Letter 207: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Of Pope Hormisdas, to the bishops Germanus and Johannes and [...] the presbyter Blandus. 16. That Dorotheus of Thessalonica is to be banished far from his church or sent to Rome. That they are not to permit Aristides to be substituted in his place, but are to choose a man acceptable to the catholics (n. 1). That Thomas and Nicostratus are to be restored to their own churches in such a way that those who have seized their places, if they are of the right faith, may be ordained elsewhere (n. 2). That the Scythian monks are to be guarded more carefully at Rome until the arrival of the legate (n. 3). Hormisdas to the bishops Germanus and Johannes and to the presbyter Blandus. 1. The death of the catholic Johannes [John] has grievously afflicted us, whom you report [see letter 100] to have been killed by the madness of the heretic Dorotheus. For we have learned that this same Dorotheus was summoned to Constantinople by order of the emperor. Against him you ought to press our lord and son, the most merciful emperor, that he should not return again to that same city, but that, the honor of the episcopate (which he never administered well) being laid aside, he be banished further away from that place and church, or at any rate be sent here to the City [Rome] under suitable escort. To this matter too you ought to be vigilant, that Aristides, the instigator of all the evil and an accomplice in it, not be ordained in his place by any underhanded contrivances whatsoever; for it profits no one to change the person, if the same pattern of wickedness persists: rather you ought to choose such a man that the whole congregation of catholics may rejoice at your judgment. 2. These things therefore being observed, the earnest care of your charity ought to apply itself vehemently on behalf of the persons of Thomas and Nicostratus, our brothers and fellow-bishops. For what does it profit to have restored the Church, if we should see from her body priests who are strangers, whom you, carefully or reasonably, were not unaware had been received into our communion? Wherefore this matter saddens us not lightly, if those who are received in her faith and consensus are neglected by those who follow the preaching of the apostolic see [a. 519]. Therefore, as we have exhorted, insist vehemently with the most serene emperor on behalf of their communion and their place [see letters 93 and 95] (for in this same case we have addressed letters to our lord and son, the most merciful emperor, and to our son Justinian, the illustrious man), exhorting that, as far as concerns the reception of their churches, they ought to treat the matter together with you in charity. We suspect that you are not unmindful of that article of our ordinance. For we said in what manner these men of whom we speak, the usurpers having been excluded, should return to their own churches, so that those others may be ordained elsewhere, provided however that they are of the right faith. 3. Concerning the persons of the Scythian monks, Justinian the illustrious man wrote to us [see letter 89], copies of which letters we have sent to your fraternity; who, when they were unwilling to await the arrival of your charity, and said that they could not bear the delays of the proceedings, attempted to depart secretly from the City. Whom we then had guarded more carefully, wishing to learn the things contrary [to you] which they said about you, so that when you have returned, God being favorable, their error may be corrected by reasonable admonitions. Given on the third day before the Nones of December [3 December], in the consulship of Eutharicus, the most renowned man. [Editorial footnotes: They report this in letter 100, nor ought it to seem strange that Hormisdas should express the name of the slain man, which was omitted by them, since he could have had it ascertained from another source. The emperor hastened to fulfill in this manner what he is indicated to have promised in letter 100, n. 5. Their error.]

Hormisdae papae ad Germanum et Johannem episcopos et '\ j)^/* Blandum presbyterum. 16. Ul Dorotheus Thessalonicensis procul ah ecclesia sua relegetur aut dirigatur Ro- mam. Ne Aristidem in ejusdem locum suffici sinant, sed virum eligant catholicis acceptum (n. 1). Thomam et Nicostratum ecclesiis propriis ita restituendos , ut eorum occupatores, si rectae sint fidei, alibi ordinentur (n. 2). Scythas monachos Romae ad legatoi^m adventum soUicitius custodiri (n, 3). Hormisda Germano etJohanni episcopis etBlando presbytero. 1. Graviter nos Johannis catholici afflixit interitus, qu(^ hae-ep. loo. retici Dorothei vesania perhibetis *) exstinctum. Nam eumdem Doro- theum Constantinopolim jussu^) principis didicimus evocatum. Ad- versus quem domino et filio nostro clementissimo principi debetis insistere, ne ad eamdem civitatem denuo revertatur, sed episcopatus, quem nimquam bene gessit, honore deposito, ab eodem loco ac eccle- sia longius relegetur, vel certe huc ad Urbem sub prosecutione con- grua dirigatur. Ad hanc etiam partem evigilare debetis, ne in locum ejus Aristides totius mali incentor et conscius quibuslibet subreptio- nibus ordinetur; nam nulli prodest mutari personam, si ejusdem forma nequitiae perfeveret: sed talem vinun debetis eligere, ut de judicio vestro cuncta catholicorum congregatio gratuletar. 2. lis igitur observatis^ pro Thomae et Nicostrati fratrum et coepiscoporiun nostrorum personis intentio dilectionis vestrae vehe- menter debet incumbere. Nam quid prodest Ecclesiam redintegrasse, si ab ejus corpore sacerdotes videamus extraneos, quos in nostram communionem vos caute aut rationabiliter non ignorastis esse su- sceptos? Unde non leviter nos res ista contristat, si ab iis, qui 103 *) Hoc perhibent epist. 100, nec mirum videri debet, quod hospitia ocdsi nomen ab illis praetermissum Hormisda exprimat, quiun aliunde illud comper- tum habere potuisset. ») Eo pacto festinavit imperator implere, quod epist. 100 n. 5 promisisse significatur. a. 519. sedis apostolicae praedicationem sequiintur, negligantur qui in ejus fide et conseusu recepti sunt. Idcirco, sicut hortati sumus, pro eorum communione^) atque loco serenissimo principi vehementer ep. 93 insistite^), (nam in eadem causa domino et filio nostro clementissimo et 95. principi et viro illustri Justiniano filio nostro scripta direximusl, hortantes, ut cum vestra, quantum ad ecclesiarum suarum receptio- nem pertinet, debeant caritate tractare. De eo vos articulo nostrae ordinationis suspicamur non immemores. Diximus enim, quemadmo- dum exclusis occupatoribus hi, de quibus loquimur, ad proprias revertantur ecclesias, ut illi alibi, si tamen rectae sunt fidei, ordi- nentur. 3. De personis Scytharum monachorum Justinianus vir illustris ep. 89. nobis scripsit^), quarum exemplaria litterarum fraternitati vestrae direximus; qui quum nollent sustinere vestrae dilectionis adventmn, et observationum moras se dicerent ferre non posse, tentaverunt clam de Urbe discedere. Quos tum nos fecimus soUicitius custodiri, ea quae de vobis contraria dixerunt volentes agnoscere, ut quum reversi Deo propitio fueritis, eorum error^) rationabilibus adhorta- tionibus corrigatur. Data III Nonas Decembris, Eutharico viro cla- rissinro consule.