Pope St. Leo The Great Ends The Debate

We have seen how Tradition doesn’t teach baptism of desire and how the infallible teaching of the Church on the Sacrament of Baptism and John 3:5 excludes it.  And we have seen how this error was perpetuated in the middle ages through flawed passages in the fallible texts of Churchmen.  I will now discuss perhaps the most interesting pronouncement on this issue, the dogmatic letter of Pope St. Leo the Great to Flavian, which excludes the exact concept of baptism of desire and baptism of blood.

Pope St. Leo the Great, dogmatic letter to Flavian, Council of Chalcedon, 451:
“Let him heed what the blessed apostle Peter preaches, that sanctification by the Spirit is effected by the sprinkling of Christ’s blood (1 Pet. 1:2); and let him not skip over the same apostle’s words, knowing that you have been redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your fathers, not with corruptible gold and silver but by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, as of a lamb without stain or spot (1 Pet. 1:18).  Nor should he withstand the testimony of blessed John the apostle: and the blood of Jesus, the Son of God, purifies us from every sin (1 Jn. 1:7); and again, This is the victory which conquers the world, our faith.  Who is there who conquers the world save one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?  It is He, Jesus Christ, who has come through water and blood, not in water only, but in water and blood.  And because the Spirit is truth, it is the Spirit who testifies.  For there are three who give testimony – Spirit and water and blood.  And the three are one.  (1 Jn. 5:4-8)  IN OTHER WORDS, THE SPIRIT OF SANCTIFICATION AND THE BLOOD OF REDEMPTION AND THE WATER OF BAPTISM.  THESE THREE ARE ONE AND REMAIN INDIVISIBLE.  NONE OF THEM IS SEPARABLE FROM ITS LINK WITH THE OTHERS.”[1]

Before I get into the tremendous significance of this pronouncement, I will give a little background on this dogmatic letter.  This is Pope St. Leo the Great’s famous dogmatic letter to Flavian, originally written in 449, and later accepted by the Council of Chalcedon – the fourth general council of the Church – in 451 (quoted in Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils, Georgetown Press, Vol. 1, pp. 77-82).  It is one of the most important documents in the history of the Church.  This is the famous letter which, when read aloud at the dogmatic Council of Chalcedon, caused all of the fathers of the council (more than 600) to rise to their feet and proclaim: “This is the faith of the Fathers, the faith of the apostles; Peter has spoken through the mouth of Leo.”  The very letter in itself embodies the term ex cathedra (speaking from the Chair of Peter), as proven by the reaction of the fathers at Chalcedon.  This dogmatic letter of Pope Leo was accepted by the Council of Chalcedon in its definition of Faith, which was approved authoritatively by Pope Leo himself.

And if that were not sufficient to prove that Pope Leo’s letter is without question infallible and dogmatic, consider the fact that it was also approved by Pope Vigilius at the Second Council of Constantinople (553)[2] and by the dogmatic Third Council of Constantinople (680-681).[3]  It was also confirmed infallibly by a number of other popes, including: Pope St. Gelasius, 495,[4] Pope Pelagius II, 553,[5] and Pope Benedict XIV, nuper ad nos, 1743.[6] 

Because of the tremendous significance of Pope Leo’s letter to the topic at hand, I will quote an extract from Pope St. Gelasius which shows how no one can contradict, in the slightest way, this dogmatic epistle of Pope St. Leo to Flavian.

Pope St. Gelasius, Decretal, 495: “Also the epistle of blessed Leo the Pope to Flavian… if anyone argues concerning the text of this one even in regard to one iota, and does not receive it in all respects reverently, let him be anathema.”[7]

Here we have Pope St. Gelasius speaking ex cathedra to condemn anyone who would depart, even in regard to one iota, from the text of Pope Leo’s dogmatic epistle to Flavian. 

Now, in the section of Pope Leo’s dogmatic letter quoted above, he is dealing with Sanctification by the Spirit.  “Sanctification by the Spirit” is the term for Justification from the state of sin.  Justification is the state of grace.  No one can get to heaven without Sanctification by the Spirit [Justification], as everyone professing to be Catholic admits.  Pope St. Leo affirms, on the authority of the great apostles Sts. Peter and John, that this Sanctification by the Spirit is effected by the sprinkling of Christ’s Blood.  It is only by receiving the Blood of Redemption, he proves, that one can be changed from the state of Adam (original sin) to the state of grace (justification/sanctification).  It is only by this Blood that Sanctification by the Spirit works.   This dogma was also defined by the Council of Trent.

Pope Paul III, Council of Trent, Sess. 5, on original sin, ex cathedra: “If anyone asserts that this sin of Adam... is taken away either by the forces of human nature, or by any remedy other than the merit of the one mediator, our Lord Jesus Christ, who has reconciled us to God in his own blood, ‘made unto us justice, sanctification, and redemption’ (1 Cor. 1:30); or if he denies that the merit of Jesus Christ is applied to adults as well as to infants by the sacrament of baptism… let him be anathema.”[8]

Pope Paul III, Council of Trent, Sess. 6, Chap. 3, ex cathedra: “But although Christ died for all, yet not all receive the benefit of His death, but those only to whom the merit of His Passion is communicated.”[9]

It is a divinely revealed truth that no one can be freed from the state of sin and sanctified without the application of the Blood of Redemption to him.  Of this no Catholic can doubt. 

Baptism of desire/blood advocates – and this would also include the St. Benedict Center, since they also believe in justification by desire – argue that the Blood of Redemption, which effects the Sanctification by the Spirit, is applied to the soul by the desire for baptism or by his martyrdom, without water baptism.  Remember that: baptism of desire/blood advocates argue that the Blood of Redemption, which effects Sanctification by the Spirit, is applied to the soul without water baptism.  But this is exactly the opposite of what Pope Leo the Great defines dogmatically!  I will quote the crucial portions of his statement again:

Pope St. Leo the Great, dogmatic letter to Flavian, Council of Chalcedon, 451:
“Let him heed what the blessed apostle Peter preaches, that sanctification by the Spirit is effected by the sprinkling of Christ’s blood (1 Pet. 1:2)… It is He, Jesus Christ, who has come through water and blood, not in water only, but in water and blood.  And because the Spirit is truth, it is the Spirit who testifies.  For there are three who give testimony – Spirit and water and blood.  And the three are one.  (1 Jn. 5:4-8)  IN OTHER WORDS, THE SPIRIT OF SANCTIFICATION AND THE BLOOD OF REDEMPTION AND THE WATER OF BAPTISM.  THESE THREE ARE ONE AND REMAIN INDIVISIBLE.  NONE OF THEM IS SEPARABLE FROM ITS LINK WITH THE OTHERS.”[10]

Pope St. Leo defines that in Sanctification, the Spirit of Sanctification and the Blood of Redemption cannot be separated from the water of baptism!  Thus, there can be no Justification by the Spirit and the Blood without the Sacrament of Baptism. 

This infallibly excludes the very concept of baptism of desire and baptism of blood, which is that sanctification by the Spirit and the Blood without water is possible.

In light of this dogmatic letter, as well as the other facts already brought forward, baptism of desire and baptism of blood cannot be held; for these theories separate the Spirit and the Blood from the water in sanctification.

And lest someone tries to find fault with this infallible definition by arguing that the Blessed Virgin Mary is an exception to it, it should be recognized that Pope St. Leo is defining on sanctification/justification from the state of sin.

Pope St. Leo the Great, dogmatic letter to Flavian, Council of Chalcedon, 451:
“Let him heed what the blessed apostle Peter preaches, that sanctification by the Spirit is effected by the sprinkling of Christ’s blood (1 Pet. 1:2); and let him not skip over the same apostle’s words, knowing that you have been redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your fathers, not with corruptible gold and silver but by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, as of a lamb without stain or spot (1 Pet. 1:18).  Nor should he withstand the testimony of blessed John the apostle: and the blood of Jesus, the Son of God, purifies us from every sin (1 Jn. 1:7)…”    

The Blessed Virgin Mary had no sin.  She was conceived already in a state of perfect sanctification.  Since Pope Leo is defining on sanctification/justification from sin, his definition does not apply in any way to her.

Therefore, there can be no Justification of a sinner without water baptism (de fide).  There can be no application to a sinner of Christ’s Redemptive Blood without water baptism (de fide).  There can be no salvation without water baptism (de fide). 

To further prove the point that this dogmatic pronouncement specifically eliminates the entire theory of baptism of desire, notice how St. Thomas Aquinas (in teaching baptism of desire) says exactly the opposite of what Pope St. Leo the Great defined.

St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica III, Q. 68, Art. 2: “…a man can obtain salvation without the sacrament of Baptism, by means of the invisible sanctification…”

St. Thomas says that baptism of desire gives one sanctification without the water of Baptism.  Pope St. Leo the Great says dogmatically and infallibly that one cannot have sanctification without the water of baptism!  A Catholic must accept Pope St. Leo the Great’s teaching. 

Pope St. Leo the Great, dogmatic letter to Flavian, Council of Chalcedon, 451:
“IN OTHER WORDS, THE SPIRIT OF SANCTIFICATION AND THE BLOOD OF REDEMPTION AND THE WATER OF BAPTISM.  THESE THREE ARE ONE AND REMAIN INDIVISIBLE.  NONE OF THEM IS SEPARABLE FROM ITS LINK WITH THE OTHERS.”[11]

The significance of Pope St. Leo’s pronouncement is extraordinary.  It naturally crushes any idea of salvation for the supposedly “invincibly ignorant.”  These souls cannot be sanctified and cleansed by the Blood of Christ without receiving the saving waters of baptism, which God will bring to all of good will. 

The dogma that the Blood of Christ is applied to a sinner in the Sacrament of Baptism was defined by the Council of Trent; however, the definition is not as specific as Pope Leo’s.  The difference is that, whereas Trent’s definition on the Blood of Christ sets forth the principle that the Blood of Christ is applied to a sinner in the Sacrament of Baptism, Pope Leo’s definition confirms that this means that the Blood of Christ can only be applied to a sinner by the Sacrament of Baptism.

Pope Paul III, Council of Trent, Sess. 5, on original sin, ex cathedra: “If anyone asserts that this sin of Adam... is taken away either by the forces of human nature, or by any remedy other than the merit of the one mediator, our Lord Jesus Christ, who has reconciled us to God in his own blood, ‘made unto us justice, sanctification, and redemption’ (1 Cor. 1:30); or if he denies that the merit of Jesus Christ is applied to adults as well as to infants by the sacrament of baptism… let him be anathema.”[12]

Pope St. Leo’s pronouncement also radically confirms the Church’s consistent understanding of the words of Jesus Christ in John 3:5 in their absolutely literal sense: Unless a man is born again of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 

Pope Eugene IV, The Council of Florence, “Exultate Deo,” Nov. 22, 1439, ex cathedra:  “And since death entered the universe through the first man, ‘unless we are born again of water and the Spirit, we cannot,’ as the Truth says, ‘enter into the kingdom of heaven’ [John 3:5].  The matter of this sacrament is real and natural water.”[13]

Pope Paul III, The Council of Trent, On Original Sin, Session V:  “By one man sin entered into the world, and by sin death... so that in them there may be washed away by regeneration, what they have contracted by generation, ‘For unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God [John 3:5].”[14]

Pope Paul III, The Council of Trent, canons on the Sacrament of Baptism, Session 7, canon 2, ex cathedra:  “If anyone shall say that real and natural water is not necessary for baptism, and on that account those words of Our Lord Jesus Christ: ‘Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Spirit’ [John 3:5], are distorted into some sort of metaphor: let him be anathema.”[15]

Pope Paul III, The Council of Trent, canons on the Sacrament of Baptism, canon 5, ex cathedra: “If anyone says that baptism is optional, that is, not necessary for salvation (cf. Jn. 3:5): let him be anathema.”[16]

One can see the harmony of Pope St. Leo the Great’s dogmatic pronouncement with all of these others: there is no salvation without water and the Spirit because the Blood of Christ – without which no one is justified – is itself inseparable from the water and the Spirit.

Those who comprehend this pronouncement from Pope St. Leo must reject any belief in the theories of baptism of desire and blood.  They must admit that the theologians who believed in baptism of desire and blood were mistaken.  They must cease believing and teaching that Sanctification by the Spirit comes without the water of baptism.  Those who refuse to do this are obstinately contradicting the teaching of the Church.  To obstinately contradict the teaching of the Church is to fall into heresy.  To fall into heresy without repentance is to lose one’s salvation.

Some may wonder why some saints and theologians taught baptism of desire and blood even after the time of Pope Leo’s pronouncement.  The answer is simple: They were unaware of Pope Leo’s definitive pronouncement in this regard; they were erring in good faith; they were fallible human beings; they were not aware that their position was contrary to this infallible teaching of the Catholic Church. 

But once one recognizes that this position on baptism of desire and blood is contrary to the infallible teaching of the Catholic Church – as a careful consideration of Pope Leo’s pronouncement proves – one must change his position if he wants to remain Catholic and save his soul.  St. Peter has spoken through the mouth of Leo and confirmed for us that the Spirit of Sanctification and the Blood of redemption cannot be separated from their link with water baptism, so we must align our position with this or else we don’t have the faith of Peter.