Folio 683

St. Sixtus III, 432-440

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churches, grieving that they were separated from the communion of blessed Peter, through envoys asked for peace, as your charity remembers.1 And at this time the Apostolic See without difficulty granted all, obeying the Master who says: "And to whom you have pardoned any thing, I also. For what I have pardoned, if I have pardoned anything, for your sakes have I done it in the person of Christ. That we be not overreached by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his devices [II Cor. 2:10 f.], that is, who always rejoices at dissension. Since then, most beloved Brethren, I think that the examples which we have given suffice to prove the truth, although more are retained in your own minds, without harm to our brotherhood we wish to meet your assembly, as you see by this letter which has been directed by Us through Severus, a notary of the Apostolic See, most acceptable to Our heart, chosen from Our circle. Thus in agreement, as befits brothers, let not anyone wishing to endure in our communion bring up again for discussion the name of our brother and fellow priest, Bishop Perigenas,2 whose sacerdotal office the Apostle Peter has already confirmed at the suggestion of the Holy Spirit, leaving no question about this for the future, and let there be no objection to this, since he was appointed by Us during the space of that time in which the office was vacant. . . .

ST. SIXTUS III, 432-440

The Incarnation3

["The formula of union" of the year 433, by which the peace between St. Cyril of Alexandria and the Antiochenes was established, was approved by St. Sixtus III]

5002. But how we know and speak regarding the Virgin Mother of God, and about the manner of the incarnation of the only-begotten Son of God, necessary not because of increase but for satisfaction, we have taken and possess from above, from the divine Scriptures as well as

  1. Cf. Epistle of St. Innocent I, Jf 305-310; Cst p. 843 ff. ↩

  2. St. Boniface I had confirmed Perigenas as Bishop of Corinth, but not all had acquiesced in this appointment. ↩

  3. The Greek text from the epistle of John of Antioch to Sixtus, ACOec. I, 1, 7, p. 159; ML 50, 603 ff.;—the Latin from the epistle of the same John to Cyril, insofar as it exists, ACOec. I, 2 p. 103. The same creed is found in the epistle of Cyril of Alexandria to John of Antioch, MG 77, 176; see R n. 2060 "Although indeed no proper sentence of approbation of the formula of union through the Pontiff of Rome has been preserved, yet all that Xystus writes on the fact of the union between John and Cyril seems to leave no doubt that he approved a formula," says B. Silva-Tarouca, S.J., Institutiones hist. eccl. Pars II, fasc. I (1933) 135. Cf. letter 5 of Sixtus to Cyril, ML 50, 602 ff. ↩