Letter 28
Hormisdas→Dorotheus, of Thessalonica|hormisdas
From: Hormisdas, Pope of Rome
To: Dorotheus, Bishop of Thessalonica
Date: ~517 AD
Context: A pointed letter defending Bishop John of Nicopolis, who had returned to communion with Rome but was being harassed by the bishop of Thessalonica for not submitting the customary notification of his ordination — a revealing case of competing jurisdictional claims.
Hormisdas to Dorotheus, Bishop of Thessalonica.
John, my brother and fellow bishop, the head of the church of Nicopolis, together with his synod, has lodged a serious complaint. He reports that since separating from the company of those in error and earning communion with the apostolic see, he has been subjected to various forms of harassment and financial loss — all because he did not send notification of his ordination to the church of Thessalonica.
This neglect might have been culpable if there were one shared bond of charity among all parties. But since many have cut themselves off from the solidity of that rock which is Christ, who would not prefer to be in communion with those who remained faithful, rather than to comply with the demands of those who left?
I ask you to consider your own position carefully. A man who pressures those who have returned to the faith is working against the very unity he should be promoting. Cease this harassment. Let Bishop John serve his flock in peace.
HORHISDA DOROTHEO EPISGOPO THESSALONICENSI. lohauneS
frater et coepiscopus meus Nicopolitanae urbis antistes cum synodo sua uariis se concussionibus atque dispendiis gi'auiter causatur affligi, quod a transgressorum societate diuisus, postquam communionem apostolicae sedis emeruit, ad Thes- salonicensium ecclesiam ordinationis suae indicia non direxit. 2 potuisset neglectus hic esse culpabilis, si unum esset inter omnes mysterium caritatis. at cum multi se a petrae illius, quae Christus est, soliditate diuiserint, quis non uelit ab
1 uulgo non ante sed post recolite plenitis interpunxerunt 2 impru- dens V, corr. praesumptio p^: sumpcio V 7 capud V 9 con-
siliis Car. 11 sintillam V 12 estucia F, corr. o 14 aufficiat Car, 18 aprilis F
188« Dat. (simul cum epp. 127, 134, 135) a. 517 die 12 Apr. Edd. Bar. ad a. 517, 39; Collect. Concil; BTA I 405; Thiel 8ll. 21 artistes F, corr. o 24 tessalonicensiuni V 28 solliditate F diuiserit F, corr. p
Epist. cxxxn 4 — cxxxni 7.
555
erraDtium coniunctione discerni, ut mereatur cum his, qui coDsistunt in ueritate, coniungi? non igitur consuetudo est ueglecta sed uitata contagia. ergo obicere quis possit errorem, ubi cogitatam salubriter iDtellegit cautiouem? at nos, quod 3
5 debueras primus adsumere, credebamus te sequi saltem post aliena exempla potuisse. dod sufiicit in lapsibus mora, uisi ad reprehensioDis cumulum circa eos quoque, qui ad uiam redeuDt, accedat iDuidia? quid aliud quam beati Fetri, quod siue impietate dici non potest, ipsum quod a domino datum
10 est Domen oderunt, qui eos, qui ad sedis ipsius altaria con- fugiunt, insequuntur? quo pudore, rogo, priuilegia circa te 4 illorum manere desideras, quorum mandata non seruas, et reuerentiam, quam non exhibes fidei, cupis tibi sub ecclesia- stica potestate deferri? si in isdem uestigiis, quibus catholici
15 nituntur, insisteres, insectationem tamen proximi uitare deberes sciens secundum domini nostri et saluatoris, quae colimus, instituta eum, qui scandalizauerit unum de minimis. obDoxium maguis esse peccatis. ubi est, domiue, humilitas, 5 quam sub occasioue discipulorum tuorum certautium de loci
20 qualitate docuisti? tu osteudis illum esse maximum, qui ex- hibere studuerit se pusillum. respice de caelo et uide, uisita uineam te cultore plautatam, inteDde circa maDdata tua minimos et circa ambitum hoDoris elatos! cur receDtia 6 cupitis et prisca deseritis, circa summa desides et parua
25curaDtes? doddc hoc est rerum uilia decimare et legis prae- cepta coDtemDere? seruate illa, quae deo coDgruunt, et facile ea, quae suut ab homiuibus, subsequuntur. quin potius curam 7 salutis adsume et, cur te alius praeuenerit in ueritate, alfec- tione suspira, ne si insectari eos, qui ad ecclesiae reuertentur
17 Matth. 18. 6 19 cf. Matth. 18, 1 20 cf. Matth. 18, 4 21 cf. Psalm. 79, 15 sq. 25 cf. Matth. 23, 23
hisdem V uestigiis ex uestigia V catholice F, corr. 16 quae V:
quem o 18 pecatis V 20 exibere V 22 cultorem V, corr. o
556
Hormisda Ennodio et Peregrino
membra, perstiteris, tu quoque cum his, quos nominatim condemnat catholica sententia, copuleris. Data pridie Id. April. Agapito cons.
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From: Hormisdas, Pope of Rome
To: Dorotheus, Bishop of Thessalonica
Date: ~517 AD
Context: A pointed letter defending Bishop John of Nicopolis, who had returned to communion with Rome but was being harassed by the bishop of Thessalonica for not submitting the customary notification of his ordination — a revealing case of competing jurisdictional claims.
Hormisdas to Dorotheus, Bishop of Thessalonica.
John, my brother and fellow bishop, the head of the church of Nicopolis, together with his synod, has lodged a serious complaint. He reports that since separating from the company of those in error and earning communion with the apostolic see, he has been subjected to various forms of harassment and financial loss — all because he did not send notification of his ordination to the church of Thessalonica.
This neglect might have been culpable if there were one shared bond of charity among all parties. But since many have cut themselves off from the solidity of that rock which is Christ, who would not prefer to be in communion with those who remained faithful, rather than to comply with the demands of those who left?
I ask you to consider your own position carefully. A man who pressures those who have returned to the faith is working against the very unity he should be promoting. Cease this harassment. Let Bishop John serve his flock in peace.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.