Bishop Hefele on Pope Honorius [pp. 273-301]

288 VON HEFELE ON POPE HONORIUS. [Apnl7
ways finds some serpents to help him, through whom he can
spread abroad his death-bringing poison, using them as the
apt organ of his will,-we mean Theodorus, Bishop of Pha ran, Sergius, and moreover ilonorius, Pope of Old Rome, and
Cyrus of Alexandria... he did not refrain from arousing
scandals in the Church, through these persons, by the dissem ination of heresy." (Alansi, p. 635.)
e. After all the members of the Council, the three pontifical
legates coming first, had subscribed the decree, the Synod
-cried out: "Thus we all believe... many years to the Em -peror... anathema to Theodore of Pharan, anathema to
Sergius and Honorius, anathema to Pyrrhus and Paulus
anathema to all heretics!" (lifansi, p. 659.)
f. Moreover, in a memorial addressed to the Emperor, the
papal legates again taking the lead, this anathema against.
Honorius is repeated: "We put under the anathema, Theo dore, Sergius, and with them Honorius, who then presided at
Rome, because he followed them in heresy." (3Iansi, p. 666.)
From this it follows, that the Sixth General Council
1. Claimed the right of passing judgment on a Pope, speak ing cx catheJra; and
2. It condemned tbe doctrinal decree, given by him cx ca thedra, because he therein sanctioned heretical doctrine.
How he may have thought in his own mind is irrelevant;
the fact of his erroneous dogmatic decision was judged and
-condemned.
III.How was this condemnation actually received at the time,
especially by the 1?oman Pon~ffs?
No one at that time believed that these proceedings of the
Sixth General Council against Pope Honorius were unjust or
conducted by an incompetent authority. For
a. Not only did all the hundreds of bishops then present
find it in order since they subscribed the sentence; but
b. The Papal Legates also there present and presiding had
the same opinion, and did not raise the slightest objection, either
(1)against the competency of the Council, or
(2) against the material (substantial) rectitude of its judg —
ment.