Letters of Sixtus III

Contents

1. 1.1Sixtus III announces his ordination (432) to Cyril of Alexandria through Cyril’s envoys Hermogenes and Lampetius, who were present at it.
2. 1.2Sixtus rejoices that the Eastern legates witnessed the unanimous election at Rome, a sign of the Roman church’s single mind in faith.
3. 1.3Sixtus reaffirms Celestine’s judgment against Nestorius and turns to the requests of Cyril.
4. 1.4Sixtus agrees with Cyril that, Nestorius being deposed, his followers who return to the right faith are to be received.
5. 1.5John of Antioch will be received as catholic if he accepts the condemnations of the Council of Ephesus; Cyril, who forgives his injuries, will receive his crown.
6. 1.6Sixtus asks Cyril to circulate the letter to neighbouring bishops as proof of the apostolic see’s continued care.
7. 2.1Sixtus praises Cyril’s envoys, who attended his ordination, and Cyril himself, to whom the whole church is indebted.
8. 2.2At the urging of the archdeacon Themison, Sixtus sends further letters to the bishops named by Cyril’s envoys.
9. 2.3John of Antioch and the other supporters of Nestorius are to be received if they reject what Ephesus rejected; if not, they condemn themselves with Nestorius.
10. 3.0Sixtus addresses Cyril of Alexandria.
11. 3.1Sixtus rejoices that the church’s body is whole again after the reunion of Antioch with Alexandria, Nestorius alone being cut off.
12. 3.2Sixtus says that Christ has turned grief to joy and that the report of the reunion was fittingly heard by an assembly of bishops.
13. 3.3Sixtus reports that the news was heard at Saint Peter’s by a synod gathered for his anniversary, over which Peter himself presided in spirit.
14. 3.4Sixtus says that John of Antioch never really followed Nestorius but only suspended judgment, and has now returned.
15. 3.5Sixtus rejoices that the bishops of the East have returned like the lost sheep, while Nestorius, the barren branch, is condemned, and welcomes John of Antioch as a catholic.
16. 3.6Sixtus says that the deposition decreed against Cyril by his opponents was no surprise, since those persecuted for righteousness have a great reward.
17. 3.7Sixtus awaits John of Antioch’s clergy, praises Cyril’s readiness to receive returning bishops, and dates the letter 17 September 433.
18. 4.0Sixtus addresses John of Antioch.
19. 4.1Sixtus tells John of Antioch that Cyril’s news of the reunion has turned his grief to joy.
20. 4.2Sixtus says that Nestorius, now an exile, reaps thorns; he was warned and condemned late, and now all should rejoice.
21. 4.3Sixtus accepts John’s praise, read at the synod on his anniversary, and turns John’s phrase “light-bearing” into a call for all priests to shine.
22. 4.4Sixtus compares Nestorius to the fallen Lucifer of Isaiah 14, since he made Christ a mere man and denied the incarnation, and calls for an end to controversy.
23. 4.5Sixtus urges John to proclaim the restored unity and to hold the simple faith that Peter received from Christ and hands on through his successors.
24. 4.6Sixtus praises the emperors’ zeal for the church’s unity as a sign that earthly kings serve the heavenly King.
25. 4.7Sixtus urges John to hold the one ancient faith without novelty and commends Maximian of Constantinople, who learned that faith at Rome.
26. 5.1Sixtus reminds Proclus of Constantinople that Rome supported his ordination and gently reproves his attempt, now settled by Roman legates, to extend his jurisdiction.
27. 5.2Sixtus tells Proclus to respect the traditional authority of Anastasius of Thessalonica over Illyricum, as Rome supported Proclus himself.
28. 6.1Sixtus confirms the authority of Anastasius of Thessalonica over Illyricum: metropolitans ordain in their provinces only with his knowledge, and greater cases go to him.
29. 6.2Sixtus warns the bishop of Corinth not to resist the authority of Thessalonica.
30. 6.3Sixtus entrusts other matters to his legates and dates the letter 8 July 435.
31. 7.1Sixtus urges Proclus of Constantinople to give no opening to those who try to unsettle the churches of Illyricum by appealing to him.
32. 7.2Sixtus asks Proclus to refuse any Illyrian cleric who comes to him without letters of credence from the bishop of Thessalonica.
33. 7.3Sixtus cites the case of Idduas, in which he upheld Proclus’s judgment, and closes trusting their agreement on the canons; the letter is dated 18 December 437.
34. 8.1Sixtus addresses the synod of Illyrian bishops, following Paul’s example of writing to churches, and sends them instructions by the presbyter Artemius.
35. 8.2Sixtus places all Illyrian churches under the bishop of Thessalonica, who is to hold councils and report to Rome for confirmation.
36. 8.3Sixtus tells the Illyrian bishops that only the doctrinal decisions of the Eastern synod bind them and that disputes go to Anastasius as papal vicar, or else to Rome.
37. 8.4Sixtus urges the Illyrian bishops to honour their head at Thessalonica and to keep peace, and dates the letter 18 December 437.