Letter 119: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Pope Hormisdas to the Emperor Anastasius. A.D. 516. Hormisdas to Anastasius Augustus. Through the bishops Ennodius and Fortunatus, the presbyter Venantius, the deacon Vitalis, and the abbot Hilarion. 1. Rightly and beneficially does your Serenity exercise the care of imperial responsibility, not only in the administration of the office of the commonwealth, but you also ennoble it with better institutions; and through your care for restoring unity you appease the Author of the revered empire. For those who reign are secure in His protection, if, while they preside, no head of the Church is stained by the untimely admixture of the devil. For how can it come about that the Church should direct bright prayers to our God on behalf of princes, if the people is mortally corrupted by faithlessness? For just as wisdom perfected according to God is the chief of all good things in emperors, so from holy and pure hearts the supplication on their behalf ought to proceed with faithful abundance. No occasion of triumph, most sublime lord, will be able to be more delightful to you than the subjugation of faithlessness. 2. This too we suggest with confidence and by the prerogative of the office committed to us, that he is near [to losing it] who allows his own splendor to be darkened by an alien cloud, who, though by God's granting he could remove it, permits the darkness of errors to remain in things hidden. Therefore, since your Mildness has announced the future synod by most sacred writings, and by those same pages has reminded the one who ought to be present at it that God, as we believe, has commanded it to him, we rejoice, knowing that to seek out the masters of the venerable Church is the mark of well-directed minds. For only those decline the examination of conscience who do not hold to the things that are right. For with festive mouth he proclaims the splendor of good will who through the apostolic and unspotted faith and through competent preachers wishes either to be confirmed or corrected. Nevertheless, although in these matters no example of a preceding age exists, nor is the character of any earlier deed preserved, whether committed to books or inserted into memorials; this is nothing to you, for whom it is sweet, by the gift of God and with your Piety inviting, to begin better things, and to impose upon ourselves this institution of so illustrious a work, which we did not receive from our forefathers: for we gladly embrace doing the whole thing for the restoration of the faith and the peace of the churches, provided nonetheless that the definition of our elders and of the holy fathers remains unshaken in its roots; provided that Nestorius be anathematized with his partners, who, emptying out the sacraments of the divine nature, lies that the blessed Virgin Mary is the mother only of a bare man, forgetful of the angelic annunciation, through which it became known to the world that what was to be born of her, the holy thing to be called the Son of God. Let so insulting an honoring of God on the part of the impious cease: since the Divinity so worked in the womb of the Virgin that from her there proceeded the substance of flesh and of a human soul united to itself, by a connection indistinct indeed yet not confused; and so in both natures, by the love of our redemption, there is one person of Christ Jesus our Lord, with the mystery building up [...] the restoration [...] could have undergone death [...] He chose to repair the frailty of nature by the power of the heavenly empire, or so that, on account of the unity of the person, both the Lord of majesty might be believed to have been crucified and the Son of Man to have descended from heaven. Let the ignorance of Eutyches also [...] of all good things, together with his associates, the detestable dullness be now disowned by its very name, who testified that our God and Lord Jesus Christ had only the figure of flesh, and did not have the truth of our substance, not knowing [...] of whom it was promised that his persecutors shall see Him whom they fought against. For thus in one and the same person each nature persists, so that God and man, the one Son of God, Jesus Christ, may appear to the hearts of the faithful. For what did the presence of Him who for forty days after the Lord's resurrection lived and ate together with men accomplish, except, in these dealings of those who were going to deny the truth of His flesh, to make the [apostles'] more advanced age be of healing rather than of wounding? For thus He said to the disciples: Why do you ponder in your hearts? Touch and see, that a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see Me to have. Nor would it have been a mystery, that He entered to them with the doors closed, if He did not have the integrity of a human body. We could from this gift of the word draw out the discourse at greater length, but enough. We believe it [...] through our Lord, to supplicate your learned clemency with carefully framed suggestions; hoping that you will support the labor [...] of the pastoral office, following the model of your venerable predecessors Marcian and Leo, even with the participation of imperial power. You will have, God being favorable, hope of victories not lying low, if you fortify with peaceful preparation the pontifical struggle against the snares of the devil, for the contending. Never let the commemoration of Dioscorus, partner of Eutyches, of Timothy and Peter the parricides revive in the memory of the holy churches: let the definition of the Council of Chalcedon, which must be received, be preserved by all, God working. Let Acacius have as partners those whom he chose, polluted by communion with Peter the son of darkness: who even among his own excesses did not allow himself to be reckoned clean of Peter of Antioch and his accomplices. Let the curses heaped upon the pious teachings of Pope Leo of holy memory cease, which punish only those who inflict them, while he himself remains in his own. 3. In these matters, of which we have spoken, we call upon the solicitude of your empire: for your Piety, guarding this, will be able to possess its crowns and scepters, transferred after many years to another age. Receive our prayers through Ennodius and Fortunatus, our brothers and fellow bishops, and also Venantius the presbyter and Vitalis the deacon and Hilarus the notary, our sons, whose faith and zeal in the fear of God have shone forth among us, whom we have sent on for love of you; and grant to those who supplicate in our stead a calm conscience. For we hope, and having confidence in God we promise, that the zealous things which shall be expended by you upon the true religion will not be without repayment and reward. Given on the third day before the Ides of August, in the consulship of Florentius, most illustrious man.

Hormisdae papac ad Auastasium imperatorem. a. 5i6d. llAng. Qiia conditioney etiamsi nullo praecedente exemplo, ad concHium convenire para- tus sit, pluribtis exponit, Hormisda*) Anastasio Augusto. Per Ennodinm et Fortunatum episcopos, Venantinm presbyte- rnm, Vitalem diaconnm etHilarionem abbatem. 1. Bene atque utiliter serenitas vestra curam principalis acu- •^) Ed. approbamus omnes epistolas Leonis , . . Promittens . . . obtuli, Data XF Cal. S *) b cc Hormisda episcopus, G* ad marg. Per Ennodium et Fortunatum eppos f^ennntium prhrum Vitalem dincomim et /filarionem ahhatem. 48* 75G S. nORMISDAE PAPAE II. 616. minis iion iantum in administrando reipublicae exercet officio, melioribus eam inobilitat institutis; ot'-') per curam redintegrand»^ unitatis auctorem venerandi placat imperii. Certi sunt enim i^ tutela regnantes, si nulla iisdem praesidentibus Ecclesiae caj!tit»-=* importuua diciboli commixtione maculetur. Unde enim potest fierTi^ ^» ut nitidas pro principibus ad Deum nostrum preces dirigat, si s."m^ lethaliter populus perfidia corruptusV Nam sicut ante bona onm"i^=^ Sap.7,8. est perfecta juxta Deum in imperatoribus sjipientia, ita de sacrai mundorum pectorum pro his supplicatio debet et fideli animariL ubertat^ procedere. Nulla vobis, sublimissime domine, triimiphonh^ materia poterit esse jucundior, quam de subjugatione perfidiae. 2. Hoc etiam fiducialiter et pro commissi nobis officii prae; gativa suggerimus, quia prope est, ut suum splendorem aliena pai tur nube fuscari, qui quum Deo tribuente amovere possit, in s ditis tenebras manere pemiittit errorum. Ergo quia mansuetric2<> vestra futuram synodum scriptis sacratissimis indicavit**), cui interesso dobore iisdem paginis Deo, ut credimus, sibi imperaji/^ commonuit, gaudemus, scientos, quoniam directarum mentinm est^ venerabilis Ecclosiao magistros expetere. Soli enim declinant eia- men conscientiae, quae*) recta sunt, non tenentes. Nam et feriato ore splondorem bonao voluntatis onuntiat, qui per apostolicam im- • maculatamquo fidem ot per compotentes praedicatores aut confirman se optat aut corrigi. Vorumtamen licet in his nullum saeculi prae- cedentis exsistat exemplum *), neque senioris facti qualitas aut com- missa libris aut momoriis inserta toneatur; nihil ad uoSy quibus dulce est, beneficio Dei pietate vestra invitante inchoare meliora, et hoc, quod non accopimus a parontibus ^) , tam clari operis institu- tum nobis ipsis impouere: quia totum pro rodintegratione fidei et ecclesiarum pace facere, libonter amplectimur, si tamen majorum nostrorum dofinitio ot sanctorum patrum in suis radicibus ineoncussa permaneat, si auathomatizetur Nostorius cum participibus suis, qui evacuans divinae sacramenta naturao, beatam virginem Mariam nudi •) 6' apparentihus ...fidei ecclesiarum. Il^ideni poet toiumk forte BlQ^plendiim quod potcst. • EPISTOLA 8. 757 hominis mentitur esse genitricem, oblitus angelicae annuntiationis, a. 515. per quam mundo innotuit, quia quod ex ea nasceretur, vocandumLuc.1,35. ^set sanctum^ Filius Dei. Facessat impiorum tam contumeliosa in Deo honorificentia : quoniam sic est in utero virginis operata Divini- taSy ut ex ea unita") sibi procederet camis animaeque humanae indiscreta quidem sed non confusa connexione substantia; et sic in itrisque naturis pro nostrae redemptionis dilectione Christi Jesu Do- aiini nostri persona una est, aedificante mysterio ®) restitutione nortem subire potuisset .... naturae fragilitatem coelestis imperii raluerit virtute reparare, vel ita pro imitate personae et Dominus tnajestatis crucifixus et Filius hominis credatur descendisse de coelo. Butychetis quoque ignorantia . . . . ^) bonorum onmium et ipso cum iociis detestanda jam nomine abdicetur hebetudo, qui Deum et Do- ininum nostrum Jesum Ohristum figuram tantmn carnis habuisse testatus est, et nostrae veritatem non habuisse substantiae, nesciens, ... TnVi ie quo promissum sit, quia videhunt persecuiores ejus, in quem pugna- ^^ ^^ verunt. Ita enim in una eademque persona persistit utraque natura, Zach. ut Deus atque homo unus Dei Filius Jesus Christus fidelium cordi- ' bus apparescat. Quid enim quadraginta dierum post resurrectionem Domini cum hominibus conviventis et convescentis egit praesentia^ rusi in istis negotiis illorum, qui veritatem camis ejus negaturi erant; seniorem faceret aetatem curationis esse^^) quam vulneris? Sic enim dixit ad discipulos: Quid cogitatis in cordibus vestris? ^^-38et39 pate et videte, quia spiritus carnem et ossa non hahet, sicut me%videtis habere. Neque fuisset mysteriiun, quod ostiis ad eos clausis ingres- sus est; si integritatem humani corporis non Iiabebat. Possumus ex hoc dono verbi praecedentem longius proferre sermonem, sed satis ^ Hactenus obtinucrat unitas ibi proccderet, vitio librariorum, qui voces olim ab antiquariiB indiscrctas rcctc separarc nescierant. Legendum fuerat unita sibif scilicet Divinitati, Mox in vulgatis incrcata quidem, sed non confusa connexione substantiae et si, Kx G* revocamua subsiantia et sic: antea vero pro increata de nostro restituere nobis licere censuimuB indiscreta, hoc est, indivisa. Ita hac ima sententia Eutjchetis et Nestorii oppositao haereses simul peri- muntur. •) G* iynor ... bonorum. Spatiolum vacuum BaroniuB addito vocabulo divi- wrum implevit. Ejus loco expers magis placeret. Mox ed. detestando ... ap- parei. *") Supple potius: quac particula etiam infra epist. 14 n. 1 ut et alibi apud uitiqaos patres non raro reticetur. Hoc autem sibi vult: Nisi in his negotiis 'ffecuset, ut senior aelas apostolorum illis, qui deinceps veritatem carnis ejus erant tegaiuri, curationis essel potius causa, quam vulneris. 5. esse credimus per Dominum nostrmu eruditae clementiae . strictis supplicare suggestionibuS; speranteS; ut laborem canunqLZiai pastoralis officii, venerabilium decessorum vestrorum Mardani Leonis formam secuti, etiam principalis potentiae participatio] fulciatis. Habebitis Deo propitio spem de victoriis non jacentei si pontificalem**) contra diaboli subreptiones congressionem pacifi« ad decertandum instructioue muniatis. Nunquam in sahctarum ec< siarum memoria Dioscori participis Eutychetis, Timothei et Petr parricidarum commemoratio reviviscat: servetur ab omnibus sus^ ^:^ piendae Calchedonensis synodi, Deo operante, definitio. AcacS.-«j Petri tenebrarum ^^) filii communione poUutus habeat participes^ 4^-^c: delegit: qui etiam inter suos excessus nec de Petro Antiocheno ^ complicibus ejus nitidum se esse perpessus est. Cessent maledi cti piis sanctae recordationis papae Leonis ingesta dogmatibus, quxoc solos quidem illo in suis manente puniunt irrogantes. 3. In his, quae praefati sumus, aollicitudinem vestri advocamus imperii : poterit enim pietas vestra, hoc custodiens, apices et scept;i-a sua post multos anuos ad aliud saeculum possidere translata. Sctscf- pite preces nostras per Ennodium atque Fortunatum fratres et coepi- scopos nostros, nec non Venantium presbyterum atqueVitalem dia- conum vel Hilarum notarium, filios nostros, quorum apud noe fidcs in Dei timore studiumque perclaruit, pro vestro amore transmisft^i^^ et placidam vice nostra suppHcantibus conscientiam commodai>c- Speramus enim, et de Deo habentes fiduciam pollicemur, stud quae a vobis verae religioni impensa fuerint, sine retributione praemio iion futura. Data IIT Idus Augusti, Florentio viro clar^^^ simo consule. £pistola 9. t5d. Hormisdae papac ad Gaesarium Arelatensem. Scpt. Docetf DardanoSy Illt/ricos Scythasque episcopos Eulychiana haeresi in omnUms damnata ad sedis apostolicae communionem rediisse, ac de celeris coneUiandis legcUos a se in Orientem missos esse. Dilectissimo fratri Caesario vel his*),^ qui sub d- lectionis tuae ordinatione consistunt, Ho misda. 1. Justum est, ut qui catholica communione laetamini, nobi cum de Ecclesiae, si qua provenit, concordia gaudeatis: ut que admodum unus nobis consensus est fidei, ita sit individua gratala EPISTOLAE 8. 9. 759 )rum. Nostis, qualiter detestabiHs Eutychiana haeresis pera. 515. es serpat ecclesias, et quoties praefatae^) superstitionis virus generalis exstiuxerit^ vel quoties ejus sequaces salubria mo- «tolicae sedis spreverint, et quasi erubescentes manus dare aut apostolicae sedis praedicationibus obedire^ in hac tamen ione persistant. Elatio enim semper aflfert saluti periculum, n ipsius inventor diabolus angelica potestate privatus est. nobiscum saepissime^) fratemitas vestra condoluit, aposto- u imraemor lectionis, qua monstratur: Si patiiur unummem' \^^^ ompatiuntur omnia mcmbra. Sed Dominus, qui vult omnesiTim. salvos fieri et ad cognitionem veritatis veuire, nunc mul- ^'^' ensus illuminans, eis desiderium apostolicae communionis , ut quod dudum '.intentione praedicabant, hoc nunc cor- professione condeDinent. Quorum reditum ideo absque su- 1 morsu recipimus, quia dum peccatum sine aliquo excusatio- mine confitentur, manifestum desiderium correctionis osten- Ergo episcopi tam Dardani quam Illyrici pene*) omnes nec thae errorem damnando praeteritum, petentes beati Petri rum principis commuuionem, et scriptis et legationibus desti- apostolicae sedis regulis obedire confirmant. Pro quibus i uos oporteat gratulari, soli quorum fides fervet intelligunt. n vobis est igitur, anathematizari nunc ab ipsis quoque m, qiii divitlit incarnationem Domini nostri Jesu Christi, et duos filios conatur asserere^). Eutyches, carnis negans pracfatae. Mox c*^ c'" perstiterunt ^ c* perstiterint, ubi c^c*' cnm mss. id saepissime componeudum cst cum eo ctiam tompore, quod Uormis- ficatum autcceBsit. iti infundit, moxque c" quia qui peccatum. iti pene omnes ne sint errorc condemnandi praeterito: corriguntur ex L^ taluziuB de concord. saccrd. et imper. 1. V c. 35 n. 13 locum hunc lum 0880 jam monuerat. Corroctionem eamdem confirmat Avitus Vien- ra cpibt. 21. n. 1, ubi se his litteris per Arelatenses clericos acceptis uuioncm gaudiorum provocatum scribit propter conversionem provin- ' est Dardaniae, lUyrici vel Scythiue, Quo nomine Scythiam Ponticam, •ici Orientalis provincia crat, intelligere est. Et quia lii Scythae Thra- termini erant, idoo forte Thraces etiam interdimi vocati sunt. Certe j, qui a Marcellino Comito in Chronico Scytha, ab Evagrio h. e. 111, 44 l^nominatur; et quos Avitus iufra epist. 21 provinciarum Dardaniae, Itly- •ythiae scribit, hos subinde Hormisda ad ipsummet Avitum rescribens 1. 3 Thraces, Dardanos et IHyricos appellat. Quocirca non temere cen- 008, dc quorum conversiono nunc Hormisda laetatur, ipsos esse, quo- ymmachum exst^it epistola 12, ct ad quos Symmachus rescribit cpi- affeinc, ci post effectus cum al. od. omitt. est; nescio qua auctoritatc. i. ed. consensil. ii. 515. veritatem et duas uaturtis iu una i^ersona noii praedicaus^ utMani- chaeam pliaiitasiam ecclesiis Cliristi quemadmodum putavit insereret, simili ratioue damuatur. His adjuiigitur Dioscorus AlexandriuQS, qui malitiae praefatae cousentieus, iu saiicto Calchedoneusi coiicilio particeps damuatiouis effectus est, et malonim seminum aequales fructus iuveuieus, iu eam cecidit foveaui, quam fidelibus parabat. Facti suut istorum successores Timotheus AeUirus et Petrus: quonun sibi ubique conseutit iuiquitas, et meutieiites magistros in nullode- serimt, sed in omuibus pravitatibus autecedunt. Hi approlmti sunt generalis materia laesionis'), quorum et manus sacerdotaUs saugiu- uis macidavit effusio, et vitimi iimoceutium peremit interitus. Ha- beut per uuiversum muuduni a catholicis iiifixa aetemae daiuuatio- iiis stigmata, qiios orthodoxi non solum fecerunt commimionis ei- pertes, verum etiam eos Christiauorum spohavere vocabulo. Petrum Antiochenum cum siiis, sicuti ab liis de qiiibus loquimur^) factum est, praefatis adjungite. De qui})us iie sermoiium prolixitas nasce- retur, hoc tautum dixisse sufficiat, Petnim et ejus socios in nulio ab eorum, qui damnati sunt, dogmate discrepare. Quos AcaciusaK- quaiido condemuaus, in laudes suas omniuui Cliristiaiionim ora con- verterat, et eos iiui>ugnans, qui Eutychiauam haeresim viudicabant, fidem colentibus gratissimus apparuerat. Sed huic solitis insidiator fraudibus quod fraudabatur iuvidit. Nani postea hos suos complices habere desiderans et iu catliolicos arma convertens, cum ipsis invenit sortem, quos optavit habere participes. 3. Lougum est epistolae brevitate j^er universa discurrere. UnA^ ex totius suiiima negotii parteiu aliquam pro instructione direximus^j judicantes, quod tanta res vestraui non possit hitere notitiam, pra^ cipue quum hoc per praedecessorum nostrorum litteras vestrisfueT^ regionibus niuitiatum. Quod et uos pro his, quae nuper acciderunt^ frateriiitatem vestraui curavimus instruendimi, ne alicubi per ign^ rantiam fidelium locum iuvenire j>ossit subreptio perditonmi*), s^" qui uituntur talia viudicare, sacrae consortio conmiuuiouis arcen"^ evidentius iunotescaut. Igitur u})i iuterest fidei, quidquid ad grati»-^ hujus pertiuet saeculi, respuatur; quuui iiec naturalis affectio reb"^ debeat coelestibus autepoui, ut ilhid praeceptum Domini compleah^— Matth. Qui amat palrcm aut matrem plus quam me, non est me dignus. * ' 4. De ceteris, quae iu religionis causa confideutes diviuis ficiis praesenti tempore iteriim de Orientis partibus speramus ^ S^u scliismatis ; quia soil. schisma, quo totiis laesus cst OrienB ^ hinc sam et origincm tfiimsit , quod Aciicius Pctri , qui cum Timotheo danmatus "O^ scmcl fuerat, commuuioncm suscopcrat. In L' lectionu, ") Ita L* L' L^. In c*** tota periodus a loquinuir usquo ad De qHihus exci<R c" om. praefatis. ') c*"' soq. praedictorum ^ rcyecto ad marg. perditorum. EPISTOLAE 9. 10. 761 >s direximiis "^) , Domiuo Jesu Christo supplicate, ut ipse, quia. 515. ictate sua prospenun donavit initium^ similem concedere digne- ffectum. Urbfinum sedis apostolicae defensorem, etiam huic i negotio, ad caritatem tuam direximus : per quem de universa- jffectu'*) causarum responso congruo cupimus quae sunt votiva ►scere. Deus vos incolumes custodiat, fratres carissimi! Data > Idus Septembres, Florentio viro clarissimo consule.