Letter 15: RUFO TIIESSALONICENSI to the bishop.

Your love's letters, delivered through the bearer, have been received by us with gratitude, and it pleases us greatly that you have followed the apostolic custom of consulting the apostolic see about matters of doubt, so that the response of this see, which by the providence of God was placed before all others, may resolve the questions that arise. For just as rivers flow from one spring and are distributed through different channels throughout the diverse regions, so the statutes of the apostolic see have been sent out to the churches of the whole world from the very source of the streams. You have inquired about what ought to be observed in the matter of appeals: whether bishops may judge such cases alone or whether the judgment of the apostolic see ought to be sought. We decree that if any greater matter arises that cannot be settled by the sentence of the provincial bishops, the case must be referred to this see, as the holy synod of Nicaea established and as ancient custom demands. For it is in accord with ecclesiastical order that whatever is done in the provinces, even if it seems to be settled, should not be considered concluded before it comes to the knowledge of this see, so that the entire authority of this see may confirm whatever just decree has been made, and the other churches may receive from it as from their source what they ought to decree, just as all waters flow from their native spring and the pure streams of an uncorrupted source flow through the diverse regions of the whole world.

RUFO TIIESSALONICENSI EPISCOPO. Variarum ei committitur cura provinriarum, in quibus vicarius Innocentii el inter piimates primus consti- tuitur. Dilectissimo fralri Rufo Innocentius. 1. Lectissimo ei gloriosissimo Moysi ita in hracl tiberando regeniloque Dnminus ctincia commisit, nt consilium soceri Jothor sequendiim ei manifes a ;ub relatione mandaret (Exod. xvm) : vitlelicet ul con- stitueret viros gradu iligtiitaiis judiciariae snppares, qui causarum niultitiidines pro loco sibi crediio in- ter pnpulos definirent, ipso maxime vel etiani divi- nis '' consolalionibus vacaturo. Nec aliter Aposto- lorum forma promulgataest ( Acl. vi, 2 et 5), quam ut ipsi principes Evangelii constiluti, c;cterarum \) rerum eausas necessitudinesqiie snis discipulis cu- randas obeundasque niandarent. Ita dcnique lota miseialione mirabilis Paulus Tilo qu;c curet apud Cretam ( Tit. i, 5), Timolheo qnse per Asiam dis- ponat (ITim. i), eommisil, ut sacrarnm epislola- riiiu leciinne cognoseiinus. 2. Divinitus crgo h:cc procurrens gralia iia longis inlervallis disierminatis a me ecclesiis discalconsu- lendiim, ut prudentia: gravitalique luie c commit- tendam euram causasque, si quae exorianliir per Acbaioe, Thessalia:, Epiri veleris, Epiri nnvae,et Creta; , Dacioe Medilerraneae , Daei«> Ripensis , Moesia: , Dardanice cl Praevali ecclesias, Cbristo H I PAP/E 5IS Domino annucnle, censeanl (Ad liunc tocum respicit Nicolaus I cpi t. 2). Vere eniin ejus sacratissimis monitis leciis>inii' sinccritaiis tuse providentiae ac virluti h.iiic injungimus solliciiudiiiem ; non primi- tus haec ita staiuentes , sed praicessores noslros apo^lolicos imilati, qui beatissimis d Acholio et Anysin injuiigi pro eorum merilis isla voluerunt. Jiistissimuin esl cnim ila bene merilos honoribus decorari, ut arroganles nccessaiium videinr ob- liindi. Placet ergo in bonis pvocmium , et in miniis bonis e censio : sic enim et isle corrigilur, et ille nobilitatur. 5. Arripe ilaque, dileciissime fraler, nostra vice per suprascripias Ecclesias, salvo earum primatu , curani : el inler ipsos priinales priinus, quidquid eos ad nos necesse fueril miilere, non sine luo postule.nl arhiliatu. Iia enim aut per luam experien- tiam quidquid illud est fiiiiclur; aut luo consilio ad nos usque perveniendum esse mandamus. Licilum autem et apuslolica: sedis favme permissum tu:e fra- lerniiati cognosce , ui cum aliqua eeclesinsiica ratio vcl in lua vel in niemoraiis provinciis agiianda cognoscendiiquc fuerit, quos velis episcoporum so- cios quibusciimquc de Kcclesiis assumas lecum , qnnrnm et litle el moderalione quidquid necessiias causave flagilaveril, oplimus dirigas arbiier, et prae- cipuiis, quippe a nnbis lectns , definias interccssor. Omneni sane insiruclioncni chartarmii in causa f arcbivorum cuiii presbyiero s Senecionc, viro ad- » in Romana synodo sub Bonifacio II olim reci- lala , siibinde et a Nicolao I episl. 2 laifdata , posl,- inndiini a Luca Holstenin cnm eoeteris ptsedictSi syn- odi RoinaiKC mmiimciilis in luceni cmissa est. Tempus, quo scripia est , cnnsulari noia indicaiur. Sed bac in nola mcnduin esse, ac pro Honorio IX el Thcodosio V restiluendiim esse HonorioV II elTheo- dosio II elarissiiiius vir Tilleiimnlius lo. X, pag. 82:1, opinalnr. Unde sequeretur, ui hsec episiola anno 407 scripia esset. Ilanc aiileoi opiniouem probare niiitiir isia iiiduelimie. Piiiiio qiiidem staiuit, ex cpislolis, qu:is Innocentiiis ad Riiliun scripsil, hanc piiinam esse , ali|iie ab eo dal.im fuisse stainn ut ile Rufi ordinaiione ceriior factus csi;quod non ne- ganduin. Tum addil Rllfuiil illuin, ad quein Inno- teuiius modo scribit , non alium videri ab co , ad quein de Naissensibus clericis lilleras jam dedisse se idcm papa episl. 17, ad M:ircianuin , lnemorat. Quo pariter concesso , subilit : Altpii banc epislolim :kI Marciannm scripsit lnnocentius Raveiuue eonstilu^ lus, quo ab anno 409 ineunie vcnii, et ubi mense Augusio anni 410 adliuc versabalur; nec iillum est in iiistoria vesuYium, unilc eum prauerea iu eam- dem eivitatem rediisse conjectemus. Kx quo conse- qni |uilat , ut ne :iie Ruli mdinalio, neque cpislola ista serius nnno 40S dilferend:»: sint. Sed cum ne- quai|uam omnia scripla sinl qu;c coniigerunl, el qui Raveiinain scmel accessit, eo eiiam secnndo ac ler- tio poluerit pergere; cuinqiie Iiiijus rci,ipso viro elaiissiino f itente, anno 415, quo liiinicnlnm llera- clianus Rnmani perleni piobibebnt, causa el occa- sio nnn defueiit: iniiiiine liiluin \ idetur cerlam epociiam conjerlura incerta inulare. Sane iniisitiiius valde loret is libiaiinrum lapsus, tit ciiin in dimium consuliiiii qui i aiudeiii digiiiiatem gessisseni pluries, annis expriinendis peccassent , eorum lamcn error in eornm con ulalibuS designandis sic aptc sibi co- lixrercl , ul cum Honorii nono consulalu, qiiinlum C Theodosii, non qnartum aut tertium , ac vicissim Ciim qninto Tlleodosii nnnuni Honorii, nnn sepliinum aut alium quemvis coinponerent. Tbessaloiiicensi fuisse allribuiain, imperalori huic imposuisse iude mauifeslum csl. cCen$io vulgo uoiam a ccnsore inuslam soual. Mox priinnlum iioinine intelligunlur |>ncnniniiialaruni pro- vinciai iim uielropolilani. Qnippe chariaruin, qiiibus viearii inuniis anlisliii Thessalonieciisi delegiibatur, veriiaiem lunc a non- nullis in dubiiiin vocatam esse apparel. Quoiirca Innoceiiliiis l:unelsi Rufo proxime dixerit , quippe a nobis leelus, quod poteslalem illi non taui sedis praerogaliva , quaui eligentis inuncre collalam snnai, neque banc lamen consucludine fultiim negat : ideo- que eiilcin , ut lum priorem epistolam snam, turii alias decessorum suortim ea de causa daiasrccenseat, aucior est. « I ti edit.Concil. 11. Qua: autem 14 crat, nunc23. 517 EPISTOL.E ET DECRETA. 511 niodiini maturo, fieri jnssimus. Itaque ei ex priore A nulliim Pasclia umqiiani b antehac factiim csse nostra " episiola, el ex liis eliariulis, bene receiiscns qniil agere debeas , recognosce. Nam vnluntatem lianc noslram per unauiquamqiic pnivinc;am salis , 11 1 decelial , liiteris m niife-tavinuis. Data xv kalen- das Julias(./«im 17 tmn. 442) llonorio ix el Tlicodo- sio v auguslis consulibus.