Letter 98: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Great is the mercy of God and his judgments are beyond reckoning, for he leaves nothing hidden, so that the conscience of each person may be tested. Dorotheus of Thessalonica has not appeared as a new man, nor has he shown himself to be at the present time someone whom true report did not long ago proclaim. This man, always wrapped up in his own evil desires, when given the opportunity, has carried out the crime he was always bringing to birth against the catholic faith. In other letters we informed your blessedness in what order, passing through Thessalonica, we were unable to receive the libelli [formulas of submission]; it had nevertheless been arranged that, after the ordination of the holy church of Constantinople, one of our number should be sent to him, because the aforesaid man hoped that one of us, after receiving the libelli, would celebrate Mass with him, as though having the testimony that he had been joined in general terms to the unity of the apostolic see. Though late, it was nevertheless done, that we should send the venerable bishop John to him; sent with him by common choice was Epiphanius, a priest and brother of the venerable and illustrious bishop; with them also was the count Licinius, of the emperor's bodyguard, by appointment of the most clement emperor. This Licinius, however, had been sent previously to Thessalonica on another matter, and having convened a synod from the diocese of the church of Thessalonica, was found there waiting, according to the promise, for one of our number. They wished, in his presence, to make and subscribe to the libelli. This was done: the aforesaid man sealed the libelli, and coming to Constantinople, announced what had been done. It was said to us by the representative of Dorotheus: "Command someone to be sent who may receive the libelli." It was decided, as we said above, that the venerable bishop John should go, and so that he might have testimony of their subscription, we asked the most pious emperor that the count Licinius should also go with him. This too was done. And when they arrived in the city, the presence of our men was announced to Dorotheus through the count Licinius. He sent the priest Aristides with two other bishops — whom he alone knew to be adversaries of the business — to see our men. With these they wanted first to raise disputes about the libelli, saying: "There are articles which ought to be amended." Our men said it was not in their power to do this: "If you wish to comply, thanks be to God; if you do not wish to, we have come, we have greeted you, and we shall move on." They departed after these words. On the next day they assembled again, speaking the same things, and before they had made their statement of terms — at a point where no dispute had arisen and no injury had followed — suddenly a maddened mob rushed upon him and killed two of the bishop's attendants, broke the bishop's head in two places and shattered his back, and had not the mercy of God and the protection of the basilica of Saint Mark rescued them from their hands, they would have perished there. They were, however, saved — as the saying goes — because the public force arrived and was able to rescue them. These things and the contrivances of their kind were fabricated by the malice of Dorotheus, who two days before our men reached Thessalonica baptized over two thousand people, distributed so many sacraments among the populace as would suffice for them for a time, signifying to the people that the right faith was being changed. How could these things not have stirred up the populace? Whom would they not have invited to sedition? After this, he also tore up before the people the very libellus which he had made with the bishops, saying: "I will never do this until my death, nor do I consent to those who do." They also killed the venerable catholic John, who had received us when we came into his house, who had always been separated from the communion of Dorotheus on account of the Council of Chalcedon: upon him they inflicted a death such as those who killed Saint Proterius [patriarch of Alexandria, lynched by a mob in 457 AD] inflicted. These things reached the most clement emperor, and in nearly the whole city there is mourning among the catholics on account of the crimes that have occurred. The sacred clemency promises to punish and cast out Dorotheus, because we testified to his piety, saying: "By no reasoning can the most blessed pope receive Dorotheus among the bishops or into the communion of the apostolic see," and on the contrary, those who wish to receive him into their communion should know that they are guilty by ecclesiastical authority. We have hastened to bring these things to the notice of your blessedness, so that nothing that is done in these regions may be hidden from you.

Magna est dei misericordia et inaestimabilia eius iudicia, qui nihil occultum dimittit, ut probetur uniuscuiusque con- scientia. Borotfaeus Thessalonicensis non nouus apparuit nec ad praesens factum se demonstrauit quem olim uera praedi- cabat opinio. iste semper in malis suis desideriis inuolutus data occasione exercuit quod contra fidem catholicam semper 2 parturibat scelus. in aliis litteris significauimus beatitudini uestrae, quo ordine transeuntes Thessalonicam libellos non potuimus suscipere; erat tamen constitutum post ordinationem sanctae ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae unum ex nobis ad ipsum dirigere, quia hoc spera<ra>t praedictus, ut unus ex nobis post libellos susceptos cum ipso missas teneret, quasi testimonio habens in generalitate se ad unitatem sedis apostolicae esse 3 coniunctum. etsi tardo, factum est tamen, ut uenerabilem lohannem episcopum ad ipsum dirigeremus; directus est cum ipso ex communi electione Epipfaanius presbyter germanus uenerabilis Inlustris episcopi; erat cum ipsis et Licinius 4 comes scolae ex ordinatione clementissimi imperatoris. qui Licinius tamen cum prius pro alia causa Thessalonicam esset directus, congregata synodo de paroecia ecclesiae Thessaloni- censis ibi est inuentus <ex>spectans secundum promissionem unum ex nobis. uoluerunt ipso praesente libellos facere et subsciibere. quodfactum est: signauit ipsos libellos praedictus uir, ueniens Constantinopolim factum nuntiauit; dicebatur 225* DaL a. 519 medio uel exeunte mense Octobr, (per PaiUinumy); accepta die 28 Nou. Edd^Car. P 514; Bar, ad a. 519, 128; Collect, Concil; Thiel 898, 2 diac V 7 factum se F: factum sed a, unde factu8 sed o, factus sed <se> Car. 9 eiseruit Hiiel 10 parturiebat o 11 thessalonica V, eorrexi 13 ado^ (c/. 18): id F 14 sperat F, correxii sperabat Car. unum F, corr. Car. 17 tarde o^ 19 presbyter. Germanus uenerabilis <et> lUnstris (illustris Bar.) episcopus erat interpolauit Car., cf. Beitr. 35 adn. 3 22 thessalonica F, corr. o» 24 spectans F, corr. cod. Angelic. 27 <et> ueniens Car. Epiet. CCXXV 1—8. 889 nobis ab apocrisiario Dorothei *iubete dirigere, qui libelloe snscipiat". deliberatum est, sicut praediximus, uenerabilem lohannem episcopum ambulare et, ut haberet testimonium subscriptionis illorum, rogauimus piissimum imperatorem, ut 5 et comes Licinius ambularet cum eo. quod et factum est. et 5 qiiia peruenerunt in ciuitatem, nuntiata est Dorotheo per comitem Licinium praesentia nostrorum. qui direiit Aristidem presbyterum cum aliis duobus episcopis, quos solus sciebat aduersarios esse negotii, ut nostros uideret. cum quibus »0 uoluerunt facere in primis cei-tamina de libellis dicentes *sunt capitula, quae debeant emendari". diierunt nostri non esse in potestate ipsorum hoc facere: *si uultis facere, deo gratias; si non uultis facere, uenimus, salutauimus uos, perambulamus'. discesserunt post ista uerba. ad aliam diem conuenerunt 6 iterum ista loquentes et, antequam propositionem uerborum fecissent, ubi non est intentio generata, non iniuria secuta est, subito populus insanus irruit super ipsum et duos pueros occiderunt episcopi, caput etiam fregerunt episcopo in duabus partibus et renes eius dissipauerunt et, nisi misericordia dei et defensio sancti Marci basilicae eruisset eos de manibus eorum, ibi perierant. liberati sunt tamen, quomodo dicitur, quia manus publica superuenit, quae eos eruere potuit. ista 7 et istomm concinnaraenta Dorothei maiitia fabricauit, qui ante biduum quam peruenirent nostri Thessalonicam super duo milia baptizauit, sacramenta tanta erogauit in populo, quae possint ipsis ad tempora suflicere, significans plebi, quia fides recta mutatur. ista quomodo non habuerant excitare populum? ista quem non inuitabant ad seditiunem? post hoc 8 et ipsum libellum, quem fecerat cum episcopis, ante populura scidit dicens 'ego istud usque ad mortem meam numquam 44* 690 Hoimisda Gerinano etc. facio nec facientibus consentio'. occidenint et lohannem uenerabilem catholicum, qui nos uenientes susceperat in domo sua, qui semper separatus fuit a communione Dorothei propter synodum Calcedonensem: in quo talem mortem exercuerunt, OquaJem illi <qui> sanctum Proterium occiderunt. ista ad 5 clementissimum imperatorem peruenerunt et prope in tota ciuitate catholicis luctus est propter talia quae contigerunt scelera. promittit sancta clementia uindicare et iactare Dorotheum, quia nos contestati sumus pietatem eius dicentes *nulla ratione Dorotheum inter episcopos aut in communione 10 sedis apostolicae potest beatissimus papa recipere' et contra, qui uoluerint eum in sua communione recipere, scire se esse lOreos auctoritate ecclesiastica. ista ad notitiam beatitudinis uestrae festinauimus referre, ut nihil uos lateat, quod in istis partibus agitur. Accepta IIII. Kal. Decbr. Eutharico cons. 15