Letter 110: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

We desire indeed to write more frequent letters to your blessedness and to enjoy the affection of brotherly charity, but now, wishing your holiness not to be unaware of what has happened, we have made use of the present writings. For through many disturbances and no small space of time, the greatest city of Antioch, which is the first in the eastern diocese, was beset by circumstances arising from the fact that Paul, the God-beloved bishop, held the episcopate of the said city, and from the fact that many of the inhabitants of the city itself, as some have said, separating themselves from the catholic church and pressing continual petitions upon our most tranquil and most faithful emperor and begging that an investigation of the matters which were being brought as accusations be made public — matters which indeed took their beginning long ago, as it did not escape the God-beloved legates sent by your holiness when they were residing in the royal city, who learned all things about these matters. The aforesaid God-beloved Paul, therefore, thinking this would be to his advantage, chose through written petitions of his own the abandonment of the designated city and the episcopate, and showed that he preferred universal quiet and alienation from the affairs. All of which we know that the Christ-loving emperor has also made known to your reverence. But now what is more precious to us all, and about which we are most concerned night and day — the good news about the God-beloved legates sent by the most loving emperor and by us to your blessedness, carrying glad tidings of the God-befriending peace and announcing the unity of the holy churches adorned with every beauty — we ask you to deign to send them back to us as quickly as possible, so that, as we have often written, there may be heavenly profit from this present cause for those who are the authors of swift and good correction, most blessed and most holy brother. All the brotherhood in Christ that is with your blessedness, we and those with us greet you for many years.

EXEMPLUM RELATIONIS EPIPHANII EPISCOPI CONSTANTINOPOLITANI. PER OMNIA SANCTISSIMO ET BEATISSIMO DOMINO FRATRI ET 20 coiJiiNiSTRATORi HORMiSDAB EPiPHANius. Frequentiores quidem litteras facere ad uestram beatitudinem et frui alfectu fraternae caritatis optamus, nunc autem ea quae euenerunt cupientes uestram sanctimoniam non latere praesentibus usi sumus scriptis. multis enim et non paruo spatio temporis perturba- 2 2 5tionibus Antiochiae maximam ciuitatem, quae est in dioecesi Orientali prima, circumstantibus sub occasione, quia Paulus 6 ueritue Car. 11 creduntur V: acceperunt 5ar.; ego inserui accepisse (suscepisse Thiel, curare Hartel) 14 lacunatn indicaui: ut inseruit Car., quod non sufficit; excidit ut quid factum sit uel simile quid 15 maias con- stantinopolim V, corr. p 16 vvc cons V 242, Dat. ut ep. 9.41. Edd. Car. P 562; CoUect. Concil ; Thiel 984; comtnemorat Bar. ad a. 521 38. 18 exejip V 23 uisi F, corr. 25 diocesi V 742 lustinianus Hormisdae aniabilis deo episcopatiim meraoratae liabiiit chiitatis, et miiltis urbis ipsius habitatorum, sicut dixerunt aliqui, a catliolica ecclesia sese separantibus et assiduas interpellationes tranquillissimo et fidelissimo priocipi nostro ingerentibus et eorura, quae in accusationera ducebantur, inquisitionem 5 supplicantibus fieri raanifestara (quae quidem initium olim sumpserunt, sicut nec directos a uestra sanctitate deo amabiles legatos latuit, cum in regia degerent ciuitate, agnoscentes 3 super his omnia) : memoratus ergo amabilis deo Paulus prod- esse sibi hoc existimans per libellos proprios designatae lo ciuitatis desertionem et episcopatus elegit et uniuersalem quietem et Ca> causis alienationem se praefeiTe monstrauit. quae omnia et araabilera Christo principera nostrurn manifesta 4 reuerentiae uestrae fecisse nouimus. sed nunc omnibus nobis pretiosius et de quo raaxime noctibus et diebus bonum nuntium de his qui f amantissimo principe et a nobis directos ad uestram beatitudinera deo amabiles legatos laetos amicam deo pacem nuntiantes et omni pulchritudine decoram unitatem sanctarum ecclesianim annuntiantes quam cito ad nos destinare dignamini, ut praesentis causae, sicut saepe scripsimus. sit 20 caele^te lucrum his, qui in celeritate sunt bonae con-ectionis 5 auctores, beatissime et sanctissime frater. oninem, quae est cum tua beatitudine in Christo fraternitas, et nos et qui nobiscum sunt multis salutamus annis. 2 mnltis . .habitatorum 8cripsi'. multorum . . habitatorum F. id quod uix recte Thielim trihuit interpreti genetiui dbsoluti Graeci nimis tenaci; multis . . habitatoribus 3 sese o^: esse V 12 a addit Labh, 14 sqq. locus corruptus; omnibus bonis pretiosius . . diebus <solliciti eu- mu8> bonum nuntium detis atque <ab> amantissimo . . dignemini Thiel; omnibus nobis pretiosius est, de quo maxime noctibus et diebus - aiixii sumus, audire/ bonum nuntium de his qui ♦ *. • quare ab> amantissimo Hariel 17 letoa F, del, 0 18 omnia pulchr. decora F, corr. Thiel Epist. CCXXXXII 3 — ccxxxxmi 1. 743