Letter 160: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

[Year 519, January. Of Pope Hormisdas to the Empress Euphemia. Commending her zeal for peace, he beseeches her to see to it that the document sent by the bishops be subscribed.] Hormisdas to Euphemia the Augusta. 1. The peace of the Churches is now being established by a heavenly ordinance, since God has chosen for the rule of empire you, in whom He has known the devotion of His religion always to be whole. For just as in private life you have always worshipped God with right doctrine, so that you would take thought for the concord of religion, many things indeed have been done at the very beginnings of your reign which promise us the hope of a complete reformation. Wherefore, because we rejoice that the love of the faith burns within you, giving thanks to God daily on your behalf, we make supplication to the blessed Apostle Peter, that he may support your prayers before the Lord, and may bring to fulfillment the course of your good will. Nor is there any doubt that you are aided by divine helps, since with so great a zeal for religion you obey the heavenly commandments. Hence it is that, because the purpose of your marriage is established to be holy, we confidently direct these letters to your Clemency, so that through you the piety of your husband may be the more stirred up to the perfecting of the peace of the Church. 2. A great work you have undertaken; a great cause has been committed to you. For through you Christ wills to call back to the covenants of the Church the peoples whom through Himself He willed to redeem from death. A great occasion of praise has also been prepared for your sex, if, with you pressing onward, Christ should join together those members of His Church which had been divided. For not greater is the glory which searched out the wood of human salvation, and alone found the cross which the whole world venerates. Nay rather, you shall surpass even her merits, since the unity of the Church, which through her found its sign, through you is to have its remedy. Let therefore the religious Clemency of your husband so act, that our brothers and fellow bishops may deign to affirm their faith under the tenor of that document which we sent some time ago, so that the correction which has been begun may be made complete; for any confession in the worship of God is void, to which the fullness of faith is lacking. For this which we demand to be done by the rest is established to have been already accomplished by many priests; and there cannot be a just unity in communion, if it shall not have been preserved in the return [to it]. [51, note 1: This woman was called Lupicina, or Lupida, on the testimony of Procopius, Secret History, chapter 6, and Theophanes, Chronography, p. 141 (Bonn edition, p. 254). But, as Theodorus Lector, p. 565, and Theophanes in the same place report, after she was named Augusta the people called her Euphemia. Note 2: The edition also reads, and next "Nor His ... the cross alone." Note 3: Thus G a b; others read "we have demanded."] [Epistles 51, 52. p. 845]

(a.5i9m. Hormisdae papae ad Euphemiain Augustam. Jan.) Jtlius pro pace siudium commendans , ui UheUum iransmissuM ab epiteopit subscribi curei, precaiur, Hormisda Euphemiae^) Angustae. 1. Ecclesiarum pax jam coelesti ordinatione componitor, quum vos ad imperium Deus elegit, apud quos esse integrum semper reli- gionis suae cognovit afFectum. Nam sicut in privata vita Demn semper recto dogmate coluistis, ut de religionis concordia cogitare- tis, et multa quidem inter ipsa imperii vestri primordia facta sont, quae spem nobis correctionis integrae pollicentur. Unde quia in vobis amorem fervere fidei gratulamur, agentes Deo gratias qDotidie pro vobis beato Petro apostolo supplicamus, ut votis vestris apnd Dominum suffragetur, et cursum bonae voluntatis adimpleat. Nec dubium est divinis vos auxiliis adjuvari, quia tanto religionis stodio mandatis coelestibus obeditis. Hinc est, quod quia sanctum conjugii vestri constat esse propositum, has fiducialiter ad vestram demen- tiam litteras destinamus, ut per vos ad perficiendam Ecclesiae pacem mariti vestri pietas amplius incitetur. 2. Magnum opus arripuistis, magna vobis causa conmiissa est Per vos enim-) populos Christus vult ad Ecclesiae foedera revocare, quos per se voluit a morte redimere. Magna etiam vestro sexui parata est laudis occasio, si vobis instantibus Ecclesiae suae Chri- stus quae divisa fuerant membra conjungat. Nec enim major est gloria, quae humanae salutis lignum scrutata est, et sola cracem, quam oninis veneratur mundus, invenit. Superabitis quinimmo illiiM merita, quia Ecclesiae unitas per illara suum invenit signum, p«r vos est habitura remedium. Agat igitur jugalis vestri religiosa cle- mentia, ut fratres et coepiscopi nostri sub eo libelli tenore, quem dudum misimus, fidem suam dignentur asserere, quatenus perfecta possit esse quae est inchoata correctio; quia irrita est quaeUbet in cultura Dei confessio, cui deest fidei plenitudo. Hoc enim quod a reliquis fieri poscimus ^), a multis jam sacerdotibus constat effectam; et unitas esse justa in communione non poterit, si uou fuerit in reversione servata. 51 <) Haec Lupicina a.ut Lupida, Procopio hist. arc. cap. 6 et Theophane chro- uogr. p. 141 (ed. fionn. p. ;254) testibuB, vocabatur. Sed ut Theodonu lector p. 565 et Theophanes 1. c. tradunt, postea quani Augusta nuncupata est, popa- Iu8 eam Euphemiam nominavit. ') £d. eiiam, moxque Nec ejus ... solam crucem, ') Ita G' a^ b 00 poposcimus. EPISTOLAE 51. 52. 845