Letter 221: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

We pay the dues of greeting to your blessedness, as is fitting, and hope that the Divinity may cause this page to be reviewed by your venerable eyes, and may deign to grant salutary increases to your life for the vigor of his Church, so that by your watchful care the state of the Church may be vindicated against its adversaries and rabid dogs. For indeed, venerable father, that you bear care for the integrity of our faith befits the vicars of the glorious apostle Peter, to whom the Lord enjoined the office of feeding the sheep. Let your holy concern for us therefore know that we hold more firmly the immovable firmness of right faith: for which, lest its sanctity be violated, we have resisted until now. Moreover, what your apostleship commanded to be cared for on account of so great a cause of piety, insofar as we were able, by our own strength we have not ceased to admonish the adversaries with a spirit of gentleness, and with God's grace cooperating with us... [the remainder is lost].

^^9 Jid.^' Julianae Aniciae ad Hormisdam papam. «^^* X \ Pontificem salutans, ejus sedulitatem circa fidem laudat, et quomodo ipta studHs 17 oept.) . j .^ '^ ' ejus respondertt exponU. Domino beatissimo atque apostolicae sedisproba- tissimo pontifici Hormisdae papae patri Ju- liana Anicia. Quae prima sunt, tuae beatitudinis salutationis obsequia persol- vimus, optantes, ut hanc paginam tuis venerandis obtutibus Divinitas faciat recenseri, et pro suae Ecclesiae vigore augmenta salutaria vestRie vitae suffragari dignetur, quatenus te pervigili possit contra adversos et rabidos canes status Ecclesiae vindicari. Etenim, venerabilis pater, quod de nostrae fidei integritate curam geris, vicariis gloriosi Petri apostoli ista conveniunt, cui Dominus pascendarum ovium injuniit officium. Cognoscat ergo tua pro nobis sancta soUicitudo, nos fir- mius tenere rectae fidei firmitatem immobilem: pro qua ne ejusvio- laretur sanctimonia, hactenus repugnavimus. Quod vero tuus apo- cp. 85. stolatus pro tantae pietatis causa curam ferre praecepit, in quantum potuimus, pro uostris viribus non desivimus spiritu lenitatis adversos admonere, et Dei nobis gratia cooperante .... (deest reiiquwn.J