Letter 96: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

We are not surprised that through the prayers of your apostolate all things have turned out prosperously for us, knowing that your prayer labors on our behalf more than our own ministry. For the entire course of the ecclesiastical affair has so unfolded that it cannot be doubted that the miracle of the blessed Peter has come about in every particular. First, we found such great ardor of religion in those who hold the highest rank that Vitalianus, Pompeius, and Justinianus came out to meet us at ten miles' distance and did not think it beneath them to glory in our arrival with thanksgiving to your see; next, there was such great devotion even among the common people that the greater part of the populace awaited our arrival with candles and praises to you alike. Under this celebration, therefore, we arrived in Constantinople safe and joyful on the Monday of the greater week [Holy Week], and on the following day, having been presented to the most pious emperor, we were so relieved by his affection that, even if nothing else had preceded, the grace of the most pious emperor alone would have sufficed for our consolation. But greater things followed through your prayers; for on that day, in the presence of the entire senate, four bishops also were present, whom John, the bishop of Constantinople, had sent for the defense of his party: to these we showed the libellus [formula of submission] of the apostolic see and proved that all things in it were rightly canonical. Finally, on Thursday — that is, the Lord's Supper [Maundy Thursday] — the bishop came to the palace in a general assembly, and having read the libellus, he subscribed to it with the greatest devotion, expressing his consent. Who could describe how great was the joy of both the emperor and the senate there, what tears joy brought forth, what cries the favor of the whole assembly and clergy uttered in praise of the emperor and of your see? These things cannot be expressed in a report, but we leave to your reflection and to the bearer what we cannot adequately say. From the palace we proceeded to the church with the greatest celebration, so that the concord of the faith and of minds might be strengthened also by the bond of communion. It can scarcely be believed what weeping of the joyful, what immensity and overflow of the people there was: the very crowd marveled at its own joy, and it could not be doubted that the heavenly hand was present, which had conferred such unity upon the world. The name of the transgressor Acacius [patriarch of Constantinople, 471-489], who was anathematized, was erased from the ecclesiastical diptychs [liturgical registers], as well as the names of the other bishops who followed him in communion — we report that these were erased before our very eyes; likewise the names of Anastasius [Emperor Anastasius I] and Zeno [Emperor Zeno] were similarly removed from recitation at the altar. Peace has been restored to Christian minds through your prayers; the whole church has one soul, one joy; only the enemy of the human race grieves, shattered by the power of your prayer. Pray that a similar happiness may also illuminate the church of Antioch, whose appointment of a bishop still appears to waver in its deliberations, since among the diverse wishes of the peoples there is no agreement on the choice of a person. We trust, however, that through the prayers of your blessedness a worthy ordination will swiftly come about for that church as well, so that the peace begun in your times may be directed equally throughout the whole world, and with all regions coming together in apostolic communion and faith, the church may be perfectly connected in all its members to its head, as it had formerly been.

5 ITEM SUG6E8TI0 GERXANI ET lOHANNIS EPI8C0P0RUM FELICIS ET DIOSCORI BIACONORUM ET BLANDI PRBSBYTBRI. Non miramur apostolatus uestri precibus cuncta nobis prospera successisse, scientes, quod amplius nostro ministerio uestra pro nobis elaboret oratio. ita enim totus se ecclesiastici 10 negotii tulit euentus, ut dubitari non possit beati Petri per singula prouenisse miraculum: primum, quod tautum in ipsis, qui dignitate funguntur, inuenimus religionis ardorem, ut Uitalianus, Pompeius et lustinianus nobis occuiTerent in decem milibus et de aduentu nostro cum uestra gratiarum 15 actione gloriari non arbitrarentur indignum; deinde, quod tanta fuit etiam in plebe deuotio, ut pars maxima populorum cum cereis simul et laudibus uestris nostrum praestolaretur aduentum. sub hac itaque celebritate secunda feria hebdomadae 2 maioris Constantinopolim sospites hilaresque peruenimus 80 posteroque die piissimo principi praesentati tanto eius releuati sumus affectu, ut, si alia minime praecederent, sola nobis ad solatium piissimi principis gratia suffecisset. sed orationibus 3- uestris maiora secuta sunt; nam eo die sub senatus cuncti praesentia episcopi quoque quattuor affuerunt, quos lohannes 25 Constantinopolitanus antistes pro partis suae defensione trans- miserat: quibus libellum apostolicae sedis ostendimus omniaque in eo recte canonica esse probauimus. postremo quinta feiia, 4 hoc <est> cena domini, ad palatium in generali conuentu 1 quatinus V 3 ida aprilifl V 223. Bata (simul cum epp. 159—165 et 167) a. 519 die 22 Apn per Pullionem; accepta die 19 lunii. Edd. Car. JP 492; Collect. Concil; Thiel 856. 5 bvi F, corr. a 6 diac V 18 cbdomade V 22 sufficisset F, eorr. a 26 omnia que V 27 recta canonica\que> Car. 28 est add. p, <e8t in> Car. <584 Suggestio Dioscori ad Hormisdam uenit episcopus et perlecto libello consentiens cum summa deuotione subscripsit. quis explicet, quanta illic principis pariter ac senatus laetitia fuerit, quas ibi lacrimas gaudia pepererint, quas uoces uel in laudem principis uel in sedis uestrae totius coetus et cleri fauor emisit? explicari haec 5 relatione non possunt sed considerationi uestrae portitorique o relinquimus, quod eloqui non ualemus. a palatio in ecclesia surama cum celebritate peruenimus, ut fidei animorumque concordiam communionis quoque roboraret, credi uix potest, quis fletus laetantium, quae inmensitas fuerit exundatioque 10 populorum: ipsa suam laetitiam turba mirabatur nec dubitari poterat manum aflfuisse caelestem, quae talem mundo contulit 6 nnitatem. Acacii praeuaricatoris anathematizati nomen de diptychis ecclesiasticis sed et ceterorum episcoporum, qui eum in communione secuti sunt, sub nostro conspectu signi- 15 ficamus erasa; Anastasii quoque ac Zenonis nomina similiter ab altaris recitatione summota. pax est orationibus uestris Christianorum mentibus reddita; una totius est ecclesiae anima, una laetitia; solus luget humani generis inimicus 7 uestrae precis expujrjnatione coUisus. orate, ut Antiochenam 20 quoque similis felicitas inlustret ecclesiam, de cuius antistite adhuc tractatus nutare conspicitur, quoniam inter diuersa uota populorum de personae electione non constat. credimus tamen, quod precibus beatitudinis uestrae de ipsa quoque uelociter ordinatio digna proueniat, ut coepta pax temporibus uestris 25 per omnem mundum pariter dirigatur et cunctis partibus in apostolicam communionem fidemque conuenientibus perfecta, sicut pridem fuerat, omnibus membris capiti suo connectatur ecclesia. Accepta * * 11 sua l^ticia F, corr. p 14 dyptiis V 16 erasa scrtpsi: erasos V tenonis V, corr. 18 est Thiel: et V 21 ecclesia F, corr. a 27 perfccte Car, 29 fort accepta \die quo supra" f. c. die 19 lun, <in7it 519 Epist. ccxxin 4 — ccxxmi 4. 685