Letter 72: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...
Whatever is more prudent, whatever is more solid, we desire to be done for the holy faith and the concord of the sacred churches. Therefore both our brother, the most glorious Vitalianus [consul and military commander], has written to your blessedness through Paulinus, the honorable defender of your church, and we have taken care to signify through the same person that your blessedness ought to bring to completion those things which may grant peace and concord to the holy churches.
Nevertheless, in addition, we have dispatched someone to bring back a more certain response to your holiness, together with letters of our most pious emperor; for the aforesaid devout and honorable defender can also inform your holiness of how great a controversy has arisen in our regions.
Therefore we ask that, if it is possible, you give a most swift response and, having satisfied the devout monks, send John and Leontius back to us. For unless this controversy is resolved by your prayers and diligence, we fear that the peace of the holy churches may not be able to come about.
Therefore, knowing that both the reward and the danger of this matter are reserved for you, treat it diligently and send back to us through the aforesaid devout monks the firmest possible response — if it is possible, before our legate reaches your blessedness; for upon this alone does the entire issue depend.
AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
EXEMPLUM EPISTOLAE lUSTINIANI. PER FRATREM PR0EMPT0RI8.
Quicquid est cautius, quicquid firmius, ut pro sancta fide et concordia sacrarum ecclesiarum geratur, optamus. unde ad beatitudinem uestram et frater noster gloriosissimus Uitalianus per Paulinum u. s. defensorem uestrae ecclesiae rescripsit et nos per eundem significare curauimus illa debere beatitudinem uestram perficere, quae pacem et concordiam sanctis concedant
2 ecclesiis. subinde tamen, qui certius responsum ad sancti- tatem uesti-am referat, cum litteris piissimi nostri imperatoris destinauimus ; nam quanta quaestio in partibus nostris orta est, potest etiam antefatus uir religiosus defensor sanctitatem
3 uestram instruere. unde petimus ut, si est possibile, celerrimo dato responso et satisfactis religiosis monachis lohannem et Leontium ad nos remittatis. nisi enim precibus et diligentia uestra ista quaestio soluta fuerit, ueremur, ne non possit pax
4 sanctarum ecclesiarum prouenire. ergo cognoscentes, quia et
6 <ut> mentis uestrae Bar., <et/ meritis uestra 9 sollicitudinis F, corr. Bar. 10 euticharico F. corr. Bar.
191. Bat. a. 519 mense lulio ineunte, per fratrem Proemptoris. Edd. Car. P 525; Collect. Concil; Thiel 885. 12 per fratrem Pro- emptoris V man. 1 in marg. 14 sanctarura Thiel 18 concedat corr. edit. reg. 21 horta V 22 antelatus F, corr. Thiel 28 in- strueret F, corr, o 24 lohanni et Leontio F, corr. p 27 cogno- scente F, corr. o
Epist. CLXXXX 4 — CLXXXXII 3.
649
merces et periculum istius rei uobis seruatur, diligenter tractate et firmissimuin responsum per antefatos religiosos monachos, si est possibile, antequam legatus noster ad beati- tudinem uestram perueniat, nobis remittite; in hoc enim solo b omnis pendet intentio.
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