Letter 231: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

[Report of the Synod of Constantinople to Hormisdas. The synod informs the pope of the ordination of Epiphanius, whose praises it also recites; then it commends its own legates.] To our holy lord and most blessed father of fathers, archbishop and patriarch Hormisdas: Theophilus, Basiliscus, Esaias, Anastasius, Paternus, Martianus, and the rest of the holy synod which is assembled in the city of Constantinople. 1. Considering the innumerable and unsearchable wisdom of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, as far as it is given to men to understand, we justly marvel at his immeasurable love, and we cry out with a loud voice: Who shall declare the powers of the Lord, who shall make heard all his praises? For behold, through the good will of the holy and one-essenced Trinity, and through the intercessions of the glorious Virgin Mary, and also through the zeal and vigilance of our most Christian and most faithful emperor and of our most pious queen, those things which were once divided members have, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, been brought back to unity and to perfect love; and just as Moses and Aaron were named leaders of the true worship of God among Israel, so now we too, rejoicing, cry out: Let us sing to the Lord! for he has been gloriously honored; he has become my helper and protector unto salvation! And these things we have been taught to feel and to proclaim with confidence. 2. Considering, moreover, the love and the God-pleasing life of your beatitude, even from those most reverend legates who have been sent by you, and likewise the peace of the holy churches of God, both of elder and of newer Rome, of which peace we ourselves are shown to have been partakers, we give thanks, as is our custom, to the good shepherd and prince of all, Christ our God. For after the death of John of holy memory, the former archbishop and patriarch of the city of Constantinople, God, who founded his own holy Church incorrupt upon the rock of right faith and decreed that the gates of hell should not prevail against it, gave to us a holy shepherd and patriarch, Epiphanius, flourishing in virtues and in correctives [Greek paideiai: discipline and learning] and in the meditation of the divine Scriptures, holding also the right faith, governing with fatherly solicitude those who are bereaved, and, what more shall I say, surpassing every fountain of praises. Excelling, therefore, in these virtues, not undeservedly is he recognized to have conducted wisely and honorably the greatest cares of the Church, his own and those entrusted to him, having in mind that saying which is reported by the author of the sacred song: My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart prudence. Hence, according to the right and approvable judgment of our most faithful and most Christian prince and most pious queen and of the most glorious nobles of the common commonwealth, with the testification also of us all who dwell in this city, the judgment of Paul, the wondrous teacher of the common Church, was not defrauded in this man, who declares that a bishop must be blameless: for so we see our pontiff to be crowned on every side with virtues. Therefore, fulfilling the ecclesiastical law and rendering to your apostolate the due office of salutation, we hope that your charity may deign to keep ever more the bond of charity and fatherly affection toward us, and that you may act with wise governance and with humility, which befits a Christian, and with gentleness, which pertains to the salvation of the rational flock handed over to you; reckoning it a common gain that through you and through your brother and fellow-minister, who is our lord and patriarch, the peace of the churches of the whole world has been provided for. For that a brother helped by a brother spiritually is an impregnable wall and a fortified city, we may receive from the divine Scriptures. For if, through the intercessions of your beatitude, a general tranquillity should be granted back to the churches of the orthodox, glory indeed shall be referred on high to God the Savior of all through the angels with rejoicing, and peace shall be confirmed on earth, and good will shall be founded among the faithful, the common servants of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 3. There shall be added, therefore, to our supplications, in what has been said too little, John the most holy bishop of the city of Claudiopolis, our fellow-minister, and Heraclianus the most reverend presbyter of the holy greater church and housemate of the aforesaid most holy archbishop and patriarch Epiphanius, and Constantinus a most reverend man, deacon of the same holy church, who are known to have once given proof of their right faith and good will to those who had been directed from your apostolic see; and they shall be shown to be worthy both of your sanctity and of the ministration of peace, and of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ our God, and of the uniting of the holy churches. Whom, we hope, rejoicing in the Lord and announcing the desired peace, you may deign to send back to us the more quickly, instructed by your God-pleasing correctives. We too, and those who are with us, very greatly salute all the brotherhood in Christ. And the subscriptions. Theophilus, by the mercy of God bishop of the city of Heraclea, metropolitan, subscribing in the synodal acts, I salute you in the Lord, lord. Basiliscus, by the mercy of God bishop of the Cyzicenes, metropolitan, as above. Stephanus, by the mercy of God bishop of the Nicomedians, metropolitan, as above. Esaias, by the mercy of God bishop of the city of Rhodes, metropolitan, as above. Anastasius, by the mercy of God bishop of the Nicaeans, metropolitan, as above. John, by the mercy of God bishop of the city of Claudiopolis of the province of Isauria, as above. Paternus, by the mercy of God bishop of the province of Scythia, metropolitan, as above. Marcianus, by the mercy of God bishop of the city of Chalcedon, metropolitan, as above. Patricius, by the mercy of God bishop of the city of Eudoxiopolis, metropolitan, as above. Polydeucius, by the mercy of God bishop of the city of Antioch, metropolitan, as above. Eulogius, by the mercy of God bishop of the city of the Melisieci, metropolitan, as above. Stephanus, by the mercy of God bishop of the city of Philomelium of the province of Pisidia, as above. Christodulus, by the mercy of God bishop of the city of Methymna, as above. Palmantius, least bishop of the city of Oenanda of the province of Lycia, as above. John, by the mercy of God bishop of the city of Attalia, as above. John, by the mercy of God bishop of the city of Olympus of the province of Lycia, as above. Marcianus, least bishop of the city of Marciana of the province of Lycia, as above. Phocas, least bishop of the city of Dardanus of the province of the Hellespont, as above. Zoticus, by the mercy of God bishop of the city of Carpathus of the province of the Islands, as above. Sabbatius, by the mercy of God bishop of the city of Stratonicea of the province of Lydia, as above.

seu (^'^od, Belatio synodi Constantinopolitanae ad Hormisdam. acc. d. Synodus papam certiorem facit de ordinatione Epipkanii, cyju» et Itmdes pro- P-^^ 3()r<lov.; sequitur, Tum legatos suos commendat. Domino nostro sancto ac beatissimo patri patrum archiepiscopo et patriarchae Hormisdae Theo- Est autem commoretur id quod tardet succurrere, ac deinde eorum ^ in sanctiM locis hahitant nomine intelliguntur Jerosolymitani, quibus etiam praecipuam im- pendi curam imperator epist. 129 n. 4 rogat. EP18T0LAE 130. 131. 951 philus, BasiliscuSy Esaias^ Anastasius^ Fater- nus^ Martianus et cetera sancta synodus^ quae in Constantinopolitana est civitate congre- gata. 1. Innumerabilem et investigatam magni Dei et Salvatoris no- stri Jesu Christi sapientiam^ quantum hominibus datur intelligi; con- sideranteSy caritatem ejus immensam juste miramur^ et cum magna clamamus voce : Quis loquetur potentias Domini, auditas faciet omnes ^q^ ^. * laudes ejus? Ecce enim per bonam voluntatem sanctae et unius essentiae Trinitatis et intercessiones gloriosae Mariae virginis, studio quoque et vigilantia Christianissimi et fidelissimi imperatoris et piis- simae reginae^ olim quae fuerant membra divisa^ per Spiritus sancti gratiam ad unitatem et caritatem perfectam sunt redacta: et sicut Moyses et Aaron duces Dei vere culturae Israehticae nominati, nunc ita et nos gaudentes clamamus: Cantemus Domino! gloriose enim ho- ^^ noriftcatus est; adjuior et protector factus est mihi in salutem! Et haec sentire et praedicare cum fiducia sumus edocti. 2. Considerantes autem caritatem et l)eo amabilem vestrae bea- titudinis vitam etiam ex his, qui a vobis sunt destinati reverendissimi legati; similiter et pacem sanctarum Dei ecclesiarum tam senioris quam novellae Romae^ cui nos ipsi participes fuisse monstramur, bono pastori et principi omnium Christo Deo nostro consuete gratias referimus. Nam post obitum sanctae recordationis quondam archi- episcopi et patriarchae Johannis Constantinopolitanae civitatis Deus, qui propriam sanctam Ecclesiam in petra rectae fidei incorrupta fiindavit, et portas inferi non praevalere ei decrevit, dedit nobis Matth. sanctum pastorem et patriarcham Epiphanium, virtutibus et corre- * ctionibus^) et meditatione divinarum florentem scripturarum, rectam quoque tenentem fidem, et orbatorum paternam regentem^) soUici- tudinem, et, quid amplius dicam, omnem praeconiorum foiitem trans- cendentem. His ergo virtutibus poUens, non immerito proprias et creditas sibimet maximas Ecclesiae curas sapienter et honeste ges- teatem. Sic aliquando Juvenalem Jerosolymitanum episcopum particulam sanciae Crucis cum eulogiis ad Leonem misisse, ex ipsius Leonis epistola 139 c. lY colli- g^tur. — Ibidem mox G* olo serica, ed. serica. 131 ^) Pro correctionibus haud dubie graece erat ratg naidiCaig. Vocis autem naiSsCa duplex est potestas. Aliquando enim correptionem et castigationem, saepius disciplinam) eruditionem ac litterarum studium sonat. Nec ambiguum est, quin hic instituiis, Utterarum studiiSy seu disciplinis et eruditione interpreti praeferendum fuerit. Hormisdam institutis legisse, ex rcscripto seu epistola 139 manifestum fiet. ') Magis arrideret gerentem. Epiphanius supra epist. 111 Johaunis decesso- ris sui sjncellus praedicatur. Eumdem et orphanotrophiis praefuisse, seu or- phanorum curam cum iaude gessisse, hinc discimus. Theophanes pag. U2 (ed. Bonn. p. 256) Februarii 25 die eum ordinatum tradit. (a.520.) sisse diguoscitur^ habeus iu meute illud^ quod a sacri cautici auctore Psalm. relatum est: Os meum loqueinr sapientiam^ et meditafio cordis mei ^'^* pnidentiam. Uude secuudum rectam et probabilem fidelissimi et Christiauissimi uostri priucipis et piissimae regiuae et gloriosissimo rum commuuis reipublicae procerum seuteutiam; uostra quoque etiam omuium iu hac urbe habitautium testificatioue; judicium Pauli mira- 1 Tim. bilis commuuis Ecclesiae doctoris uon est iu eo fraudatum , qoi ^»^' irreprehensibilem debere esse episcopum deuuntiat: ita et nostrum poutificem virtutibus undique corouatum esse videmus. Igitur ecde- siasticam legem implentes^ apostolatui vestro salutationis debitom persolveutes officium, speramus, ut amplius caritatis vinculum et patemum affectiuu circa uos caritas vestra custodire dignetur, et sapieuti guberuatioue et humilitate^ quae Christianum decet; et man- suetudiue^ quae ad ratiouabilis traditi vobis ovilis salutem pertiuet^ peragatis; commuue lucrum existimantes, quod per vos et vestrum') germanum et comministratorem, nostrum autem dominum et patri- Prov. archara, pacem totius orbis ecclesiarum esse provisam. Frater enm is, 19. ^ fratre adjuvari^) spiritualiter , murus est inexpugnahUis et civitas munita, ex divinis est accipere scripturis. Nam si*) quae inter- cessionibus vestrae beatitudinis geueralis trauquillitas ecclesiis ortho- Luc. 2,24. doxorum fuerit redonata, gloria quidem in excelsis Deo omnium Salvatori per angelos cum laetitia referetur, pax vero in terra con- firmabitur, bona autem voluntas in fidelibus conunimis Domini et Salvatoris uostri Jesu Christi servis fundetur. 3. Adjicieut igitur uostris supplicationibus, quod minus dictum est, Johaunes sauctissimus episcopus Claudiopolitanae civitatis noster comministrator, et HeracHanus revereudissimus pre^byter sanctae majoris ecclesiae et cohabitator^ praedicti sanctissimi archiepiscopi et patriarchae Epiphauii, et Constantiuus vir reverendissimus diaco- uus ejusdem sauctae ecclesiae, qui probationem suae rectae fidei et bouae voluutatis olim his, qui a vestra apostohca sede fueraut di- recti, dedisse^) cognoscimtur : digui autem et vestrae sanctitatis et miuistratione pacis, et gratiae Domini nostri Jesu Christi Dei uostri ') a^ vesirum Germanum cum prima littera m^uscula, quaai nomen propriom cfferretur. Graece dubio procul exstabat i^BXtpov %ul avXXsttovgyov, quod in- terpres fratrem ei consacerdotem seu comministrum latine convertere debnerat, ac subinde: pax ... sit provisa^ seu paci sit provisum atque consultum, Epiphanium munus obiisse, quo Epiphanius apud Johannem, et Johannes apud Timotheum utriusque decessorem functi fnerant. et unitionis sanctarum ecclesiarum monstrabuntur. Quos, speramus, (a. 620.) laetantes in Domino et pacem desideratam nuntiantes, ad nos citius vestris Deo amabilibus correctionibus ®) edoctos remeare dignemini. Omnem in Christo fratemitatem nos quoque et qui nobiscum sunt plurimum salutamus. Et sabsoriptiones. Theophilus misericordia Dei episcopus Heracliensis civitatis metropolitanus , subscribens in sjnodalibus, saluto vos in Domino, domine. Basiliscus misericordia Dei episcopus Cyzinensium^) metropoli- tanus ut supra. Stephanus misericordia Dei episcopus Nicomediensium metro- politanus ut supra. Esaias misericordia Dei episcopus Rhodiae civitatis metropoli- tanus ut supra. Anastasius misericordia Dei episcopus Nicaeensium metropoli- tanus ut supra. Johannes misericordia Dei episcopus Claudiopolitanae civitatis provinciae Isauriae ut supra. Paternus miserieordia Dei episeopus^®) provinciae Scythiae me- tropolitanus ut supra. Marcianus raisericordia Dei episcopus Calchedonensis civitatis metropolitanus ut supra. Patricius misericordia Dei episcopus Eudoxiopolitanae civitatis nietropolitanus ut supra. Polydeucius misericordia Dei episcopus Antiochenae civitatis metropolitanus ut supra. Eulogius misericordia Dei episcopus Melisiecium civitatis metro- politanus ut supra. Stephanus misericordia Dei episcopus Philomeliensis civitatis provinciae Pisidiae ut supra. Bupra interpretis lapsus. Theopkiltim Heracliensem , Anastasium Nicaeensem^ Marcianum Calchedonensem, Jo- hannem Claudiopolitanumt Phocam Dardanae et Marcianum Marcianae civitatis epi- scopos, ^") Is est Tomitanae civitatis episcopus, quema Scythis monachis nominatim accusatum Germanus sociique legati epist. 76 n. 3 nuntiant. (a.620.) Christodolus ^ *) mlsericordia Dei episcopus Methjmnensis civi- tatis ut supra. Palmantius mininius episcopus Oenandae civitatis proyinciae Lyciae ut supra. Johannes misericordia Dei episcopus Attaliensis civitatis ut supra. Johannes misericordia Dei episcopus Oljmpinae civitatis pro- vinciae Lyciae ut supra. Marcianus minimus episcopus Marcianae civitatis proyinciae Lyciae ut supra. Phocas minimus episcopus Dardanae civitatis proyinciae Hel- lesponti ut supra. Zoticus misericordia Dei episcopus Carpatiensis civitatis pro- yinciae Lisularum ut supra. Sabbatius misericordia Dei episcopus Stratoniciae civitatis pro- vinciae Lydiae ut supra.