The Letters of S. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan — John Shaqi
The Letters of S. Ambrose, Bishop of MilanAmbrose, Saint, Bishop of Milan
Religion
The Letters of S. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan
Ambrose, Saint, Bishop of Milan
Ambrose, Saint, Bishop of Milan, -397 -- Correspondence
The proceedings commence by the reading of the Emperor’s Mandate.
Palladius then raises objections on the ground of the absence
of the Bishops from the East, and charges S. Ambrose with having
tricked the Emperor into summoning only a small Council, and
declines to take part in a Council which is not General. After
some discussion on this point S. Ambrose proposes that Arius’
letter from Nicomedia to S. Alexander should be read in detail,
and Palladius called upon to condemn each heretical proposition.
Palladius argues upon each, but eventually returns to his
refusal to answer except in a General Council. In the end all
the Bishops pronounce their decisions one by one, all agreeing
that Palladius’ doctrine was heretical and that he should be
deposed. Secundianus is then more briefly dealt with in the same
way. It would seem that the Record is incomplete, as the number
of Bishops who give their decision is only 25, and the account
of Secundianus’ case ends abruptly without recording any
decision. It may be from the same cause that the Record itself
is in one or two places seemingly defective, and the sense
confused.
Secundianus is not mentioned again in History. Of Palladius
it is said by Vigilius, Bishop of Thapsus in Africa, who lived
in the latter part of the 5th Century, that after S. Ambrose’s
death he wrote a reply to his writings against Arianism, which
Vigilius himself answered (Tillemont Vie de S. Ambr. xxvi.).
The genuineness of the Gesta has been disputed by Père Chifflet,
who maintained that they were a forgery of the Vigilius
mentioned above: his arguments however are satisfactorily
refuted by Tillemont in an elaborate note. (Vol. x. p. 738.
note 15. on S. Ambr. Life.)
1. IN the consulship of the illustrious SYAGRIUS and EUCHERIUS, on the
3rd day of September[18], the under-mentioned Bishops[19], sitting in
council in the church at Aquileia, namely, VALERIAN, Bishop of Aquileia,
AMBROSE, EUSEBIUS, LIMENIUS, ANEMIUS, SABINUS, ABUNDANTIUS, ARTEMIUS,
CONSTANTIUS, JUSTUS, PHILASTER, CONSTANTIUS, THEODORUS, ALMACHIUS,
DOMNINUS, AMANTIUS, MAXIMUS, FELIX, BASSIANUS, NUMIDIUS, JANUARIUS,
PROCULUS, HELIODORUS, JOVINUS, FELIX, EXUPERANTIUS, DIOGENES, MAXIMUS,
MACEDONIUS, CASSIANUS, MARCELLUS, and EUSTATHIUS, Bishops:
Ambrose, Bishop, said;
2. ‘We have long been dealing with the matter without any Records[20],
and now, since our ears are assailed with such sacrilegious words on
the part of Palladius and Secundianus, that one can scarce believe that
they could have so openly blasphemed, and that they may not attempt
hereafter by any subtlety to deny their own words, though the testimony
of such eminent Bishops does not admit of doubt, still as it is the
pleasure of all the Bishops, let Records be made, that no one may be
able to deny his own profession. Do you therefore, holy men, declare
what is your pleasure.’
All the Bishops said, ‘It is our pleasure.’
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