Letter 86: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

COPY OF THE REPORT OF DOROTHEUS, BISHOP OF THESSALONICA. TO THE MOST HOLY AND MOST BLESSED FATHER AND FELLOW-MINISTER HORMISDAS, DOROTHEUS SENDS GREETING IN THE LORD. It is the highest aim of our purpose and of our prayer, most blessed and thrice-blessed father in all things, both to write frequently to you, most holy one, and to be found worthy of mutual conversations; and it is fitting that at no time should I be cut off from joy of this kind. Since, therefore, I have plainly learned that certain persons are troubling your holy ears, and since I know beyond doubt that you are perfect in all things and that you can hear nothing without judgment, and that you do not lend your mind utterly to anyone; and so that I may not, by my silence, seem any longer to grant time to those who have indeed in no way been injured by us, but who without cause and to no purpose have armed themselves against us: yet I make satisfaction both to God and to your holiness, because on behalf of John, the most reverend bishop, who a little while ago was sent forth by your venerable crown, I marked myself out for dangers and endured death, and I know that I have laid down my own life for his sake; and this is shown by the proceedings and by those persons who, although through my absence they seem to have been most sharply examined. [...] And what need is there to use a long discourse, when our Lord God Jesus Christ can lay everything open to you and make satisfaction? For also, when I learned that you were being summoned to the presidency of the Apostolic See, I judged it to be the common joy of the whole world. For from that time onward, writing this very thing to you, so far as it lay with me, whatever pertains to the honor and satisfaction owed to you and to the Apostolic See, I omitted nothing, nor do I omit it. But a little later you will know, most venerable ones, the Lord Jesus Christ granting it, that these things were devised by me from the beginning, and, when the Lord God gave the time, these things were carried through to their effect. I too, and very many of mine, salute in Christ all brotherhood with your holiness.

EXEXPLUM RELATIOXIS DOROTHEI EPISCOPI THES8AL0NICEXSIS. SANCTISSIMO AC BEATISSIMO PATRI ET COMMINISTRATORI HOR- MISDAE D0R0THEU8 IN DOMINO SALUTEM. PropOSiti nOStrf Ct 15 orationis est summum studium, per omnia beatissime et ter beate pater, et scribere frequenter ad uos sanctissimos et mutua mereri colloquia et nuUo tempore exortem me ab huiusmodi laetitia esse condecet. quoniani igitur manifeste 2 cognoui quosdam sanctas aures uestras perturbare et scio » procul dubio, uos in omnibus esse perfectos et quia nihil sine iudicio audire possitis nec ulli penitus uestrum animum accommodare, et ut non amplius per taciturnitatem largiri tempus uidear illis, qui nihil quidem a nobis laesi sunt sed sine causa et superflue aduersus nos armati sunt: deo tamen 3 n et uestrae satisfacio sanctitati, quia pro lohanne uiro reueren- tissimo episcopo, qui paulo ante a uestra uenerabili corona directus est, praedestinaui me periculis et mortem sustinui et meam pro eius scio me obiecisse animam et hoc ostenditur gestis et ex his, qui quamquam per meam absentiam acerrime 8 coDtameliam edit reg. 668 Hormisda Dorotheo, Heliae etc» Germano 4 uideantur esse discussi. et quid longo sermone opus est uti, cum uobis omnia dominus deus noster lesus Christus pate- facere et satisfacere possit? quia et, quando cognoui uos ad apostolicae sedis praesulatum euocari, commune gaudium totius mundi esse iudicaui. ab illo enim tempore hoc ipsum scribens ad uoS; quantum ad me, quicquid ad honorem et satisfactionem uobis et apostolicae sedi pertinet, nihil prae- 5 termisi sed nec praetei-mitto. paulo post autem scietis, peruenerabiles, annuente domino lesu Christo, quia haec ab exordio mihi sunt excogitata et, quando dominus deus tempus dedit, ad effectura haec sunt perdueta. omnem cum uestra sanctitate in Christo fraternitatem ego quoque et mei plurimum salutamus.