Letter 151: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

John, most blessed man, the bishop of this royal city, and other reverend bishops found here from various places and cities, have informed our serenity that they have composed letters to be offered to your holiness for the concord of those who cultivate the true and orthodox faith, and for the unity of its venerable churches, and they have earnestly requested that our own written pages on this matter also be sent forth to you. We have willingly embraced their petitions, as ones always established as lovers of unity, and have judged that these sacred communications should be extended to your blessedness. Having been written to, may your holiness deign to attend to the desires of the aforementioned most reverend bishops, and to appease the heavenly majesty with its prayers on our behalf and on behalf of the republic, whose governance has been entrusted from heaven to our piety. Moreover, so that the rights of your holiness concerning peace, unity, and concord may be more fully made known, let your holiness arrange for certain most reverend priests who embrace and desire peace to come to our most sacred court. For this reason we have dispatched Gratus, the most distinguished count of our sacred consistory and master of the bureau of records, whose excellent reputation we have known for many years. Given on the seventh day before the Ides of September [September 7] at Constantinople, in the consulship of the most distinguished Magnus [518 AD].

Justini imperatoris ad Hormisdam papam. ii. oisd. 7Sept. 110. Synodi Constantinopolitanae litteris pro ecclesiarum pace ipse imperaior id peti- tug per Graium sacri consistorii comitem suas adjujigit, utque Hormisda propter hoc negotium legatos destinet, invitat. Justinus Augustus Hormisdae papae. Johannes vir beatissimus, hujus regiae^) urbis antistes, et ce- teri viri religiosi episcopi de diversis locis et civitatibus hic reperti, nostram serenitatem docuerunt, pro concordia veram et orthodoxam fidem colentium proque^) unitate venerabilium ejus ecclesiarum lit- teras tuae sanctitati offerendas confecisse, ac magnopere postula- runt, nostras etiam epistolares paginas super hoc ad eam emanare. Quorum petitiones, utpote semper unitatis amatores constituti ^), libenter amplexi, hos divinos apices ad tuam beatitudinem censui- mus prorogandos. Quibus scriptis, desideriis supradictorum reveren- dissimorum antistitum subvenire, proque nobis et republica, cujus gubernatio nostrae pietati coelitus credita est, supernam majestatem suis orationibus placare dignetur. Ut autem tuae sanctitatis pacis et imitatis atque concordiae jura plenius patefiant, quosdam religio- sissimos sacerdotes pacem amplectentes et deaiderantes ad sacratis- simiun nostrum pervenire disponat comitatum. Ob hanc enim cau- sam Gratum virum clarissimum sacri nostri consistorii comitem et die 9 repentina morte sublato, secundiim chronicon Alexandrinimi Julii 9 die im- perator renuntiatus est, quum teste Theodoro lectore pag. 565 a militia exorsus ad senatorium usque ordinem pervenisset, et in onmi vita egregius exstitisset. Evagrius h. e. IV, 2 scribit, eum summam pecuniae vim ab Amantio eunucho, ut Theocrito cuidam coronam imperialem conciliaret, accepisse, eaque pecunia sibimet seu populi suffragia seu excubitorum benevoleiitiam redemisse. Quodsi ita est, haec Justini dicta aegre a mendacio purgentur. Sed rem eamdem ita narrat Theophanes pag. 141 et 142, ut quae hic asserit Justinus, cum ejus narratione componere ac conciliare liceat. Hanc sacram per Alexandrum v. c. perlatam eese, ex Hormisdae epistola 45 huic rescripta colligitur. 42 *) b regiae sedis, •) b proque universitate : mendose. Non exstant hae episcoporum litterae, niai forte hic notetur sequens epistola, quam Johannes proprio nomine de- stinavit. ') Verbum constituti Bar. expunxit. Hoc Justini de se testimonium Theo- dorus lector pag. 605 confirmat. Eo quippe teste is imperator prius etiam, quam impeni regimcn susciperet, rectae fidei cultor erat ardentissimus. .\ a. 518. magistrum scrinii*) memoriae direximus, cujus praeclaram opinio- nem multis antea notam habemus temporibus. Data VII Jdos Se- ptembris Constantinopoli, Magno viro clarissimo consule.