Letter 70: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

LIKEWISE, A COPY OF THE LETTER OF JUSTINIAN. In order that the fullest perfection of faith may come to us from the teaching of your Blessedness, we have once again dispatched Eulogius, an energetic man, an agent in affairs [agens in rebus, an imperial courier and official], who is acting in accordance with other matters and for this reason too, through whom we very earnestly entreat that, in the confession of the catholic faith, we may in all respects be confirmed by a circumspect and most cautious reply from your Apostolate. For after the unity granted once and for all to the catholic church by divine mercy, certain persons assert that Christ, the Son of God, our Lord, crucified in the flesh for our salvation, ought to be proclaimed as one of the Trinity. And if this is to be accepted, may your Reverence, with fatherly foresight, deign to make us certain by your most cautious rescript what we ought to follow and what we ought to avoid concerning this matter; since the words seem to give rise to dissension, whereas the sense is proved to be one and the same among all catholics. Take upon yourself, therefore, the labor once undertaken, holy and venerable father, in this matter too following your predecessors, whose memory you both embrace and adorn by your fellowship in the pontificate, and hasten to render us free and secure regarding this concern. For we believe that to be catholic which has been made known to us by your religious reply. But because it has been said that the Scythian monks have for this reason come to your See, with a reply furnished to them in accordance with the tradition of the fathers and the order of the rules, command that they, fearing nothing, be sent back to us with your letters; of which letters command also that copies, duly sealed, be given to the aforesaid energetic man Eulogius. For we ask you to arrange all these things more cautiously for this reason, that no room may be given to falsehood or to treachery, since, embracing the catholic faith with the utmost desire, we beg that by your teaching unity may be granted to the whole world.

ITEM EXEMPLUM EPISTOLAE lUSTINIANI. «0 Ut plenissima fidei perfectio doctrina beatitudinis uestrae nobis proueniat, iterum Eulogium uirum strenuum agentem in rebus iuxta alias causas etiam hacpropter direximus, per qnem ualde petimus, ut per omnia responso apostolatus uestri circuminspecto et cautissimo in confessione catholicae fidei 25 confirmetur. post semel enim diuina misericordia donatam 2 catholicae ecclesiae unitatem quidam asserunt Christum filium 1S8. Bat. (simul cum ep. 224) a. 519 die 15 Oct., per Eulogium; accepta die 17 Nou. Edd. Car. P 526; CoUect. Concil; Thiel 897. 22 hanc propter p 24 circumspecto o 646 Homiisda lustiniano; Hornusda lustiniano dei dominum nostrum pro nostia salute carne crucifixum unum de trinitate debere praedicari. quod si suscipiendum sit, paterna prouisione reuerentia uestra cautissimo suo rescripto quid sequi quidue super hoc euitare debeamus nos certiorare dignetur; quoniam uerba uidentur facere dissen- & sionem: nam sensus inter catholicos omnes unus esse probatur. 3 imponite igitur uobis semel susceptum laborem, sancte ac uenerabilis pater, etiam in hoc decessores uestros sequentes, quorum memoriam et amplectimini et consortio pontificatus omatis, et de hac intentione liberos nos properate reddere lo et securos. hoc enim credimus esse catholicura, quod uestro 4 religioso responso nobis fuerit intimatum. quia uero dictum est Scythicos monachos hac ratione ad sedem uestram acces- sisse, pro traditione patrum et ordine regularum praebito eis responso nihil formidantes ad nos cum litteris uestris iubete i» remittere; quarum etiam exemplaria consignata praedicto uiro strenuo Eulogio dari praecipite. haec enim omnia ideo petimus uos disponere cautius, ut ne locus mendacio uel insidiis detur, quoniam siimmo cum desiderio fidem catholicam amplec- tentes uestra doctrina unitatem uniuerso orbi petimus con- 20 donari.