Letter 76: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

God, who dwells on high and looks upon the lowly [Ps. 138:6] and abundantly provides all things for the salvation of humankind, has in his goodness and mercy looked upon my littleness, and after the death of the archbishop and patriarch John of holy memory, has deigned to bestow upon me the priestly see of the holy catholic church of the royal city, by the decision and election of our most Christian and most just emperor Justin and the most pious empress, who shares with him in every divine pursuit, together with those who follow them. Those of good conduct and those who are elevated above royal honors gave their assent, and likewise the agreement of the priests and monks and the most faithful people was added. Therefore I have deemed it necessary to insert this first indication in my letter, so that I might show what my disposition is toward your apostolic see. It is my earnest prayer, most blessed one, to be united with you and to embrace the divine teachings which have been handed down from the blessed and holy disciples and apostles of God — and especially from Peter, the chief of the apostles — to your holy see, and to esteem nothing more precious than these. For I do not come from elsewhere, ignorant of the constitutions of the holy church, but rather, nurtured by the will of God from my tender youth in the holy catholic church, I served under the most holy priests and patriarchs through the succession of times. For having been often placed in charge of those who put off their sins through the most sacred and ineffable baptism, I have taught the right and true faith of the Trinity of one substance, which, as I have said, proceeding from the disciples of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ, the assembly of all priests and all fathers embraces. For indeed the divine, truly holy, and God-given creed of the three hundred and eighteen holy fathers who gathered at Nicaea [Council of Nicaea, 325 AD] I worship and proclaim and announce to be the manifest sign of Christian splendor; and the venerable synod of one hundred and fifty holy priests made in this royal city [Council of Constantinople, 381 AD], and likewise the assembly of two hundred God-loving fathers made at Ephesus [Council of Ephesus, 431 AD], and the synod of six hundred and thirty most reverend fathers and priests made at Chalcedon [Council of Chalcedon, 451 AD] — that these are one and consistent and joined together with the aforesaid holy councils, I myself have learned and have known how to teach others. In these four holy and sacred synods, therefore, the great mystery of godliness is proclaimed, and the salvation of all humankind is deposited. For those who were or are of the same mind, I both receive and embrace and desire to be united with them; but on the contrary, those who hold or preach anything beyond these, or who have attempted anything in the past, I consider exiled from the assembly of the orthodox. Likewise, the truly right and most religious letters of the venerable Pope Leo, written for the right faith, I embrace and accept wholeheartedly. Let your blessedness's holy brotherhood therefore hold this judgment concerning me; for I have made it known to you, and I preach these things to the churches under me, hastening in all things for them and for me to be united to your blessedness by the bond of charity — churches which must be altogether united and inviolable and guard the one body of the common apostolic church perpetually. How great is the love toward your venerable brotherhood in all things, deign to consider: those whom your apostolic see, in condemning them, did not order to be recited in the sacred diptychs [registers of names read during the liturgy], neither do I cause to be named during the sacred mysteries. This is also known to the most reverend men who were sent by you — that is, to the most holy bishop Germanus, the deacons Felix and Dioscorus, and the priest Blandus — who effectively carried out those things which were enjoined upon them by you. Let your holiness pray both for me and for the priests subject to me, that we may be perpetually guarded in holding the right confession of God, and likewise for our most serene emperor and for the most Christian empress, because their welfare is a benefit for the holy churches everywhere and will be their enduring support. With us holding this intention, it will in no way be permissible for the holy church of God to be torn apart, through the grace of the Holy Spirit and the intercessions of the holy and glorious Virgin Mary, Mother of God. I and those with me send abundant greetings to all the brotherhood that is with your holiness. And in another hand: Be well in the Lord, pray for us, lover of God and most holy brother.

EXEIIPLUM RELATI0NI8 EPIPHANII EPISCOPI COXSTANTINOPOLITAXI. SANCTISSIMO AC BEATISSIMO DOMNO FRATRI ET COMMINISTRATORI HORMISDAE EPIPHANIUS IN DOMINO SALUTEM. DcUS, qui iu altO habitat et humilia respicit et omnia pro salute hominum affluenter prouidet, pro sua bonitate et misericordia meam respexit paruitatem et post obitum sanctae memoriae quondam archiepiscopi et patriarchae lohannis sedem sacerdotalem sanctae ecclesiae catholicae regiae urbis mihi conferre dignatus est sententia et electione Christianissimi et iustissimi principis nostri lustini et piissimae reginae, quae ei ad omne studium communicat diuinum, sequentiumque eorum. his, quibus est bona conuersatio et qui regiis honoribus sunt sublimiores, simul et sacerdotum et monachorum et fidelissimae plebis 2 consensus accessit quapropter necessarium duxi hoc primum indicium meis litteris inserere, ut ostendam quam circa ue- 3 strara apostolicam sedem habeo uoluntatem. est mihi oratio magnopere, beatissirae, uniri me uobis et diuina amplecti U Psalm. 137, 6 194. BaL ut ep. 192. Edd. Car. P 535; Collect. Concil.; Thiel 919. 2 AUti V 4 caelebrat V 9 nostrorum F, corr. Thiel Epist. CLXXXXIV 1 — CLXXXXV 6. 653 dogmata, quae ex beatis et sanctis discipulis et apostolis dei. praecipue Fetri summi apostolorum, sedi sanctae uestrae sunt tradita, et nihil eis pretiosius existimare. neque enim eitra aliunde ueniens sanctae ecclesiae constituta ignoro sed nutritus h per dei uoluntatem ex teneris unguibus in sancta catholica ecclesia parui per tempora sanctissirais sacerdotibus et patri- archis. nam saepius praepositus his, qui per sacratissimum et ineifabile baptisma sua exuunt peccata, rectam et ueram unius essentiae trinitatis docui fidem, quam, sicut praefatus 10 sum, ex discipulis magni dei et saluatoris nostri lesu Christi procedentem omnium sacerdotum et omnium patrum amplec- titur coetus. diuinum enim re uera sanctum et a deo datum 4 symbolum trecentorum decem et octo sanctorum patrum in Xicaena congregantium adoro et praedico et Christiani splendoris manifestum indicium esse annuntio et quinquaginta et centum sanctorum sacerdotum in hac urbe regia factam uenerabilem svDodum, similiter et ducentorum dei amatorum patrum coDuentum in Ephesena factum, triginta et sexcentorum reue- reDtissimorum patrum et sacerdotum synodum factam Chalcedone >o uDam esse et conuenientem et compaginatam praedictis sanctis coDciliis ipse ego didici aliosque docere cognoui. in his ergo 5 quattuor sanctis et sacris synodis magnum pietatis praedicatuni mysterium et omnium hominum est reposita salus. eos enim, qui fuerunt uel sunt eiusdem sententiae, et suscipio et w araplector et uniri me eis diligo ; e contra autem eos, qui praeter istas quid sentiunt aut praedicant uel praeterito tempore aliquid conati sunt, a coetu orthodoxorum extorres esse existimo. similiter rectas re uera et religiosissimas epistolas ueoerabilis papae Leonis pro recta flde conscriptas circum- 80 amplector et suscipio. habeat igitur hanc sententiam circa 6 me uestrae beatitudinis sancta fraternitas; uobis enim mani- 654 lustinianas Hormisdae festam feci et sub me ecclesiis haec praedico festinans per omnia eas mihique et uestrae beatitudini uinculo caritatis adunari, quas omnino oportet unitas esse et inuiolabiles et corpus unum communis apostolicae ecclesiae eundemque Tperpetue custodire. quantus enim circa uestram uenerabilem fraternitatem in omnibus sit amor, iubete perpendere, quia quos uestra apostolica sedes condemnans in sacris diptychis recitare non iussit, eos nec ego inter sacra facio nominari mysteria. hoc autem et his notum est, qui a uobis sunt directi uiri reuerentissimi, id est Germano sanctissimo episcopo, Felici et Dioscoro diaconibus et Blando presbytero, qui efBcaciter exse- S cuti sunt ea, quae eis sunt a uobis iniuncta. oret igitur uestra sanctitas tam pro me quam pro subiectis meis sacerdotibus, ut perpetue custodiamur rectam dei tenentes confessionem, similiter et pro serenissimo principe nostro et pro Christianis- sima Augusta, quia eorum salus communis sanctarum ubique ^ est ecclesiarum profuturum fir<ma>mentum. istam igitur nobis habentibus intentionem nuUo modo iam licebit sanctam dei dilacerari ecclesiam per gratiam sancti spiritus et intercessiones lOsanctae ac gloriosae dei genetricis uirginis Mariae. omnem quae cum uestra est <sanctitate> fratemitatem ego quoque et mei plurimum salutamus. et alia manu: Incolomis in domino ora pro nobis, dei amator sanctissime frater. Accepta XV. Kal. Octobr. Kusticio u. c. cons. 4 idemque edit. reg., sed qui e graeco hanc uertit epistulamy tam multa peccauit, ut nihil mutauerim 5 perpetu^ V: perpetuo 7 dypticiis V recitari Thiel 14 perpetue V 17 firmentum F, <?orr. 0 18 habentibus o': absentibus V 21 quae cum scripsi: qoi- cumque F, ^uamcumque Car, uestra est <sanctitate> fratemitatem ■scripsi: ura e fratemitate F, uestre fratemitate a, uestram fratemitatem Car. 22 incolomes F 24 octub F Epist. CLXXXXV 6 — CLXXXXVI 5. 655