Presiding at a Council

Leo Episcopus S. Synodo apud Niceam constitutae. Dilectissimis fratribus in Domino salutem.  Optaveram quidem, dilectissimi, pro nostri charitate collegii, omnes Domini sacerdotes in una catholicae fidei devotione peristere, nec quemquam gratia aut formidine potestatum saecularium depravari, ut a via veritatis abscederet. Sed quia multa saepe, quae poenitudinem possint generare, proveniunt, et superat culpas delinquentium misercordia Dei, atque ideo suspenditur ultio, ut possit locum habere correctio, amplectendum est clementissimi principis plenum religione consitium, quo santam fraternitatem vestram ad destruendas insidias diaboli, et ad reformandam ecclesiasticam pacem voluit convenire, beatissimi Petri apostoli iure atque honore servato, adeo ut nos quoque suis ad hoc litteris invitaret, ut venerabili synodo nostram praesentiam praeberemus: quod quidem nec necessitas temporis nec ulla poterat consuetudo permittere. Tamen in his fratribus, hoc est Paschasino et Lucentio episcopis, Bonifacio et Bosailio presbyteris, qui ab apostolica sede directi sunt, me synodo vestra fraternitas aestimet praesidere, non abiuncta a vobis praesentia mea, qui nunc in vicariis meis adsum, et iamdudum in fidei catholicae praedicatione non desum: ut qui non potestis ignorare quid ex antiqua traditione credamus, non possitis dubitare quid cupiamus.  Leo I, Epistola XCIII

Leo, to the holy Synod, assembled at Nicæa. Dearest brothers, Greetings in the Lord. I have indeed prayed, dearly beloved, in charity for my colleagues that all the Lord's priests would persist in the one Catholic Faith, and that no one, by favour or fear of secular power, would be so corrupted that they depart from the way of truth. But because many things often occur that penitence be produced, that God's mercy surpass the errors of delinquents, and that vengeance be postponed in order that correction may have its place, we must embrace much of our most merciful prince's piously intentioned counsel, in which he wishes your holy brotherhood assemble to destroy the snares of the devil and to restore the peace of the Church, he who also honours the right and dignity of the most blessed Apostle Peter as to invite us too by letter that we provide our presence at your venerable Synod, something, however, not permitted either by the needs of the times nor by any custom. Yet in these brethren, that is Paschasinus and Lucentius, bishops, Boniface and Basil, presbyters, who have been deputed by the Apostolic See, let your brotherhood judge that I am presiding at the Synod; for my presence is not withdrawn from you, who am now here in my vicars, I who have for a long time not be wanting in the proclamation of the Catholic Faith: so that you cannot be ignorant what we believe in accordance with ancient tradition, nor are you able to doubt what we desire. Leo I, from Letter 93