Letter 172: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Commending myself most humbly at your most pious footsteps, I report concerning the synod of New Epirus [Roman province in the western Balkans], that they pretended to anathematize certain persons among themselves. They employed only this stratagem so that they might entrap us in their malice. But the divine Trinity, through your holy prayers, resisted them; and when they were caught in their malice, we were never able to persuade their archbishop to bend toward the path of truth and your commands. But now, when the most blessed and most holy lord bishops and deacons sent by your holy crown arrived, the most blessed Trojus, bishop of Scampis, went forth to meet them with all joy and torches; and, having presented the libellus [formula of submission] according to your instruction, they were immediately received in the peace of Christ, and they celebrated mass together with him in the city of Scampis. And the people of Lychnidus, seeing what the bishop of Scampis had done, in like manner followed suit. For while we were composing these letters, a magistrianus [imperial courier] arrived from the city of Constantinople, who announced that, by God's favor and your holy prayers, the people of Constantinople too had sent anathema upon Acacius, and celebrated Easter in peace. What follows now, let your intercession with God labor, that we may be found perfect servants of the apostolic see. I have sent, attached herewith for your piety, the letters which the aforementioned most blessed bishops dispatched to my humble self. Received on the above-mentioned day [April 22, 519 AD].

Beu Exemplum relationis Andreae episoopi Praevalitani. 22Aprn Frusira quosdam Epiri novi episcopoSy tnaxtme iUius arcldepiscopum , contra ^^^ ^' unitatem simulasse; Scampinum et Lignidonensem episcopos nec non Constantino- polilanos ad pacem rediisse; epistolas iUorum se hic adjungere. Domino semper meo beatissimo et apostolica sede intima veneratione praeferendo atque angeli- cis meritis coaequando patri patrum, papae Hormisdae Andreas. Commendans me humillime vestigiis vestris piissimis, indico propter synodum Epiri novi, quoniam finxerunt anathematizare intra^) semetipsos aliquas personas. Hoc tantummodo ingenio usi •)»Ita G'. Ed. ipsius, Mox G' a* gloriosa ... cum famulo meot b cc religiosa, omitt. deinde cum, Ubi haud dubitavimus corrigere confamulo meo, ex graeco airp^ovlm, quomodo antiquis familiare est sese vocare conservos^ condiaconos, consacerdotes et comministros. Leonem Augustum subscribunt metropolitanus Dyrrachinus, et episcopi Scam- pinus, Lignidi, Vallidi ApoUoniadis , Aulonae, et secundum superiorem obser- 85G S. nORMISDAE rAPAE a 519. simt; ut nos in sua malitia caperent. Quibus restitit divina Trinitag per vestras sanctas preces ; et quum deprehensi fuisscut in sua ma- litia, nunquam potuimus archiepiscopo suorum^) suadere, ut ad viam veritatis et ad vestra praecepta flecteretur '). Sed modo quum advenerunt beatissimi atque sanctissimi domini episcopi vel diacones directi a sancta corona vestra, occurrerunt illis Scampinus episcopus vir beatissimus Trojus cum omni gaudio et luminaribus: et, porrecto libello secundum vestram praeceptionem, statim recepti sunt in pace Christi, et missas celebraverunt cum ipso in Scampina civitate. Et videntes Lignidonenses *) quod fecit Scampinus, simili modo et ipsi secuti sunt. Nam dum istas litteras ordinaremus, supervenit ma- gistrianus de urbe Constantinopolitana , qui nuntiavi^, quia Deo propitio precibus sanctis vestris et Constantinopolitani miserunt ana- thema Acacio, et cum pace Pascha celebraverunt. Jam quid se- quatur, vestra intercessio apud Deum laboret, ut ad perfectum serri sedis apostolicae inveniamur. Epistolas vero, quas destinaverunt ad raeam humilitatem supra memorati viri beatissimi episcopi^), pietati vestrae junctas transmisi. Accepta die qua supra*).