Letter 173: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

We do not wonder that all things have turned out favorably for us through the prayers of your apostleship, knowing that your prayer labors for us more than our own ministry. For the entire course of the ecclesiastical affair unfolded in such a way that there can be no doubt that a miracle of blessed Peter occurred at every stage: first, because we found such ardor of religion among those who hold high office, that Vitalian [powerful Chalcedonian general], Pompejus [nephew of Emperor Anastasius], and Justinian [future emperor] came to meet us at the tenth milestone, and did not consider it beneath them to glory in our arrival with thanksgiving to you; second, because there was such great devotion even among the common people, that the greatest part of the populace awaited our arrival with candles and with praises for you. Under this solemnity, therefore, on Monday of Holy Week, we arrived at Constantinople safe and joyful, and on the following day, having been presented to the most pious emperor, we were so refreshed by his kindness that, even if nothing else had preceded it, the grace of the most pious emperor alone would have sufficed for our comfort; but through your prayers, greater things followed. For on that day, in the presence of the entire senate, four bishops also attended, whom John, the bishop of Constantinople, had sent to represent his side, and we showed them the libellus [formula of submission] of the apostolic see, and we proved that everything in it was right and canonical. Finally, on Thursday — that is, at the Lord's Supper [Maundy Thursday] — the bishop came to the palace in a general assembly, and having read the libellus, he consented and subscribed with the utmost devotion. Who could describe how great the joy of both the emperor and the senate was, what tears joy produced there, what cries the whole assembly and clergy sent forth, whether in praise of the emperor or of your see? These things cannot be set forth in a report, but we leave to your consideration and to the bearer what we cannot express in words. From the palace we proceeded to the church with the greatest solemnity, so that the solemn celebration of communion might also confirm the concord of faith and hearts. It can scarcely be believed what weeping of those who rejoiced, what immensity and outpouring of the crowds there was: the throng itself marveled at its own joy. Nor could it be doubted that a heavenly hand was present, which bestowed such unity upon the world. We report that the name of the transgressor Acacius, anathematized, was erased from the ecclesiastical diptychs [liturgical registers] before our eyes, as well as those of the other bishops who followed him in communion. The names of Anastasius [emperor, d. 518] and Zeno [emperor, d. 491] were likewise removed from recitation at the altar. Peace has been restored to the minds of Christians through your prayers: the whole Church is of one soul, one joy; only the enemy of the human race mourns, shattered by the assault of your prayer. Pray that a similar felicity may illuminate the church of Antioch as well, concerning whose bishop the deliberation still seems to waver, since amid the diverse wishes of the people, the choice of a person has not been settled. We trust, however, that through the prayers of your blessedness, a worthy ordination for that church too will swiftly come about, so that the peace begun in your time may be equally directed throughout the whole world, and with all regions coming together in apostolic communion and faith, the Church may be perfectly connected in all its members to its head, as it once was.

seu (a. 519 d. Suggestio Germani et JohaHnis episcoponim, Feliois et Dioscori 22 ADril ) ^ ' diacononim et Blandi presbyteri. Quanio cum honore Constantinopoli suscepti, guanto cum gaudio ipsa feria V p. majoris hehdomadae secundum l/ormisdae votum huic ecclesiae pax reddiia sit, exponunt. Similia ecclesiae Antiochenae precanda. 1. Non miramur apostolatus vestri precibus cimcta nobis pro- spera successisse, scientes, quod amplius nostro ministerio vestra vationem Praevalitanus. Atqui ex liis papae yoluntati ac votis ex animo con- sonserunt episcopi Scampinus et Lignidensis cum IVaevalitano. Restat igitDr« ut si qua iictio fuerit, in rcliquos aut in eorum aliquem cadat. Nominatim vero archiepiscopus ipse mox notatur, cui, ut ex verbis opist. 59 n. 1 coigeciun est, morem gerebat episcopus Aulonitanua. • •'') b cc verteretur. EPISTOLAE G3. 64. 857 pro nobis elaboret oratio. Ita enim totus se ecclesiastici negotii (a 519.) tulit eventus, ut dubitari non possit beati Petri per singula prove- nisse miraculum: primum quod tantum in ipsis, qui dignitate fun- guntur, invenimus religionis ardorem, ut VitalianuS; Pompejus et Justinianus nobis occurrerent in decem millibus, et de adventu nostro cum vestra gratiarum actione gloriari non arbitrarentur indignum; deinde quod tanta fuit etiam in plebe devotio, ut pars maxima po- pulorum cum cereis simul et laudibus vestris nostrum praestolaretur adventum. Sub hac itaque celebritate secunda feria hebdomadae majoris Constantinopolim sospites hilaresque convenimus, posteroque die piissimo principi praesentati; tanto ejus relevati sumus aflfectu, ut si alia ijpnime praecederent , sola nobis ad solatium piissimi prin- cipis gratia suffecisset; sed orationibus vestris majora secuta sunt. Nam eo di6 sub senatus cuncti praesentia episcopi quoque quatuor adfuerunt, quos Johannes Constantinopolitanus antistes pro partis suae defensione transmiserat, quibus apostolicae sedis libellura osten- dimuS; omniaque in eo recta^) canonicaque esse probavimus. 2. Postremo quinta feria, hoc est in coena Domini, ad pala- tium in generali conventu venit episcopus, et perlecto libello con- sentiens cum summa devotione subscripsit. Quis explicet, quanta illic principis pariter ac senatus laetitia fuerit, quas ibi lacrymas gaudia pepererint, quas voces vel in laudem principis vel in sedis vestrae, totius coetus et cleri favor emisit? Explicari haec relatione uon possunt, sed considerationi vestrae portitorique relinquimus, quod eloqui non valemus. A palatio in ecclesiam summa cum cele- britate pervenimus, ut fidei animorumque concordiam sollemnis com- munionis ^) quoque celebritas roboraret. Vix credi potest, quis fletus laetantium, quae immensitas fuerit exuudatioque populorum: ipsa suam laetitiam turba mirabatur. Nec dubitari poterat, manum ad- fuisse coelestem, quae talem mundo contulit unitatem. Acacii prae- varicatoris anathematizati nomen de diptychis ecclesiasticis , sed et ceterorum episcoporum, qui eum iu communione secuti sunt, sub ' nostro conspectu significamus erasos. Anastasii quoque ac Zenonis nomina similiter ab altaris recitatione submota. Pax est orationibus vestris Christianoram mentibus reddita: una totius est Ecclesiae auima, una laetitia; solus luget humani generis inimicus, vestrae precis expugnatione collisus. 3. Orate, ut Antiochenam quoque similis felicitas illustret ecclesiam, de cujus antistite adhuc tractatus nutare conspicitur; quoniam inter diversa vota populorum de personae electione non constat. Credimus tamen, quod precibus bejititudinis vestrae de ipsa 64 *) G* a* recte canonica esse^ et inferius perlectum lihellum. (a.5l9.) quoque velociter ordinatio digna proveniat, ut eoepta pax tempori- bus vestris per omnem mundum pariter dirigatut, et cunctis m apostolicam partibus communionem fidemque convenientibus per- fecte, sicut pridem fuerat, omnibus membris capiti suo connectatur Ecclesia.