Letter 145: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

John, my brother and fellow bishop, the prelate of the city of Nicopolis, together with his synod, complains that he is afflicted by various harassments and losses, because, having separated from the society of transgressors, when he merited communion with the apostolic see, he did not send the customary notice of his ordination to the church of Thessalonica. This omission might have been culpable if the mystery of the faith were one and the same among all. But since many have separated themselves from the solid rock that is Christ, who would not wish to be distinguished from the fellowship of those who err, so that he might be seen to be united with those who stand in the truth? Therefore, it is not custom that was neglected, but contamination that was avoided. How then can anyone charge error where he perceives a precaution wisely taken? Moreover, what you should have been the first to undertake, we believed you could at least have followed through the example of another. Is not the delay in your stumbling enough, without heaping the additional charge of envy upon those who return to the right path? What else do they hate but the very name of blessed Peter, given by the Lord — which cannot be hated without impiety — who pursue those who take refuge at the altars of his see? With what modesty, I ask, do you desire that the privileges of those whose commands you do not keep should remain in force for you, and that the reverence you do not show should be rendered to you under ecclesiastical authority? Even if you were standing on the same foundations on which Catholics rely, you ought still to avoid persecution of them, knowing that according to the teachings of our Lord and Savior, whom we worship, "whoever causes one of these little ones to stumble, it would be better for them to have a great millstone hung around their neck" [cf. Matthew 18:6]. Where, O Lord, is the humility which you taught on the occasion when your disciples were disputing about the quality of their rank? You show that he is greatest who has striven to show himself the least. "Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine that your right hand has planted" [cf. Psalm 80:14-15]; attend to those who are least in your commandments, and to those who are puffed up in the pursuit of honor! Why do you desire new things while abandoning the old, idle concerning the greatest matters and caring for the trivial? Is this not to tithe the worthless things and to despise the precepts of the law? Observe those things which are fitting to God, and those which are from men will easily follow. Rather, take up the care of salvation, and sigh with longing as to why another has preceded you in the truth: lest if you persist in persecuting those who return to the members of the Church, you too be counted among those whom the Catholic judgment condemns by name. Given on the day before the Ides of April [April 12], in the consulship of the most distinguished Agapitus [517 AD].

isdae papae ad Dorotheum episcopuin Thessalonicensem. a. 6i7 d. • ,, 12 April. Ne Johannem Nicopolitanum ultra facessere praesumat, Hormisda episcopus Dorotheo episcopo Thessalo- nicensi. Johannes frater et coepiscopus meus NicopoUtanae urbis s cum synodo sua variis se concussionibus atque dispendiis r causatur affligi, quod a transgressorum societate divisus, im communionem sedis apostolicae emeruit, ad Thessalonicen- icclesiam ordinationis suae indicia*) non direxit. Potuisset nis hic esse culpabiHs^-si unum esset inter omnes mysterium is. At quum multi se a petrae illius, quae Christus est, soli- diviserint, quis non velit ab errantium conjunctione discerni, eatur cum his qui consistunt in veritate conjungi? Non igi- isuetudo est neglecta, sed vitata contagia. Ergo objicere quis errorem, ubi cogitatam salubriter intelligit cautionem? At uod debueras primus assumere, credebamus te sequi saltem iena exempla potuisse. Non sufficit in lapsibus mora, nisi rehensionis cumulum circa eos quoque, qui ad viam redeunt, b invidia? Quid aliud, quam beati Petri, quod sine impietate •n potest, ipsum quod a Domino datum est nomen oderunt, i qui ad sedis ipsius altaria confugiunt insequuntur? Quo pudore, rogo, privilegia circa te illorum manere deside- lorum mandata non servas, et reverentiam (JUam non exhibes cupis tibi sub ecclesiastica potestate deferri? Si in iisdem is, quibus catholici nituntur, insisteres, insectationem tamen i vitare deberes, sciens secundum Domini nostri et Salvatoris, eolimus, instituta eum, qui scandalizaverit unum de minimis, Matth. am magnis esse peccatis. Ubi est, Domine, humilitas, quam ^|'^- 3casione discipulorum tuonmi certantium de loci qualitate ta G'. Alii omitt. per PuUionem suhdiaconum, Id. initia, Mox b neqlectus sic esse, al. omitt. hic. Tdeo autem culpabilis 8 neglectus, quia, ut coustituit Leo epist. 14 c. 6, provinciarum IDyrici )litani nonmsi cum Thessalonicensis antistitis notitia et consensa ordi- raut. a. 571. docuisti? Tu osteudis illum osse luaximum, qui exliibere studumt j^etie^'^® pusillum. Respice de coeio, vide: visHa vineam te cultore plaHia- Matth. /tf/;»; iuteude circa maudata tua miuimos^), et circa ambitum hono- *'^'^^' ris elatos! 3. Cur receutia cupitis, et prisca deseritis, circa summa desides et parva curautes? Noune hoc est rerum vilia decimare, et legis praecepta coutemuere ? Servate ^) illa , quae Deo congruuut, et facile ea quae suut ab homiuibus subsequuntur. Quin potius curam salutis assume, et cur te alius praeveuerit iu veritate, affectione suspira: ne si iusectari eos qui ad Ecclesiae revertuntur membra perstiteris, tu quoque cum his, quos nominatim coudemnat catholica sententia, copuleris. Data pridie Idus Aprilis, Agapito viro clarissimo consule.