Letter 98: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Great is the mercy of God and beyond all reckoning are his judgments, for he leaves nothing hidden, so that the conscience of every man may be tested. Dorotheus of Thessalonica did not show himself as something new, nor did he reveal himself only by his present deed, since a truthful estimate had long before declared what he was. This man, always wrapped up in his own evil desires, when the occasion was given carried out the crime which he was forever conceiving against the catholic faith. In other letters we informed your Beatitude in what manner, passing through Thessalonica, we were unable to receive the petitions [of submission]; yet it had been settled that, after the ordination of the holy church of Constantinople, one of us should be directed to him, because the aforesaid man had hoped for this: that one of us, after the petitions had been received, should hold mass together with him, as if having testimony in a general sense that he was joined to the unity of the apostolic see. Although late, it was nevertheless done that we directed the venerable bishop John to him; sent with him by common election was Epiphanius, a presbyter, the brother of the venerable and illustrious bishop; there was with them also Licinius, count of the school [comes scholae], by appointment of the most clement emperor. This Licinius, however, since he had earlier been directed to Thessalonica for another matter, was found there—when a synod had been gathered concerning the parish of the church of Thessalonica—waiting, according to the promise, for one of us. While he was present they wished to draw up the petitions and to subscribe them. This was done: the aforesaid man signed those petitions, and coming to Constantinople he announced what had been done; and it was said to us by the legate [apocrisiarius] of Dorotheus, "Give orders that someone be sent who may receive the petitions." It was decided, as we said before, that the venerable bishop John should go; and, so that he might have testimony of their subscription, we asked the most pious emperor that count Licinius too should go with him. And this also was done. And when they had arrived in the city, the presence of our men was announced to Dorotheus by count Licinius. He sent the presbyter Aristides with two other bishops, whom he alone knew to be adversaries of the business, to see our men. With these, in the first place, they wished to make disputes about the petitions, saying, "There are chapters which ought to be corrected." Our men said it was not in their power to do this: "If you wish to do it, thanks be to God; if you do not wish to do it, we have come, we have greeted you, we pass on." After these words they departed. On another day they assembled again, speaking the same things; and before they had set forth the substance of their words—where no intention has been provoked, no wrong has followed—suddenly a maddened populace rushed upon him [John], and the bishops killed two boys, they even broke the bishop's head in two parts and crushed his loins, and, had not the mercy of God and the protection of the basilica of Saint Mark snatched them out of their hands, they would have perished there. They were nevertheless freed, as it is said, because the public force came up which was able to rescue them. These things and the contrivances of these men the malice of Dorotheus fabricated; for two days before our men arrived at Thessalonica he baptized over two thousand, and dispensed so many sacraments among the people, such as might suffice them for the times, signifying to the common folk that the right faith was being changed. How could these things not have stirred up the people? Whom did these things not invite to sedition? After this he even tore up, before the people, the very petition which he had drawn up with the bishops, saying, "I will never do this even unto my own death, nor do I consent to those who do it." They also killed John, the venerable catholic, who had received us when we came into his house, who had always been separated from the communion of Dorotheus on account of the council of Chalcedon: on whom they inflicted such a death as those inflicted who killed Saint Proterius. These things came to the most clement emperor, and almost in the whole city there was mourning among the catholics on account of such crimes as had occurred. The holy clemency promises to avenge and to cast out Dorotheus, because we testified to his piety, saying, "By no reasoning can the most blessed pope receive Dorotheus among the bishops or into the communion of the apostolic see"; and, on the contrary, that those who shall have wished to receive him into their communion should know themselves to be guilty by ecclesiastical authority. These things we have hastened to report to the notice of your Beatitude, so that nothing may lie hidden from you of what is done in these parts. Received on the fourth day before the Kalends of December [28 November], in the consulship of Eutharicus.

Magna est dei misericordia et inaestimabilia eius iudicia, qui nihil occultum dimittit, ut probetur uniuscuiusque con- scientia. Borotfaeus Thessalonicensis non nouus apparuit nec ad praesens factum se demonstrauit quem olim uera praedi- cabat opinio. iste semper in malis suis desideriis inuolutus data occasione exercuit quod contra fidem catholicam semper 2 parturibat scelus. in aliis litteris significauimus beatitudini uestrae, quo ordine transeuntes Thessalonicam libellos non potuimus suscipere; erat tamen constitutum post ordinationem sanctae ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae unum ex nobis ad ipsum dirigere, quia hoc spera<ra>t praedictus, ut unus ex nobis post libellos susceptos cum ipso missas teneret, quasi testimonio habens in generalitate se ad unitatem sedis apostolicae esse 3 coniunctum. etsi tardo, factum est tamen, ut uenerabilem lohannem episcopum ad ipsum dirigeremus; directus est cum ipso ex communi electione Epipfaanius presbyter germanus uenerabilis Inlustris episcopi; erat cum ipsis et Licinius 4 comes scolae ex ordinatione clementissimi imperatoris. qui Licinius tamen cum prius pro alia causa Thessalonicam esset directus, congregata synodo de paroecia ecclesiae Thessaloni- censis ibi est inuentus <ex>spectans secundum promissionem unum ex nobis. uoluerunt ipso praesente libellos facere et subsciibere. quodfactum est: signauit ipsos libellos praedictus uir, ueniens Constantinopolim factum nuntiauit; dicebatur 225* DaL a. 519 medio uel exeunte mense Octobr, (per PaiUinumy); accepta die 28 Nou. Edd^Car. P 514; Bar, ad a. 519, 128; Collect, Concil; Thiel 898, 2 diac V 7 factum se F: factum sed a, unde factu8 sed o, factus sed <se> Car. 9 eiseruit Hiiel 10 parturiebat o 11 thessalonica V, eorrexi 13 ado^ (c/. 18): id F 14 sperat F, correxii sperabat Car. unum F, corr. Car. 17 tarde o^ 19 presbyter. Germanus uenerabilis <et> lUnstris (illustris Bar.) episcopus erat interpolauit Car., cf. Beitr. 35 adn. 3 22 thessalonica F, corr. o» 24 spectans F, corr. cod. Angelic. 27 <et> ueniens Car. Epiet. CCXXV 1—8. 889 nobis ab apocrisiario Dorothei *iubete dirigere, qui libelloe snscipiat". deliberatum est, sicut praediximus, uenerabilem lohannem episcopum ambulare et, ut haberet testimonium subscriptionis illorum, rogauimus piissimum imperatorem, ut 5 et comes Licinius ambularet cum eo. quod et factum est. et 5 qiiia peruenerunt in ciuitatem, nuntiata est Dorotheo per comitem Licinium praesentia nostrorum. qui direiit Aristidem presbyterum cum aliis duobus episcopis, quos solus sciebat aduersarios esse negotii, ut nostros uideret. cum quibus »0 uoluerunt facere in primis cei-tamina de libellis dicentes *sunt capitula, quae debeant emendari". diierunt nostri non esse in potestate ipsorum hoc facere: *si uultis facere, deo gratias; si non uultis facere, uenimus, salutauimus uos, perambulamus'. discesserunt post ista uerba. ad aliam diem conuenerunt 6 iterum ista loquentes et, antequam propositionem uerborum fecissent, ubi non est intentio generata, non iniuria secuta est, subito populus insanus irruit super ipsum et duos pueros occiderunt episcopi, caput etiam fregerunt episcopo in duabus partibus et renes eius dissipauerunt et, nisi misericordia dei et defensio sancti Marci basilicae eruisset eos de manibus eorum, ibi perierant. liberati sunt tamen, quomodo dicitur, quia manus publica superuenit, quae eos eruere potuit. ista 7 et istomm concinnaraenta Dorothei maiitia fabricauit, qui ante biduum quam peruenirent nostri Thessalonicam super duo milia baptizauit, sacramenta tanta erogauit in populo, quae possint ipsis ad tempora suflicere, significans plebi, quia fides recta mutatur. ista quomodo non habuerant excitare populum? ista quem non inuitabant ad seditiunem? post hoc 8 et ipsum libellum, quem fecerat cum episcopis, ante populura scidit dicens 'ego istud usque ad mortem meam numquam 44* 690 Hoimisda Gerinano etc. facio nec facientibus consentio'. occidenint et lohannem uenerabilem catholicum, qui nos uenientes susceperat in domo sua, qui semper separatus fuit a communione Dorothei propter synodum Calcedonensem: in quo talem mortem exercuerunt, OquaJem illi <qui> sanctum Proterium occiderunt. ista ad 5 clementissimum imperatorem peruenerunt et prope in tota ciuitate catholicis luctus est propter talia quae contigerunt scelera. promittit sancta clementia uindicare et iactare Dorotheum, quia nos contestati sumus pietatem eius dicentes *nulla ratione Dorotheum inter episcopos aut in communione 10 sedis apostolicae potest beatissimus papa recipere' et contra, qui uoluerint eum in sua communione recipere, scire se esse lOreos auctoritate ecclesiastica. ista ad notitiam beatitudinis uestrae festinauimus referre, ut nihil uos lateat, quod in istis partibus agitur. Accepta IIII. Kal. Decbr. Eutharico cons. 15