Letter 175: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Know that what was long sought with the greatest zeal has been accomplished for us, most devout father; know that it has been made manifest even before those sent by you arrived: that John, the most blessed bishop of our new Rome, together with his clergy, are of one mind with you, wavering in no ambiguities, divided by no discords; know that the libellus [formula of submission] has been subscribed by him, the one you had judged should be presented, conforming to the counsel of the most holy fathers. All hasten with eager effort to embrace the desires of both your see and that of Constantinople, whom the flashing splendor of truth illuminates; all hurry most willingly, whom the bright path delights; they follow the most holy decrees of the fathers, the most proven laws: and with the counsels of certain ones confirmed, who held the right path, and the errors of others corrected, who wandered uncertain, the matter is brought to this point: that they themselves may worship the unity of the undivided Trinity with unity of minds as well. It has been decreed that among the sacred mysteries no memorial shall henceforth be made, according to the tenor of the libellus which we have mentioned, of Acacius, the transgressor, formerly bishop of this royal city, nor of other priests who either were the first to act against apostolic decrees or became successors of error and were corrected by no repentance to their last day. And since all our regions must be admonished to imitate the example of the royal city, we have decreed that imperial edicts be dispatched everywhere: so greatly do we burn with the duty of religion, so greatly do we aspire with zeal for the peace of the Catholic faith, for the sake of repaying from heaven the peace of our republic, for the sake of securing divine protection for my subjects. For what can be found more welcome, what more just, what more illustrious, than that those whom the same realm contains and the worship of the same faith illuminates should not contend in different directions, but with minds gathered together in the same purpose, venerate institutions established not by human mind but by the wisdom of the divine Spirit? Let the holiness of your religion therefore pray that what is being procured with sleepless zeal for the concord of the churches of the Catholic faith, the help of the divine gift may deign to preserve in perpetual continuance. Given on the tenth day before the Kalends of May [April 22] at Constantinople [519 AD].

seu Sacra Justini ad Homxisdam papam. ?■• ^^^^ ^- 22April. 2. Omnia Constaniinopoli secundum Hormisdae votum ordinata, ac generalia praecepta in ceteras regiones eadem de causa deslinanda a se edicta esse, nuntiat. Victor Justinus, pius, felix, inclitus, triumphator semper Augustus, Hormisdae sanctissimo ac beatissimo archiepiscopo et patriarchae. Scias effectum^) nobis, pater religiosissime, quod diu summis studiis quaerebatur; noyeris patefactum, antequam advenerint qui a vobis destinati sunt: quod Johannes vir l^eatissimus aiitistes novae Romae nostrae-) una cum clero ejus vobiscum sentiunt, nullis varian- tes ambiguitatibus, nuUis divisi dicordiis; scias libellum ab eo sub- Polyc. studiis paiet siriciumy Ans. XII, 31 a/fectu ... sludiis occultabaiur paiefacium et antequam .., a nobis . . . clero vobis consentiunt . . , Judicaveras. Negatum est ab eis memoriam etc. ') Ita Q* J i* a^. c* c' noster, al. ed. vestrne. \ a. 519. scriptum^), quem offerendum iudicaveras, sanctissimorum patrum concilio*) congruentem. Omnes concurrunt alacri opere ad snsci- pienda vota tam vestrae^) quam Constantinopolitanae sedis, quos veritatis coruscus fulgor illuminat; omnes accelerant libentissime, quos oblectat via dilucida ; sequuntur scita patrum sanctissima, leges probatissimas : et consiliis quorumdam firmatis, qui rectum tenebant tramitem, aliorum correctis, qui vagabantur incerti, in eo res col- ligitur, ut unitatem individuae Trinitatis ipsi quoque unitate*) colant mentium. Negatum est inter divina mysteria memoriam in poete- rum fieri pro tenore libelli, . quem diximus, Acacii praevaricatoris quondam regiae urbis hujus episcopi, nec non et aliorum sacerdo- tum, qui vel primi contra constituta venerunt apostolica vdsucces- sores erroris facti sunt et nuUa usque ad ultimum diem sumn poeni- tentia correcti. Et quoniam omnes nostrae") regiones admonendae sunt, ut exemplum imitentur civitatis regiae, destinanda ubique principalia praecepta ediximus^)-, tanto flagramus religionis officio, tanto affectamus studio pacem catliolicae fidei pro remuneranda coelitus pace nostrae reipublicae, pro conciliando subjectis meis supemo praesidio. Quid enim gratius reperiri potest, quid justias, quid illustrius, quam quos idem regnum continet ejusdemque fidei cultus irradiat, eos non diversa contendere, sed collectis in eodem sensibus iustituta venerari non huraana mente lata^) sed divini pru- dentia Spiritus? Oret igitur vestrae religionis sanctitas, ut quod pervigili studio pro concordia ecclesiarum catholicae fidei procuratur, divini muneris opitulatio jugi perpetuitate servari annuat. Data^*) X Calendas Maji Constantinopoli.