Letter 70: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

So that the fullest perfection of faith may come to us through the teaching of your blessedness, we have again dispatched Eulogius, an energetic man serving as agent in public affairs, on account of this matter among other business, through whom we earnestly ask that by a response from your apostolate, thoroughly considered and most cautious, he may be confirmed in the confession of the catholic faith. For after the unity of the catholic church was once granted by divine mercy, certain persons assert that Christ the Son of God, our Lord, crucified in the flesh for our salvation, ought to be proclaimed as one of the Trinity [the Theopaschite formula]. If this is to be accepted, let your reverence, with paternal foresight, deign by its most cautious rescript to inform us as to what we should follow and what we should avoid on this matter, since the words seem to create dissension — though the meaning among all catholics is proven to be one and the same. Lay upon yourselves, holy and venerable father, the labor once undertaken even in this matter, following your predecessors whose memory you both embrace and adorn by your fellowship in the pontificate, and hasten to make us free and secure from this controversy. For we believe that to be catholic which is communicated to us by your devout response. Since it has been said that the Scythian monks have approached your see on this account, we command you to send them back to us without fear, having given them a response according to the tradition of the fathers and the order of the rules, together with your letters; and likewise command that copies of these be given to the aforesaid energetic Eulogius, placed in his charge. For we ask that you arrange all these things with caution, so that no opportunity be given for falsehood or treachery, since with the greatest desire we embrace the catholic faith and beg that unity be bestowed upon the whole world through your teaching.

ITEM EXEMPLUM EPISTOLAE lUSTINIANI. «0 Ut plenissima fidei perfectio doctrina beatitudinis uestrae nobis proueniat, iterum Eulogium uirum strenuum agentem in rebus iuxta alias causas etiam hacpropter direximus, per qnem ualde petimus, ut per omnia responso apostolatus uestri circuminspecto et cautissimo in confessione catholicae fidei 25 confirmetur. post semel enim diuina misericordia donatam 2 catholicae ecclesiae unitatem quidam asserunt Christum filium 1S8. Bat. (simul cum ep. 224) a. 519 die 15 Oct., per Eulogium; accepta die 17 Nou. Edd. Car. P 526; CoUect. Concil; Thiel 897. 22 hanc propter p 24 circumspecto o 646 Homiisda lustiniano; Hornusda lustiniano dei dominum nostrum pro nostia salute carne crucifixum unum de trinitate debere praedicari. quod si suscipiendum sit, paterna prouisione reuerentia uestra cautissimo suo rescripto quid sequi quidue super hoc euitare debeamus nos certiorare dignetur; quoniam uerba uidentur facere dissen- & sionem: nam sensus inter catholicos omnes unus esse probatur. 3 imponite igitur uobis semel susceptum laborem, sancte ac uenerabilis pater, etiam in hoc decessores uestros sequentes, quorum memoriam et amplectimini et consortio pontificatus omatis, et de hac intentione liberos nos properate reddere lo et securos. hoc enim credimus esse catholicura, quod uestro 4 religioso responso nobis fuerit intimatum. quia uero dictum est Scythicos monachos hac ratione ad sedem uestram acces- sisse, pro traditione patrum et ordine regularum praebito eis responso nihil formidantes ad nos cum litteris uestris iubete i» remittere; quarum etiam exemplaria consignata praedicto uiro strenuo Eulogio dari praecipite. haec enim omnia ideo petimus uos disponere cautius, ut ne locus mendacio uel insidiis detur, quoniam siimmo cum desiderio fidem catholicam amplec- tentes uestra doctrina unitatem uniuerso orbi petimus con- 20 donari.