Letter 241: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Pope Hormisdas to Epiphanius of Constantinople. [Summary heading:] He commits to him his own authority for restoring the remaining Eastern churches, and prescribes what rules ought to be observed in this work (sections 1-6). The case of the Thessalonians, however, he reserves to himself (sections 6 and 7). He praises the legates sent from the royal city. Hormisdas to Epiphanius, bishop of Constantinople. 1. I have been filled with much joy, because such was your zeal concerning the peace of the Church and that of the most holy emperor and of your love, as you indicated by your letter; I have also learned of it through the testimony of my legates. For from this clear proofs of the supernal mercy are brought forth, when even worldly princes join the cause of the faith with the ordering of the commonwealth, and the prelates of the churches, as far as pertains to their own administration, mindful of their office, carry it out. Of such rulers the Christian religion stood in need after the storms of discord, men who, the whirlwinds having been suppressed by provident arrangement, might lead back the long-exiled peace once the tempest was driven off, and who, extending into the ages after them the examples of their own purpose, might without doubt show that to themselves is to be ascribed whatever pleasing to God their successors should do in imitation of them. 2. Let us bless the Lord, dearest brother, that this has been granted in our days, and let us strive with all the strength of our prayers and our cares, so that the things which by the help of God have been well begun may, with Him assisting, be completed in all respects. For it is to be hoped that toward the framework of its own body the remaining members also, which as yet are divided, may hasten, and that the lesser may not be at variance with the greater. And since to this your love exhorts me by the zeal of Christian charity, you ought to follow what duty invites, and to embrace what it persuades is to be loved. For, bearing already a like care for the faith, through religious patience we hope likewise for an equal reward from the effect of the good work. For we must not yield to difficulties. Faith is not wearied by hardships, nor is one borne to the heights of heaven by a downward slope, nor does anyone merit the reward apart from the exercise of toil. Wherefore, that we may not fail in doing good, we are specially admonished: Blessed also, as the Psalmist witnesses, are they who keep judgment and do justice in all time; because not the beginning of toil, but the end, has been wont to find the recompense of the reward. Therefore, taking up an equal zeal of solicitude, we who have one fellowship in communion and in belief: just as over the church of Constantinople, united to the apostolic see, we likewise exult in the Lord, so over the restoration of the remaining churches also, as you affectionately admonish, let us rejoice; and let us take care first to preserve our own faith and integrity unstained from all contagion. [The text breaks off here; the remainder of the letter is not present in the source.]

26Ma]^ Hormisdao papae ad Epiphauium GonstantinopoUtaimm. Vices suas ei ad redintegrandas reliquas Orientales ecclesias committit^ et quas in p. i^. hoc opere regulas servari deceat praescribit (n. 1 — 6). Tkessalonicensium tamen causam sibi reseruat (n. 6 et 7). Legatos a regia urbe missos laudat, 'OQ^iodag 'EjtKpavic) i%C- Hormisda^) Epiphanio 0x6n(p K(av(SzavxLvov- episcopo Constantino- noksiog, politano. 1. IloXX^g iTtkrjadTiv xaQag^ 1. Multo gaudio sum repleh^; «) Ita G« a'. b cc delenda, ") Ed. omitt. e/, moxque quia. Deinde G* nos inhumana, 141 «) Ita G' a' et text. graec. ; J 0 c< c« i« Dilectisimo frairi Epiphamo episeepo Hormisda, EPISTOLAE 140. 141. 971 OTL tcbqI tiqv elQijvriv trjg ixxXri- iSiag xal tov &yi(atdtov fiadikiiog xal tiig 6ijg dydnrig tOLavtrjv 6novSifv oiav Sid tAv yQa^^d- tav iiLrjvv6ag, xal Svd trjg t(Sv ififSv 7CQi6^B(QV %ata^i6£G}g iy- v(ov, £aq>rlg yaQ ivtev^sv trjg ovQavCov Bv<snkay%vlag dnoSnl^cg jCQOBLifLVj otav xal ot tov xoiS^ov §a6ikElg tdg vno^iCBig tdg nsQl trjg nl(Sts(og iiitd t^g SiOLxrliSecag trjg nokiteCag 6vlevyvv(o6i ^ xal o[ rc5v ixxXrj^KOV ^yovfifwot td OvvteCvovta elg tf^v ISCav olxo- vo(LCav (lenvriiiivoL tov xad^ijxov- tog ixteX(o0L, ToLovtov exQviae lietd tdg trig S^xovoCag xataiyC- dag riXQi6tiavixri^Qri6xeCa Idvv- Tr]Q(oVj 01 tiveg xatevva6^ei6av TtQOvorjtixcatdtrj SiatvndoeL tiov ^veXXiov^ triv invnolv iev(o^el- dav elQ7]vriv H^caad^ivtog rot; x£t- ^(ovog inavdl^c36ij xal eCg tovg ^iXlovtag ^etd taika aCdvag f^g CSCag nQO^i^ecag td vno- SeCyiiata inexteCvovteg . eavtolg inLyeyQd(p^aL dvayiipi^oXciig ini- SeCi^ovaiv^ et ti tm &ep dQiiSxov ot netayeviateQOL dno trjg avtcav fLL^^ifecog noLrjaovaLV, 2. EvXoyrlacDiiev tov 0e6v, dSeXifol, tatg iJftcJv Tovro fj(ii- QaLg avyxexGiQVI^i^^ov yeyovivai, xai ndaaLg evx(ov xal (ieQLiivc5v Swd^eaLV ineQeLa^aiiev , Iva SneQ SLd t^g tov &eov ^(i(ov quod circa Ecclesiae pacem eta.52i. sanctissiini imperatoris et dile- ctionis tuae tale studium^ quale litteris indicasti; legatorum^) quo- et 130. que meorum assertione cognovi. Manifesta enim hinc supemae misericordiae documenta produn- tur, quando et mundani^) prin- cipes causam fidei cum reipubli- cae ordinatione conjungunt, et ecclesiarum praesules, quod ad dispensationem suam pertinet, officii memores exsequuntur. Ta- libus indigebat post discordiae procellas religio Christiana recto- ribus, qui compressis provida dispositione *) turbinibus diu per- egrinatam pacem depulsa tem- pestate reducerent, et in futura post saecula propositi sui exem- pla tendenteS; sibi adscribendum indubitanter ostendorent, quidquid Deo placitum posteri pro sua imitatioue fecissent. 2. Benedicamus Dominum, fra- ter carissime, nostris hoc diebus fuisse concessum, et totis ora- tionimi et curarum viribus an- nitamur, ut quae Dei*) ope bene coepta sunt, ipso adjuvante ») Germani scilicet aliorumque qui proxime redierant. Subinde in J 0 c* c* sequitur: Manifestum enim Mnc (J» ri«: manifeste hic (i« fUnc) enim) supemae wi- sericordiae documentum perdocetur (i* documento perdocetur). ') Ita G* J 0. At a^ b cc humani principes. Jam in epistola 40, quae pariter graece exstat, n. 8 legimus: Si enim qui mundani sunl. ■*) 0 cc dispensatione , moxque a* b seq. omitt. posi. 972 9^621. OvvBQyiag xccXdg ^]QX^Vf «i^trov Porid-ovvrog iv na6i xlriQ(o^c56iv, ^Elnlg yaQ i6tvv, onnsQ eig t^v aQfioviav roi) olxaiov ^ciiiatog xal td XotTtd xal iti vvv SiyQri- [liva fiikri 6novdd<fov0i^ xal dno t(3v XQBi666v(ov td fjttova ov di.a<p(DvrJ6ov6LV • elg o inBiitBQ fta 1} 6yi Sid^B6ig tfj 6novdfj t^g XQC6tLavtxrjg dydnr^g TCQOtQiiCB- taCy 6(pEiX6ig elg o SuyeCQSv dxo- Xovd^rj^aL^ xal oitBQ dyand^^ai 6v^PovXBV6t , nBQintv^a6^av, 'OyLoCav ydQ Xomov trjg nC6tB(og (pQOvtCSa XBCQC^ovtBg^ Slu t^g bv- CBfiovg vnoiiovrjg lcov xccl ro ina^Xov tov dyad^ov iQyov ix- ^d6Bi ilnC^o^BV. OvtB yaQ tatg Sv^xBQBCaig i6tl itaQax^oQtitiov ov xatanovBttav tolg tQaxi^iv ij nC^ttgj ovS\ Big td rc5v ovQav(Qv vtl^ciiiata Scd xatco(pBQOvg tvg inBxtBCvBtai^ ovtB trjg dvtaiiBC- iffBcag avBv trjg tov xafidtov yvfi- vadCag ttg d^iovtav, dio Zva ^iri ixxaxcjiiBV ro dyad^ov noiovvtag^ iScxcig vnoiiciivrjtfxioiiBd^a. Kai Psalm. y^Q naxdQCOL^ cjg iiaQtVQBi 6 * ' ipaXiiaSdg^ ot (pvXd66ovtBg xqColv xal noLOVvtBg ScxaL- o6vvriv iv navtl xaLQ(p' or^ ox>xi dQx^ tov xa^idtov trjv dv- tdiLBLtlfLV tov ind^Xov Bta^d^BV BVQL6XBLV dkkd ro tiXog. ToLyaQ- ovv tarjv ^novSrjV trjg iiBQCiivrig dvaXafioiiBVOL^ olg iaxL ^iCa iv tfj xoLVovCa: xcd ty nCotBL ij itaLQCa^ ovtQonov nsQl trjg ivod^BCarjg nBQl ro5 dno6toXLX^ d^Q^v^o trjg Kg)v- atavtLvovn6XB(ag ixxXrjaCag inC- per omnia compleantur. Speran- dum enim est, ra ad compagem corporis sui reliqua quoque, quae adhuc divisa sunt, membra festi- nent, et a potioribus minora bod discrepent. Ad quod quom me dilectio tua Cliristianae stndio caritatis hortatur, debet') qQO invitat sequi^ et quod amandom suadet amplecti. Similem enim jam fidei curam gerentes, per religiosam patientiam par etiam praemium de boni operis spera- mus effectu. Neque enim diffi- cultatibus est cedendum. Non fatigatur asperis fides, nec ad coelorum ardua per proclive con- tenditur, nec remuneratioBem citra^) laboris exercitium quis meretur. Unde ne facientes bona deficiamus^ specialiter admone- mur: Bead etiam, teste Psal- mista^ qm custodhmt judicium et faciunt justitiam in omni tempore; quia non initium laboris remune- rationem praemii consuevit in- venire, sed terminus. Ergo par studium sollicitudinis assumentes, quibus est una in communioue et credulitate societaS; quemad- modum de adunata sedi aposto- licae Constantinopolitana ecclesia pariter exsultamus in Domino, ita de reliquarum quoque, sicut afiectuose admones^ redintegra- tione laetemur^), et euremus pri- mum; ut fidem integritatemque nostram inunaculatam ab omni contagioue servemus.