Letter 152: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Or rather: Year 516. A copy of the report of John, bishop of Constantinople, sent through Gratus to Pope Hormisdas, [reckoned] from the day it was received. Dated 20 December. He professes that he is zealous for the right faith and that he accepts the four synods, and he declares that the name of Hormisdas himself has been inscribed in the diptychs, and he asks that legates who love peace be sent. To my lord and in all things a lover of God, the most holy brother and fellow minister Hormisdas, John sends greeting in the Lord. 1. I greet your holiness, most dear brother in Christ, and in greeting you I proclaim that the right faith is preserved unharmed and that the charity of brotherhood has been made firm. This God, who alone is powerful, willed to be brought about through the zeal of Christians and of the most pious emperors. Therefore deign, in the love of God, to write in apostolic fashion and to receive replies in a brotherly manner. For I, holding by unsearchable reasoning the teaching of the most holy apostles according to the tradition of the holy fathers, likewise offer honor to the consubstantial and in all things holy Trinity, just as the assembly of three hundred and eighteen at Nicaea promulgated, and the gathering of one hundred and fifty at Constantinople confirmed, and the assembly of two hundred at Ephesus confirmed, and the assembly of six hundred and thirty fathers at Chalcedon confirmed. Therefore, guarding this faith by the grace of God even to my last breath, I embrace from my soul, with spiritual embraces, both your holiness and likewise the orthodox churches, thinking with you in the truth, and together with you hoping on that day to be saved through this faith by the good will of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. For to the consubstantial Trinity all glory is owed, now and forever and ever! 2. All the brotherhood in Christ which is with your holiness, both I and those who are with me, greet most warmly in the Lord. [Editorial footnote: This same Gratus is below called, by Justin in Epistle 129, section 1, "a most eminent man, master of the [...]," and by John of Constantinople in Epistle 61, section 1, simply "a most illustrious count." Notes on the text: So in manuscript G" a'; b reads "scripta." So in G'; b cc omits "concursus."] EPISTLES 42-44. 833 For so much have we written by way of giving satisfaction: that both the venerable name of Leo of holy memory, formerly archbishop of the city of Rome, should be affixed in the diptychs at the time of consecration for the sake of concord, and that your blessed name should likewise be proclaimed in the diptychs. And so that satisfaction may be made to your holiness concerning all matters, since we embrace your peace and pray for the unity of the holy churches of God, we ask you to appoint peaceable men, men worthy of your apostolic see, who ought to give satisfaction and to receive our satisfaction; so that in this matter also Christ our God may be glorified, who through you has preserved this peace for the world. Received on the thirteenth day before the Kalends of January [20 December], after the consulship of Agapitus.

seu a. 516 d. Exemplum relationiB Johannis episcopi Constantinopolitani per accepta Gratum missae ad Hormisdam papam. d 20Dec ' Se rectae fidei esse studiosum et quatuor synodos suscipere profitetur, Leom « jj atque ipsius Ilormisdae nomen in diptychis inscriptum docet, utque legati paeis amantes mittantur, rogat. Domino meo et peromniaDei amatori sanctissimo fratri et comministro Hormisdae Johannes in Domino salutem. 1. Saluto vestram sanctitatem, ca^ssime in Christo frater, et salutans praedico, quoniam recta fides salva est et caritas fraterni- tatis firmata est. Hoc Deus solus potens per studium Christianonim et piissimonmi imperatorum fieri voluit. Scribere igitur apostolice et rescripta*) suscipere fraterne Dei amore dignemini. Ego enim inquisibili ratione doctrinam sanctissimorum apostolorum secmidum traditionem sanctorum patrum teiiens, similiter honorem consubstan- tiali et per omnia sanctae Triuitati oflero, sicut in Nicaea trecen- torum octodecim coetus promulgavit, et in Constantinopoli centnm quinquaginta conventus firmavit, et iu Ephesina concursuis*) ducen- torum firmavit, et in Calchedone conventus sexcentorum triginta patrimi firmavit. Hanc ergo fidem usque ad ultimum anhehtom per gratiam Dei custodiens, spiritualibus amplexibus tam vestram sanctitatem quam etiam orthodoxas ecclesias ex animo amplector, una tecum in veritate sentiens, et una tecum sperans in illo die per hanc fidem salvari bona voluntate Patris et Filii et Spiritos sancti. Consubstantiali enim Trinitati omnis gloria debetur nunc et in saecula saeculorum! 2. Omnem in Christo fraternitatem , quae cum vestra est san- ctitate, ego et qui mecum, plurimum in Domino salutamus. Tan- Eumdem Gratum infra Justinus epist. 129 n. 1 virum suhlimem wkagiitrum ictM et Johannes Constantinopolitanus epist. 61 n. 1 clarissimum comitem simpliciter vocant. 43 ') Ita G" a'; b scripta. ') Ita G'. b cc omitt. concursus. EPISTOLAE 42—44. 833 im ad satisfaciendum scripsimus; ut et venerabile nomen sanctae a. 518. scordatidnis Leonis^ quondam facti urbis Romae archiepiscopi, in ^cria diptychis tempore consecrationis propter concordiam affigere- ir'), et vestrum benedictum nomen similiter in diptychis praedice- Qur. Ut de omnibus aut«m satisfiat vestrae sanctitati^ quoniam acem vestram amplectimur et de unitate sanctarum Dei ecclesiarum oramuS; rogamus vos pacificos viros destinare et vestrae dignos postolicae sedis/ qui debeant satisfacere et satisfactionem nostram Qscipere; ut et in hac parte Christus Deus noster glorificetur, qui »er vos pacem hanc mundo servavit. Accepta XIII Galendas Janu- riaS; post^) consulatum Agapiti.