This sixth ecumenical gathering of the Persian church at the Sassanian capital of Seleucia-Ctesiphon was related directly to the question of the authority of the Catholicos over other bishops in the Persian church, the acceptance of the Councils of Nicaea I, and Constantinople I, and the security of the bishops from illegitimate entanglements in the Persian state and pagan practices. While long forgotten by western scholars, it represents the first effort of the Church of the East to addre...

This work, by the Carthaginian bishop, Capreolus, dictates some of the concerns and trepidations that the church in North Africa had during the time of the Ecumenical council at Ephesus. Since the African church's luminary, St. Augustine of Hippo (d. 430), had passed a few years prior, there is a gap in the historic record of how the African bishops perceived Imperial ordinances and the political fiasco that was the tenure of Nestorius as patriarch of Constantinople.

Boethius of Dacia, or more accurately Boethius of Dania, was a 13th century Danish philosopher who was inspired by the growing Aristotelian revolution taking place in European universities. For Boethius, philosophy was the primary task of all mankind. The search for truth and wisdom was paramount to the Christian and part of the spiritual journey that they must engage in. In this work Boethius describes rational contemplation on eternal truths, and the soul's natural desire to attain the h...

Anastasius Bibliothecarius, also known as Anastasius the Librarian, was an Antipope during the 9th century. He composed this short collection of documents regarding the first thirty forth Roman Popes. It spans the pontificate of St. Peter in the 1st century and the 4th century tenure of St. Sylvester. This text also contains the both the original Latin text, as well as the English translation.

The Acts of St. Matthew is a text composed sometime between the 4th and century century in either Greek or Classical Syriac. It recounts the apocryphal sojourns of the apostle Matthew in an unspecified country. During his travels he encounters various royal official and attempts to teach them about the Gospel of Christ, which ultimately results in his death and martyrdom. Speculation regarding the whereabouts of these events were common, but the text does not grant any clear intended geogr...

In nomine Domini is a papal bull written by Pope Nicholas II. The bull was issued on 13 April 1059 and caused major reforms in the system of papal election, most notably establishing the cardinal-bishops as the sole electors of the pope, with the consent of minor clergy. It also start to help define the relationship that existed between the bishops of Rome and the Holy Roman Emperor.

The Council of Shahapivan is the first surviving council of the Armenian Church, and has survived in various ecclesiastical sources. Convened in the year 444, after three consecutive councils in the city of Ashtishat, the Armenian clergy under Catholicos Hovsep I met in the township of Shahapivan (province of Ayrarat). Among those present was the governor, Vasak Siuni, and General Commander of the Army, Vartan Mamikonian. The purpose of the council was audit the functions of the clergy, an...

This is a small library of the ecclesiastical documents issued by the German king, Louis II, during his tenure over the eastern Frankish realm. This includes his work on Ecclesiastical Constitution, Chapters of law for the German church, and Chapters for the church in France and Aquitaine. These works represent a snapshot of the state of the Western church during the height of the Carolingian period.

On August 18th, 1289, Pope Nicholas IV signed a Papal Bull named 'Supra montem catholice fidei' (Upon the mountain of Catholic faith). It was addressed to the brothers and sisters of the order founded by the Blessed Francis. This papal document established the legitimacy and canonical structure of the Order of Penance, granting its founding to Francis, then deceased for the better part of a century. This order has survived in the Catholic world as the Third Order Regular of St. Francis of ...

The Visigothic king, Sisebut, composed this short composition on the life of the Roman martyr, St. Desiderius, who was killed during the Diocletian persecution. What little historical information about the historic memory of this Italian martyr is relatively limited, but what is represented is the pious recollection of the Roman persecution of the church at its zenith. Curiously this text stands apart, as it is not composed by a clergyman or bishop, but by the Arian king of the Visigoths. ...

Alfred the Great, during his tenure over the kingdom of Wessex, sough to reform and strengthen the English church through parochial and scholarly reform. Unlike most kings of the dark ages, Alfred the Great, lead this scholarly reform himself, writing and translating great works of the church himself. This work is the short collection of reforms that were put forward to offer some self of revival to the English church following its decimation by the Viking invasions.

The Holy Roman Emperor, Lothair I, composed two letters to Pope Nicolaus I, and his successor, Pope Adrian II, regarding the nature of his rule over the Frankish realm, and the relationship that his administration would have with the Papal Curia. There is some debate regarding the nature of episcopal appointments in these letters, an issue which would be a continual point of conflict until the last days of the empire.