Letter 143: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Hormisdas to the bishops Ennodius and Peregrinus. 1. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, with the saints interceding and assisting, [here is] what must be done concerning the case of the church of Nicopolis. First, when, with God's help, you have come to Thessalonica, hand over to the bishop of Thessalonica our letters, which we have sent in this case, observing in your greeting of him that order which you know to have been enjoined by us concerning those who do not commune with the apostolic see, that is, the catholic Church. But once the letters have been delivered, you ought to act urgently, so that he refrain from harassing that church, presenting the reasoning that, having returned to communion and to the body of the Church, he could not have anything in common with those who have not yet returned; that we do not annul the privileges granted by our predecessors, provided that he himself does not abandon the ecclesiastical institutions. Let him by all means return to unity, and we will press together with him that all the privileges whatsoever which his church has obtained from the apostolic see be preserved inviolate. You also say that he openly shows himself an enemy of the faith, if he persecutes those whom he has seen returning to catholic communion. 2. But if you are able, by God's favor, to settle the case there, when you have written to the bishop of Nicopolis, report what your efforts have accomplished. But if he proves obstinate and is unwilling to cease from his persecution of him, in accordance with the letters which we have sent to the most merciful emperor, you are to plead the case of the church of Nicopolis before the prince in this manner, so that you say: Alcyson, bishop of Nicopolis, gave satisfaction to the catholic Church, was received, and was led back to communion. His successor, John the bishop, both keeping God before his eyes and considering his own salvation and following the good example of his predecessor, having condemned the heretics or transgressors, sent [word] to the see of the blessed apostle Peter, and was received. Against this man the bishop of Thessalonica now lays snares and harasses him, wishing to demand of him things contrary to those which he has done. Hence your father and all the orthodox ask that by your orders this trouble be removed from him: lest it seem to men that he is suffering persecution on this account, because he has returned to communion with the apostolic see; and lest those who are awaiting unity to be brought about through you begin to believe something different, if they should see your piety make light of this, receive this negligently. 3. It has seemed to us expedient that the letters which we have directed to the bishop of Thessalonica in the Nicopolitan case, your prudence should cause to be published in whatever manner in various [places], yet especially in the city of the Thessalonians, because by this being done, both our people's persecution can be made to cease, and we believe it pertains to his own salvation, if he should correct himself.

a. 517 (I. Hormlsclae papae ad Enuodinm et Peregrinnm episeopos. 12 April. Qttid in causa yicopoUtanae ecclesiae tum apud eputcopum Thessalonicentem tm p. K' apud imperatorem ipsis agendum sit, instruii (n. 1 et 2). Ut litteras suat ad Thessalonicensem datas diversis locis publicari faciant, injungit (n. 3). Hormisda Ennodio et Peregrino episcopis. 1. Tn nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti, intercedentibus et adjuvantibus sanctis, quid*) agendnm sit de causa Nicopolitaiiae ecclesiae. Primum ubi Thessalonicam T)eo juvante veneritis, episto- las^) nostras, quas in hac causa misimus, episcopo Thessalonicensi tradite, illum ordinem in ejus salutatione servantes, quem scitis a nobis esse mandatum circa eos, qui cum sede apostolica, hoc est Ecclesia catholica, non communicant. Traditis autem epistoUs in- stanter agere debetis, ut se ab ejus ecclesiae concussione suspeudat: rationem reddentes, quia non potuit reversus ad communionem et ad corpus Ecclesiae cum illis, qui necdum reversi sunt, quidquam habere conjunctum, nos non solvere a praedecessoribus nostris con- cessa privilegia, si ipse ecclesiastica instituta non deserat. Gerte redeat ad unitatem, et nos cum eo insistemus, ut omnia privil^ar quaecunque consecuta est a sede apostolica ecclesia ejus, inviolata serventur. Dicitis etiam, aperte illuin ostendere inimicum se esae fidei, si insequitur eos, quos viderit ad catholicam communionem reverti. 2. Quodsi potueritis causam ibi Deo propitio componere, scri- strahendi Epirum a corpore provincianan , quae vicario Thessalonieenti ptBreb^ui^ committendique vices apostolicae sedis per eam provinciam episcopo NicopoHimA: atque hoc privilegium a Gregorio lib. 6 Ind. 14 epist. 8 episcopis Epiri «»• firmatum est. EPISTOLAE 33 — 35. 809 ptis ad episcopum Nicopolitanum'^), quid vestra promoverit operaa. 617. nantiate. Si vero obstinatus fuerit nec ab insecutione ejus cessare voluerit, secundum litteras, quas ad clementissimum imperatorem misimus^ apud principem causam ecclesiae Nicopolitanae sic agitis, cp. 37. ut dicatis: Alcyson episcopus Nicopolitanus satisfecit Ecclesiae catholi- cae, susceptus est et ad communionem reductus, Hujus successor Jo- hannes episcopus, et Deum ante oculos hahens et de salute sua cogitans ei praedecessoris sui honum exemplum sequens, condemnatis haereticis vel transgressoribus ad sedem beati Petri apostoii misit, et susceptus esL Huic nunc Thessalonicensis episcopus insidiatur et eum concutit, cantraria his quae fecit ab eo exigere volens. Hinc pater vester et omnes orthodoxi rogant, ut jussionibus vestris removeatur ab eo ista molestia: ne videatur hominibus propter hoc illum persecutionem pati, quia ad communionem sedis apostolicae rediit; et qui exspectant per vos unitatem fieri, aliud incipiant credere, si pietatem vestram viderint hoc*) dissimuiare, hoc negligenter accipere, 3. Visum est nobis expedire, ut litteras, quas ad Thessaloni- censem in causa Nicopolitana direximus, quolibet ordine prudentia vestra diversis [in locis] faciat publicari , magnopere tamen in civi- tate Thessalonicensium^ quia hoc facto et a persecutione nostrorum potest cessari, et ad ipsius, si correxerit, credimus pertinere salutem.