord and division among a people previously at peace, there still remained the contumacy of Melitius to be dealt with, and those who had been ordained by him; and we shall now state to you, beloved brethren, what resolution the Synod came to on this point.

6. Acting with more clemency towards Melitius, although strictly speaking he was wholly undeserving of favour, the Council permitted him to remain in his own city, but decreed that he should exercise no authority either to ordain or nominate for ordination; and that he should appear in no other district or city on this pretence, but simply retain a nominal dignity.

7. That those who had received appointments from him, after having been confirmed by a more legitimate ordination, should be admitted to communion on these conditions: that they should continue to hold their rank and ministry, but regard themselves as inferior in every respect to all those who had been previously ordained and established in each place and church by our most honoured fellow-minister Alexander. In addition to these things they shall have no authority to propose or nominate whom they please, or to do anything at all without the concurrence of some bishop of the Catholic Church who is one of Alexander's suffragans.

8. Let such as, by the grace of God and your prayers, have been found in no schisms, but have continued in the Catholic Church blameless, have authority to nominate and ordain those who are worthy of the sacred office, and to act in all things according to ecclesiastical law and usage.

9. When it may happen that any of those holding preferments in the Church die, then let such as have been recently admitted into Orders be preferred to the dignity of the deceased, provided that they should appear worthy, and that the people should elect them, the Bishop of Alexandria also ratifying their choice.

10. This privilege is conceded to all the others indeed, but to Melitius personally we by no means grant the same licence, on account of his former disorderly conduct; and because of the rashness and levity of his character, he is deprived of all authority and jurisdiction, as a man liable again to create similar disturbances.

11. These are the things which specially affect Egypt, and the most holy Church of the Alexandrians; and, if any other canon or ordinance should be established, our lord and most honoured fellow-minister and brother Alexander being present with us, will on his return to you enter into more minute details, inasmuch as he is not only a participator in whatever is transacted, but has the principal direction of it.

12. We have also gratifying intelligence to communicate to you relative to unity of judgment on the subject of the most holy feast of Easter; for this point also has been happily settled through your prayers: so that all the brethren in the East who have heretofore kept this festival when the Jews did, will henceforth conform to the Romans and to us, and to all who from the earliest time have observed our period of celebrating Easter.

13. Rejoicing, therefore, in this most desirable conclusion, and in the general unanimity and peace, as well as in the extirpation of all heresy, receive with the greater honour and more abundant love our fellow-minister and your Bishop Alexander, who has greatly delighted us by his presence, and even at his advanced age has undergone extraordinary exertions in order that peace might be re-established among you.

14. Pray on behalf of us all that the decisions, to which we have so justly come, may be inviolably maintained through Almighty God, and our Lord Jesus Christ, together with the Holy Spirit; to whom be glory for ever. Amen.




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