Letter 153: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

The desirable time, which we longed for with the deepest prayers, the divine mercy, looking upon the sorrows of the human race, has deigned to bestow, so that all Catholics and those perfectly faithful to God might be able to commend themselves to his majesty. Therefore I have sent these letters to your apostleship, now that free liberty has been granted to me by the benefit of heaven. For our lord the invincible emperor, always embracing the orthodox religion with the most ardent faith and desiring to recall the most sacred churches to concord, as soon as he attained the imperial insignia by heavenly judgment, announced to the bishops stationed here that the churches should be united according to apostolic rules. And indeed a great part of the matter of faith has been settled with God as author; concerning only the name of Acacius [patriarch of Constantinople, d. 489], it is fitting to begin with the consent of your blessedness. For this reason our most serene lord the emperor has sent to your holiness Gratus, the distinguished man and our close friend, with imperial correspondence, so that your holiness might deign in every way to come to Constantinople to settle the remaining matters of concord. But without any delay we await your arrival; if some tardiness perhaps detains what ought to be done, let your holiness at least hasten to send suitable priests, for the whole world in our regions, having turned to unity, does not tolerate delays. Hasten therefore, most holy lords, lest in your absence matters that ought to be arranged in the presence of the presiding authority be left unattended. For we know what the letters of your blessedness and of your predecessors directed to the East contain concerning this same matter. Moreover, so that nothing may be overlooked, the matter of religion has also been entrusted to our son, the distinguished Gratus, for this frequently mentioned cause, with the favor of our Lord Jesus Christ.

rustiiiiani comitis ad Hormisdam papam^ missa per eumdem ^^ g^e^^^f Oratum imperatoris legatum. De imperatoris soUicitudine pro concordia ecclesiarum nuntiat, utque Hormisda Constantinopolim vel ipse se conferre vel legatos destinare non differat, rogat. Justinianus comes Hormisdae papae. Desiderabile tempus, quod summis votis optavimus, divina cle- aentia; dolores generis humani respiciens, largiri dignata est, quo •rnnes catholici et Deo perfecte fideles majestati ejus se valeant com- aendare. Idcirco has ad apostolatum vestrum, libera licentia jam oihi beneficio coelesti indulta, direxi. Dominus etenim noster in- ictissimus imperator orthodoxam religionem semper amplectens brdentissima fide, cupiensque sacrosanctas ecclesias ad concordiam evocare, mox ut adeptus est coelesti judicio infulas principales, Acerdotibus hic positis denimtiavit, ut pro regulis apostolicis uniren- or ecclesiae. Et magna quidem pars fidei^) est composita Deo kuctore; de nomine tantummodo Acacii vestrae beatitudinis convenit »rdiri^) consensum. Quam ob causam dominus noster serenissimus ') Leonis nomen a Timotheo e sacris diptychis sublatum esse id argumento »t; nam hoc nefas a Macedonio, in crgus sedem is Timotheus invaserat, nemo rediderit admisBum. Thrist. tom. I pag. 434 sq.). Hinc confirmatur, quod Pagius ad annum 518 n. 1 >robat, frustra a nonnullis Florentium Magno coUegam a(^'ungi. 14 0 b omitt. fidei. EPI8T0LAB BOMAN. PONTIF. I. 53 (a. 518.) princeps Gratum yirum sublimem^ unanimem mihi amicum, cimi paginis augustis ad sanetitatem tuam transmisit, ut modis omnibus dignetur Constantinopolim ad reliqua concordiae componenda Tenire. Sed absque quadam^) dilatione vestrum exspectamus adventimi, quem si qua tarditas, quo fieri debet, forsitan retinuerit, interim vel sacerdotes idoneos destinare festinet, quia totus mundus partiiiin nostrarum conversus ad unitatem moras non patitur. Aceelerate ergo, domini sanctissimi, ne vobis absentibus, quae debent*) prae- sidentibus, ordinari. Scimus etenim litteras vestrae beatitudinis et antecessorum vestrorum ad Orientem directas, quid super hac eadem causa contineant. Ut autem nihil praetermittatur, propter causam saepius memoratam ad^) invictissimum regem religionis quoque ne- gotium filio vestro viro subUmi Grato est injunctum, favente Domino nostro Jesu Christo.