Letter 66: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Paulinus, an honorable man and defender, who brought your letter and, displaying in himself the virtues of your holiness, dwelt with us joyfully, contributed his diligence to our common counsels and actions. But since it was not fitting to detain him for a longer time when he was hastening to return to you, we therefore address your holiness with reciprocal greetings and commend the aforesaid man, worthy of your love, as a faithful servant who has remained steadfast. He will be a worthy and trustworthy narrator for your soul concerning the things that have been done by us and concerning the care which we exercise vigilantly for the holy churches. For we, relying upon the prayers of your holiness and the natural goodness of this matter, maintain the most watchful zeal, and with God cooperating, in very many places the word of grace runs its course without any opposition and leads our purpose to fulfillment. But since certain difficulties have arisen, it is fitting that those matters which are raised from here be set forth competently with governance and gentle disposition, as your holiness above all knows, and, as befits those who have been allotted the task of feeding the flocks of God, to both do and devise all things for the glory of God, having hope of salvation in him, and as it is written: "All things work together for good for those who love God" [Rom. 8:28]. For we strive, most holy one, to hold and to do the things that are pleasing to you, as has been said. I and those with me send abundant greetings to all the brotherhood in Christ that is with your holiness.

EXEMPLUM RELATIONIS lOHANNIS EPI8C0PI CONSTANTINOPOLITANI. DOMINO MEO PER OMNIA AMABILI DEO SANCTISSIMOQUE FRATRI ET COMMINISTRATORI HORMISDAE lOHANNES IN DOMINO SALUTEM. Paulinus uir honestus defensor, qui ueslram retulit epistolam 5 uestraeque sanetitatis uirtutes in se ostendens cum gaudio nobiscura conuersatus, suam solli< ci )tudinem communibus consiliis actibusque contulit. sed quoniam ad uos festinantem non oportebat eum prolixiore tempore remorari, ideoque reci- procis alloquentes uestram sanctitatem protegi praefatum lo uirum et uestri dignum amoris fidelem seruum subsistentem 2 commendamus. erit autem de his, quae a nobis gesta sunt pro uestro animo, et circa sanctas ecclesias soUicitudine, quam gerimus uigilanter, uobis dignus fidei enarrator. nam nos orationibus uestrae sanctitatis et naturalem bonitatem i& huius rei respicientes uigilantissimum habemus studium et deo cooperante in plurimis uerbum gratiae discurrens sine 3 aliqua obsistentia ad eifectum nostram ducit intentionera. sed quia difficultates aliquae accesserunt, gubematione utique et miti dispositione ea, quae hinc mouentur, oportet competenter 20 exponi, sicut et uestra cognoscit super omnia sanctitas, et, quemadmodum opoitet eos, qui greges dei pascere sortiti sunt, uniuersa ad gloriam dei et agere et moliri spem salutis det Hormisdae epistulae cuidam deperditae datae fsimul cum epp. 175 et 227) die 3 I)ec. a. 519. Edd. Car. P 552; Collect. Concil; Thiel 985. 2 lohannis a: Epiphanii Car.; cf. ea, quae epistulae 183 sub- notaui, et Beitrdge p. 41 sqq. 5 uir honestus scHpsi: un a, uestrae c sedis Car., uenerabilis Thiel 7 nobiscum] nob a fort. conuersatus <e8t> soUitudinem a, corr. communis a, corr. Car. 8 ad a sed a in ras. 9 tpr a sed pr in ras. ideo Thiel 13 sollicitudine ras. ex sollicitudine a 14 uigilarev a, correxi: uigilare 0 nobis *> ennarrator a 16 habemus scripsi: habentem a 17 im a 19 guber- nacine a, corr. cod. Angelic. 20 mitti a, corr. Thiel: inuiti 0 hic te Car. copetur a, corr. 0 21 sanct^tatis o, corr. 0 22 quemamo- dura a Epist. CLXXXIIII 1 - CLXXXV 3. 641 in eum habentes et sicut scriptum est: diligentibus deum omnia cooperantur in bonum. ea enim, quae uobis placeant, sicut dictum estt, sentire quoque et agere nitimur, sanctissime. omnem in Christo fraternitatem, quae 4 5 cum uestra est sanctitate, ego quoque et mei plurimum salutamus.