Letter 109: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

So that what has happened regarding Paul, the most reverend man, may be made known to your apostolate — who, having been endowed with the priesthood of the city of Antioch, is said to have conducted himself in many matters that are foreign to religious bishops, such that he is accused not only by the denunciation of his own clergy and of the inhabitants of the said city, and moreover by the charges of other frequent complainants, not only while the legates of your holiness were stationed in this royal city — so that we deemed it right to retain them too — but also after their departure: this man, overcome by the testimony of his own guilty conscience and moreover terrified lest, if an inquiry were held, the outcome of the matter might demand a harsher form, offered petitions of resignation, so that he might be permitted to withdraw from the office of the episcopate which he had undertaken, as has been stated. Since, therefore, it is and has been close to our heart that the bishops of cities should always be in the common love of all those whose souls they are believed to have received for governance, and since Paul, the most reverend man, of his own accord, as we have mentioned, abdicated his priesthood, we have deemed it right to send the present letter [...] so that it may be opened to you, and may you deign to obtain heavenly protection for us with your own prayers.

lusTiNus AUGUSTUS HORMiSDAE rAPAB. Ut quod in Paulo uiro reuerentissimo contigit apostolatui uestro patefiat, qui sacerdotio praeditus Antiocbenae ciuitatis ita uersatus esse m 1 po8t praesuscepte lacuna^n 11 fere litte)'arum reliquit V, praesus- cepta <argunienta> snnt BuU. Taur.; fortasse talia aliqua excideruntprsie' susceptae <spe8 operante clementia expletae^' sunt 9 transcribuntur V. corr. edit. reg. 14 filiis nostris F, corr. 15 luctumina dis- siciat Vj con\ 16 compescant F, corr. 17 epifanio V 19 apri- lis V 20 8q. uerba gesta . . habemus quae collectoris sunt litteris minusculis V man, 1 in noua linea scripsit tvaiapolitani V 241. Bat. (simul cum ep. 242) a. 521 die 1 Mai. Edd. Car. P 562; Bar. ad o. 521 37; Collect. Concil.; Thiel 983. 25 predictus V, corr. p Epist. CCXXXX 3 — CCXXXI 2. 741 dicitur in multis causis, quae religiosis alienae sunt episcopis. ut clericoi*um suorum proditione, habitatorum etiam dictae ciuitatis, aliorum insuper frequentium incusetur, non tantum legatis uestrae sanctitudinis in hac regia positis urbe, ut 5 ipsos quoque retinere censemus, uerum post eorum recessum : qui malae conscientiae suae uictus testimonio, territus insuper ne quaestione habita grauiorem formam exitus rei posceret, recusatorios libellos obtulit, ut liceret ei secedere a suscepto, sicut dictum est, episcopatus officio. quoniam igitur cordi 2 10 nobis et est et fuit, ut semper ciuitatum antistites in amore sint omnium communi, quorum regendas <accepisse> creduntur animas, Paulus autem uir reuerentissimus ultro se suo, prout memorauimus, abdicauit sacerdotio, praesentem epistolam duximus dirigendam « « uobis aperiatur et orationibus propiiis 15 caeleste nobis praesidium digneris acquirere. Data Kal. Mai. Constantinopoli lustiniano et Ualerio uu. cc. conss.