faith. One of these accusations was the age old one of
preventing the Egyptian corn from being sent to other
parts of the Empire, the very accusation which had
angered Constantine against Athanasius the Apostolic
more than a century earlier. When this accusation needed
proof, other accusations were not wanting.
And when, to all appearances, the Alexandrian
Pope refused the Council’s enacted triple summons, his
case was discussed in his absence and the absence of all
the Egyptian bishops as well as those who sided with
them.^55 The legates of Rome accused him by saying that
he had prevented the reading of Leo’s Tomos at the
Ephesian ‘Dioscorian’ council; that instead of repenting,
he dared pass the sentence of ex-communication on the
Roman bishop and his Tomos; and that – since he had
refused to respond to the synod’s triple invitation, he had
thereby pronounced his own condemnation.
- Consequently, the Council pronounced against
Abba Dioscorus the following sentence: “From the great
ecumenical and holy council, convoked by the Grace of
God in compliance with the decree of our pious
Godfearing kings^56 at Chalcedon of Bithynia, in the
church of St. Euphemia the triumphant martyr – to
Dioscorus: Be it known unto you that, because of your
disdain of church canons, and the disobedience which you
have committed with regard to the holy synod by refusing
to appear after our triple summons without counting all
your other crimnes; [which were not specified] you have
been, on the thirteenth of October, 451 A.D., deposed of
your Episcopal dignity by the Holy Synod, and declared
incapable of fulfilling your ecclesiastical functions.”^57