The Holy See and the Wandering of the Nations, from St. Leo I to St. Gregory IAllies, T. W. (Thomas William)
History
The Holy See and the Wandering of the Nations, from St. Leo I to St. Gregory I
Allies, T. W. (Thomas William)
Church history -- Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600
"When, by God's help and the prayers of the Apostles, you come into the
country of the Greeks, if bishops choose to meet you receive them with all
due respect. If they propose a night-lodging for you do not refuse, that
laymen may not suppose you will hold no union with them. But if they invite
you to eat with them, courteously excuse yourselves, saying, Pray that we
may first be joined at the Mystical Table, and then this will be more
agreeable to us. Do not, however receive provision or things of that kind,
except carriage, if need be, but excuse yourselves, saying that you have
everything, and that you hope that they will give you their hearts, in
which abide all gifts, charity and unity, which make up the joy of
religion.
"So, when you reach Constantinople, go wherever the emperor appoints; and
before you see him, let no one approach you, save such as are sent by him.
But when you have seen the emperor, if any orthodox persons of our own
communion, or with a zeal for unity, desire to see you, admit them with all
caution. Perhaps you may learn from them the state of things.
"When you have an audience of the emperor, present your letters with these
words: 'Your Father greets you, daily intreating God, and commending your
kingdom to the intercession of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, that God
who has given you such a desire that you should send a mission in the cause
of the Church and consult his holiness, may bring your wish to full
completion'.
"Should the emperor wish, before he receives your papers, to learn the
scope of your mission, use these words: 'Be pleased to receive our papers'.
If he answer, 'What do they contain?' reply, 'They contain greeting to your
piety, and thanks to God for learning your anxiety for the Church's unity.
Read and you will see this.' And enter absolutely into nothing before the
letters have been received and read. When they have been received and read,
add: 'He has also written to your servant Vitalian, who wrote that he had
received permission from your piety to send a deputation of his own to the
holy Pope, your Father. But as it was just to direct these first to your
majesty, he has done so; that by your command and order, if God please, we
may bear to him the letters which we have brought.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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