“Robber Council of Ephesus.”
Pope Leo responded further by excommunicating Dioscorus and calling for
another and greater general council. This demand was ignored by
Theodosius II, but was granted by his immediate successor, Marcian. So,
on October 8, 451, the Council of Chalcedon was convened with nearly 600
bishops in attendance. The actions of Dioscorus were discussed and
reprobated, together with the declarations of the Robber Council. The
Tome of Leo was finally presented to the bishops and received
enthusiastically: “That is the faith of the Fathers; that is the faith of the
Apostles! So we all believe! Peter has spoken through Leo!”
However, as with the Arian heresy, the decision of an ecumenical council
failed to end the troubles. The non-Greek speaking churches of Egypt,
Syria, Ethiopia and Armenia severed themselves from the rest of the
Church, proudly asserting themselves as “non-Chalcedonian.” Throughout
the next one hundred years, the Monophysites would agitate against
Chalcedon, seeking the support of those in political power to impose their
doctrine. Their most powerful political ally was the wife of the Byzantine
Emperor Justinian (527-565), namely Theodora.
Justinian was a Catholic but was obsessed with dreams of re-establishing
the old Roman Empire, and so allowed Theodora to take care of religious
affairs. Theodora had adopted Monophysitism from Egyptian monks who
fed her while she was only an unemployed circus dancer. In her now
powerful position of Empress, she wanted to install Monophysites into the
great sees of Rome and Constantinople, namely Vigilius and Anthimius.
Vigilius had accepted seven hundred pounds of gold from Theodora and
the promise of the Papacy if he cooperated with her heretical agenda.
Anthimius was the first to be installed, but was immediately deposed by the
holy Pope Agapetus who happened to be in Constantinople in February
536. Soon after, the Pope mysteriously died, most probably through the
machinations of Theodora and Vigilius. In June 536, Agapetus was
succeeded by Silverius. Theodora demanded of him the restoration of
Anthimius. Upon being refused, Theodora ordered her general Belisarius to
seize Pope Silverius and send him into exile. Vigilius then arranged for his
painful death by starvation on the island of Palmyria off the coast of
Naples.
 |
 |
 |