Letter 360

360. From his letter to Julian the Apostate

In accordance with the blameless faith of the Christians, allotted to us from God, I confess and consent to believe in one God the Father almighty: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit; one God — the three I worship and glorify. I confess also the incarnate dispensation of the Son, and that she who bore him in the flesh, holy Mary, is the Mother of God. I receive likewise the holy apostles, prophets, and martyrs, and I call upon them in intercession to God, that through them — that is, through their mediation — the God who loves mankind may become gracious to me, and that ransom may be granted me for my offences. For this reason also I honour and venerate the figures depicted in their images, since these in particular have been handed down to us from the holy apostles and are not forbidden, but are set up in all our churches.