Letter 126: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

(a. 516. Synodal letter, or a copy of the report of the synod of Old Epirus to Pope Hormisdas.) The bishops of Epirus, professing that they follow the directives of the Apostolic See, ask that John, ordained bishop of the church of Nicopolis by Hormisdas, be received and instructed by you according to the ancient custom. To our lord, in all things most holy and most blessed, father of fathers, fellow-minister and chief of bishops, Hormisdas: the synod of Old Epirus -- John, Matthew, Constantine, Christodorus, Hilarius, Philip, Julian, and Chrysippus. 1. If we should attempt to use fitting prefaces, it is necessary to compose the setting-forth of these matters with much weeping. For very many of us were at Constantinople, the seat of empire, when your most holy vicars Ennodius and Fortunatus the bishops, Venantius the presbyter, Vitalis the deacon, and Hilarus the notary were residing there, holding to the contest of piety which they had taken up. And with us also was our father and archbishop Alcyson, now numbered among the saints, who, employing supplicatory petitions with all earnest entreaty, was found worthy before your beatitude to be in communion with your Apostolic See together with us. But because he who holds power over all things suddenly summoned him to himself, we, held fast by unrestrainable weeping, nevertheless came back to our homeland, in no way enduring error, by the grace of God, but everywhere following your decrees. 2. But as we wept and lamented together with those fellow-ministers who were left with us in the province -- who among the orthodox might rightly guide the sheep of Christ -- he who consoles the humble consoled us also through your prayers, pointing out for the metropolitan city, in all respects, the most holy John, who from boyhood was nurtured in the Church without fault -- indeed, living praiseworthily in it, so that no one in these times surpasses him, and yielding to absolutely no one in zeal for orthodoxy according to your apostolic admonitions. This man, therefore, by the providence of God, we have ordained as prelate of the most holy church of the Nicopolitans, and we ask that, according to the ancient custom, you too embrace him with your fatherly affection, and that you become, for us and for him by the grace of God, invincible arms through your admonitions and teachings; and that, as we pray, you incline your ear, and find the devotion of concord according to the apostolic providence inspired in you from above: so that in the peace which is dear to him, having woven for yourselves an unfading crown by uniting all the most holy Churches, we may be embraced in Christ in all piety and humility. 3. But the venerable deacon Rufinus, sent for this so necessary cause, look upon him favorably, since we beg it, and send him back to us with all speed, bearing your apostolic teachings. [In another hand:] Pray that I be kept safe and sound, most holy father of fathers! I, John the bishop, have in turn reported: Pray that I be kept safe and sound in the Lord, most holy and most blessed father of fathers! I, Matthew, bishop of Buthrotum, have reported. I, Constantine, bishop of Hadrianopolis, have reported: Pray that I be kept safe and sound in the Lord, most holy and most blessed father of fathers! I, Christodorus, bishop of Anchiasmus, have reported. I, Hilarius, bishop of Phoenice, have reported. I, Philip, bishop of Photice, have reported. I, Julian, bishop of Dodona, have reported. I, Chrysippus, bishop of Corcyra, have reported.

(a.5i6c. Epistola^) syuodica sive Exeniplar relationis synodi Epiri ^' ^^ veteris ad Horniisdam papam. Epiri episcopi aposiolicae sedis directa se sectari profitenteSy JohaimeM a te p.) NicopoUtanne ccclesiae episcopum ordinatum ab Hormisda secundum taUiqwm morem suscipi atque instrtd rogant. Domino nostro cuncta sanctissimo ac beatissimo patri patrum, comministro ac principi episco- porum Hormisdae synodus veteris Epiri, Jo- hannes, Matthaeus, Constantinus, Christodo- rus^), Hilarius, Philippus, Julianus et Chry- sippus. 1. Si dignis prooemiis^) uti tentemus, necesse est multis fleti- bus horum depromptiones efficere. Plurimi namque ex nobis in regnante^) fuere Constantinopoli, quum vestri sanctissimi vicarii Ennodius et Fortimatus episcopi, Venantius presbyter, Vitahs diaco- *') Eo modo hic dicitur cuncta sanctissime, quo in inscriptionc cuncta saneHt- simo, subaudito utrobique per ante cuncta. Quocirca, qui haec ita interpoD- gnnt, constituta cuncta. Sanctissime, aut qui ita Cunc/a (YelCunciam), sanetissimey mininie sunt probandi. 16 *) Una cum superiori missa est, quam circa mensem Septembrem aimi 516 missam esse probavimus. Ibidcm mox G* per apertum libraiii errorem Epkti Nicopolitauum, Gajanum Naisitanum, et Evangclum Paulitaliensem, quibusJMl- jungit Marcellinns Doninionoin, ciijus sodem non indicat. EPISTOLAE 15. 16. 773 aus et Hilarus uotarius degerent, pietatis agonem susceptum teuen- (a. 516.) tes. Nobiscum autem fuit et inter sanctos factus pater atque archi- episcopus noster Alcyson, qui cum onmi praesumptioue'^) supplici- bus utens libellis, apud vestram beatitudinem dignus effectus est apostolicae sedi vestrae communicare nobiscum. Sed quia repente g[ui cunctorum retinet potestatem hunc ad se evocavit^), nos irre- frenabili^) fletu detenti pervenimus tamen ad patriam, nullo modo errorem propter Dei gratiam sustinentes, sed ubique vestra decreta sectantes. 2. Ilentibus autem nobis atque lamentantibus®) cum his, qui nobiscum relicti simt in paroecia comministri , quis possit de ortho- doxis recte Christi oves transigere, qui consolatur humiles, conso- latus est etiam nos per vestras orationes, demonstrans metropoli- banae civitati in cunctis sauctissimum Johannem, qui a pueritia in Ecclesia sine culpa nutritus, immo laudabiliter in ea degens, ita ut iieque eum in his^) quisquam temporibus antecellat, zelo autem circa orthodoxiam juxta apostolicas admonitiones vestras nulli onmino 2edens. Hunc ergo Dei providentia ordinavimus praesulem Nicopo- litanorum sanctissimae ecclesiae, et rogamus, ut juxta antiquam con- suetudinem hunc quoque complectamini paternis visceribus vestris, fiobisque atque ipsi Dei gratia efficiamini arma inexpugnabilia com- monitionibus vestris atque doctrinis, et precantibus nobis inclinetis lurem, et pietatem concordiae reperiatis juxta inspiratam vobis divi- aitus apostolicam providentiam : ut in pace, quae est ei amabih*s, 2unctae sanctissimae Ecelesiae cooptate^^) immarcescibilem vobis joronara nectentes, in onmi pietate atque humilitate comprehenda- nur in Christo. 3. Venerabilem vero diaconum Rufinum, propter hanc tam ne- :essariam causam directum, libenter rogati conspicite*^), et ad nos ■^ b ad marg. irreprehensihiliy moxque G' a* recenti. Deinde pro propter 7ei ffratiam (ubi haud dubic 6i,a xriv xov ^iov xaQiv gracce ferebatur) malle- aU8 per Dei gratiam. •) Ita b; G' a' in hac qvisquam (a' quisque). Mox ed. circa orthodoxa, Sub- ade 6' a' cedente, quod ad vocem zelo referri potest. *") Ita G'. b cc cooptatae immarcescihilem coronam (omisso vohis) comprehen- ^antur in Christo. i^) b cc respicite, moxquo b Incolumis pro me ora. (a. 516.) sub velocitate remittite portantem doctrinas vestras apostolicas. B alia mana: Incolumem me ora^ sailctissime pater patrum! Ego Johannes episcopus rursus^^) retuli: Incolumem me ora in Domino, sanctissime ac beatissime pater patrum! Ego Matthaeus episcopus Butroti'^) retuli. Ego Oonstantinus episcopus Hacnanopoleos^*) retuli: Incolumem in Domino me ora, sanctissime ac beatissime pater patrum! Ego Christodorus episcopus Anciasmi*^) retuli. Ego Hilarius episcopus Photices***) retuli. Ego Philippus episcopus Photicensis retuli. Ego Julianus episcopus Dodones retuli. Ego Chrysippus episcopus Cercires^') retuli.