Letter to the African Council (complete)
Latin text: PG 65.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 1
1PG 65 65:649
Dominis sanctis, merito beatissimis fratribus coepiscopis, Aurelio, Valentino, vel cæteris charissimis, in synodo apud Carthaginem habita constitutis, Atticus episcopus. Per filium nostrum Marcellum subdiaconum vestrum scripta vestræ dilectionis cum omni gratiarum actione suscepi, Domino gratias agens, quod merui tantorum fratrum benedictione perfrui, domini beatissimi fratres. Scribitis sane ut verissimos canones, apud Nicæam civitatem metropolim Bithyniæ a Patribus constitutos, sub fidei astipulatione dirigam. Et quis est, qui communem fidem, vel statuta a Patribus firmata, suis fratribus deneget? Qua de re, per eumdem filium meum Marcellum subdiaconum vestrum, nimium festinantem, sicut statuti sunt in Nicæa civitate a Patribus canones in integro, ut jussistis, direxi; petens, ut pro me plurimum vestra sancta congregatio orare jubeat. Et alia manu : Deus noster sanctitatem vestram custodiat, quod optamus, sancti fratres.
To my holy lords, my most blessed brothers and fellow bishops, deservedly so called, Aurelius, Valentinus, and the other most dear ones assembled in the synod held at Carthage: Atticus, bishop. Through our son Marcellus, your subdeacon, I received the letter of your love with all thanksgiving, giving thanks to the Lord that I have been counted worthy to enjoy the blessing of such great brothers, my most blessed lords and brothers. You write, indeed, asking me to send, with an attestation of faith, the most authentic canons established by the fathers at Nicaea, the metropolis of Bithynia. And who is there who would refuse his brothers the common faith or the statutes confirmed by the fathers? For this reason, through the same son of mine, Marcellus, your subdeacon, who is in a great hurry, I have sent the canons complete, as they were established by the fathers in the city of Nicaea, as you asked; and I ask that your holy assembly would have prayer offered for me abundantly. And in another hand: "May our God keep your holiness, as we desire, holy brothers."
Notes and citation
Summary: Atticus of Constantinople tells the African council (419) that he is sending them the complete canons of Nicaea, as they requested.
- Sent to the Council of Carthage of 419 during the dispute with Rome over appeals (the case of Apiarius), when the Africans asked the Eastern churches for authentic copies of the Nicene canons. The Greek is lost; the letter survives in the Latin of the African canon collection. Nicaea was not in fact the metropolis of Bithynia (Nicomedia was); the letter says so as printed.
Topics: Councils and creeds
Cite (SBL): Atticus, Ep. Afr. 1 (PG 65 65:649; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/atticus-epistula-concilio-africano/1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/atticus-epistula-concilio-africano/1
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek or Latin of Migne PG (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek OCR; leaked notes and apparatus removed by logged corrections); no public-domain English exists, so the translation was re-read against the original.