Pelagius, bishop of the holy Catholic Church of the city of Rome.
That we have been slow to send our writings to your love, dearest brothers and sons, should not be attributed to any ill will, indifference, or negligence on our part. Rather, as you know, the conditions of the times and the pressing threat of enemies have prevented us until now. For as the Lord says through the prophet: "Can a woman forget the child of her womb?" (Isaiah 49:15). Let no one believe, then, that we have not grieved with heavy weeping and sighing over this separation from those who are our very flesh and blood. If only, dearest ones, the Lord would illuminate the eyes of your hearts so that you might see the groaning of our heart on your behalf. For as the blessed Apostle says: "Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I am not indignant?" (2 Corinthians 11:29). And elsewhere: "If one member suffers, all the members suffer together" (1 Corinthians 12:26).
Now, therefore, since almighty God — for the benefit of our Christian rulers, and through the labors and diligence of our son the most excellent Smaragdus, exarch and chartulary of the sacred palace [the emperor's chief representative in Italy] — has seen fit to grant us a measure of peace and quiet, we hasten with all urgency to send you this present letter, exhorting and imploring you not to persist any longer in division from the Church. For we, following the voice of the Gospel, strive to show your brotherhood and love — insofar as our frailty allows — what has been commanded of us, with sincerity of heart and in all humility. You know that the Lord proclaimed in the Gospel (Luke 22:31–32): "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, Peter, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
Consider, dearest ones, that the Truth himself could not lie, and the faith of Peter can never be shaken or changed for all eternity. For although the devil demanded to sift all the disciples, the Lord testifies that he prayed for Peter alone, and willed that the others be strengthened by him — Peter, to whom, because of the greater love he showed the Lord above the rest, was entrusted the care of feeding the sheep; to whom he also handed over the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and upon whom he promised to build his Church, declaring that the gates of hell would not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18–19).
But because the enemy of the human race does not rest until the end of the age from sowing weeds among the good seed in the Lord's Church, and lest anyone by malicious intent should presume — at the devil's instigation — to fabricate or argue something against the integrity of our faith, and your minds perhaps be disturbed by this, we have judged it necessary through this present letter both to exhort you with tears to return to the embrace of Mother Church, and to make known to you the integrity of our faith.
For we hold that faith which has been proclaimed, and we defend it with all purity of conscience even to the shedding of blood — the faith handed down by the apostles and preserved inviolably by their successors, which the venerable Council of Nicaea of 318 Fathers [325 AD, the first ecumenical council] received and set down in the Creed; and the Council of Constantinople of 150 Fathers under the emperor Theodosius the Elder of blessed memory [381 AD, the second ecumenical council]; and also the first Council of Ephesus [431 AD, the third ecumenical council], over which our predecessor of blessed memory Celestine, bishop of Rome, presided, together with Cyril, bishop of Alexandria; and the Council of Chalcedon of 630 Fathers [451 AD, the fourth ecumenical council], which convened under the emperor Marcian of blessed memory, and over which Pope Leo of holy memory presided through his legates and representatives. And as the hostile opposition of various heresies demanded, these councils proclaimed that same faith more fully, with one and the same mind. We also venerate, hold, defend, and — with the Lord's help — preach in accordance with the letter of the aforementioned Pope Leo of blessed memory to Flavian, bishop of Constantinople [the famous "Tome of Leo," a key doctrinal statement on Christ's two natures], which is also called the Tome. And just as our oft-mentioned predecessor Pope Leo of blessed memory received and confirmed the Council of Chalcedon, so too do we, by the working of divine grace, venerate, preserve, and defend it in all respects.
If anyone thinks, believes, or presumes to teach contrary to this faith, let him know that he is condemned and anathematized according to the judgment of those same Fathers.
Therefore, do not allow yourselves to be driven any further by false suspicions or rumors, nor to persist in division from the Church [referring to the Istrian schism: the bishops of northeastern Italy who broke communion with Rome after the Second Council of Constantinople (553) condemned the Three Chapters — the writings of three theologians — which the Istrian bishops saw as undermining Chalcedon].
[The letter breaks off here in the source text.]
EPISTOLA < III | Olim V].
QUE EST PRIMA AD ELIAM ET EPISCOPOS ISTRIE.
Dilectissimis ſratribus Eliz aliisque episcopis, uni-
yersis filiis in Ecclesie Islrie partibus constitutis,
capitulorum damnationem in quinta synodo factam
approbare et ralain habere) epistol. jm satis ulilem mi-=
sit, quam beatus Gregorius cum adhuc es8et diaconus
scripsit. Hc epistola sancti Pelagii a Gregorio ad-
huc diacono conscripta, ejusdem plane generis est
cujus crat illa beati Leonis decima ad Flavianum
SCripta ; quiz cum epislol:£ nomine scripla esset, ob
Sui amplitudinem atque tractatum tomus dicebatur.
Nam et ipsa Velazii epistola ab ipo sancto Gregorio
liber est nuncupata', de quo ad Hibernie episcopos
dum scribitl, epistola 56, lib. u., hec babet : Ut 1gituy
de (ribus capilulis, animis ves(ris ablata dubiclale, pos-
sit 8atisfactio abundanter inſu: di; litrum quem de hac
re 8ancl@e memorie decessor meus Pelagins papa scri-
pserat, robis wile judicavi lransmillere : quem 81 po-
sito voluntarie deſensionis studiv puro vigilanlque
corde volueritis relegere, eum vos per omnia 8ecuturos,
et ad uni/atem nostram rerersuros nilnlo minus e886
confido : Quantz aulem esset ellicaciz liber iste, ex
his quz mox idem Gregorius Subdit intelligere pos-
SUumus, ubi ait : Porro si pos! hujus libri lectionem mn
ea qua estis rolueritis deli! eratione persislere, sine du-
Lio non ralioni operam, sed obstinationt vos dare mon-
s!ratis. Hinc epistolaw ilustrissimus cardinalis Ba-
ronius una cum duabus sequentibus ejusdem Pelagil
a Nicolao Fabro Parisiensi viro doctissimo accepil.
Cum adbibitum satis bene prezparatum pbartacumw
"07
PELAGH PAPA H
708
Pelagius episcopus sancle Ecclesiz catholicz urbis A Nos enim illam fidem pradictam levemus , et cum
Roine.
Quod ad dilectionem vestram, fratres filiique cha-
rissimi, nostra lardius scripla dirigimus, non imale-
vole voluntatis, aut dissimulationis vel negligentie
fuisse credatur, sed, sicut noslis, temporalis qualitas
et hoslilis necessitas hactenus impedivit. Nam sicut
ait Dominus per prophetam : Nunquid obliviscitar
mulier filium uteri sui (15a. xL1x) ? Non ergo credatur
hos viscerum nostrorum divisiouem non Cum gravi
fletu ac gemitu doluisse : sed utinam, charissimi, il-
luminet Dominus oculos cordis vestri, ul nos(ri cor-.
dis gemitus pro vobis videre possilis. (QQuis enim,
Sicut ait beatus apostolus (11 Cor. xx1), infirmatur,
et ego non infirmor? quis scandalizatur, et ego non
omni puritale conscientie usque ad ganguiuis effis.0-
nem deſendimus, quz ab aposlolis iradita, et per
sUCCECSSOTCS Corum inviolabiliter custodita, reverenda
Niczna synodus trecentorum decem et ocio Pairum -
susScepit atque reliquit [redegit] in symbolumn, sed et
Constantinopolitana centum et quinyquagivta Pairum
Sub pie memorizx Theodosio seniore principe (a-
ctum ; etiain Ephesina prima , cui presedit beale
recordationis pr decessor noster Calestinus Romane
urbis antistes, et Cyrillus Alexandrine episcopus }
zed et Chalcedonensis sexcentorum triginta patrum,
quz sub piz memoriz Marciano imperatore conve-
nit : cuique sancte recordationis papa Leo per lega-
tos vicarios su0s Presedit ; et ut diversarum here-
wror ? Et alibi (I Cor. x:1) : Quia patitur unum mem- B 8um damnanda exigebat adversitas, eamdem filem
brum, compatiuntur omnia membra, Postea ergo quam
Deus omnipotens pro ſelicitab: Christianorum princi-
pum per labores alque sollicitudinem filii nostri excel”
lentissimi Smaragdi exarchi etchartwlarii sacri palatii
pace nobis interim vel quietem donare digualus esl,
cum omni sollicitudine ſestinamus presentia ad vos
scripla dirigere, hortantes et obsecrantes, ne in di-
visione ecclesie ulierius quizquam ssludeat perma-
nere. Nos enim secundum evangelicam yocem stude-
mus ſraternitati ac dilectioni vesire, in quantnn
fragilitas nostra suſſicit, quiz nobis jussa Sunt, cum
ginceritale cordis bumiliter exhibere. Noslis enim in
Evangelio Dominum proclainantem (Luc. xxn) : Si-
mon, Simon, ecce Satanas expelivil vos, ul cribraret sicut
uno evdemque sensu clamanter [clamanies] latiug
ediderunt. Sed et epistolam predicti beatz memo-
rix Leonis ad Flaviauum Constantinopolitanum epi-
scopum dataty, quz et tomus appellatur, per omnia
veneramur, tenemus, deſendimus, atque secundum
ejus tenorem, «djuyvante Domino, predicamus. Et
Sicut prixdecessor noster sXpe dictus bealz memoria
papa Leo ssynodum Chalcedonensem suscepit atque
firmavit, jla et nos per vmnia, operante divina gra-
tia, vencramur, custodimus alque defendimus.
Si quis autem contra hanc fidem aut sapit, aut
credit, aut docere prasumit, secundum eorum./em
Patrum senlentiam, damnatum alque avathemaliza-
lum se esse cognoscat. Non ergo patiatuini falsis Sus
triticum; ego autem rogavi pro ts Putrem, ut non de- C. spicionibus aut rumoribus denus agitari, et in divi-
ficiat fades tua, et tu conversus confirma ſratres 1u0s.
Considerate, charissimi, quia veritas mentiri non
potuit, nec ſides Petri in #zternum quassari poterit
yel mutari : nam cum omnes discipulos diabolus ad
excribrandum poposcerit, pro solo Petro se Doininus
rogasse lev{atur, et ab co voluit czteros confirmari ;
cui etiam pro majori dilectione quam pre cz#teris
Domino exibebat, pascendarum ovium sollicitudo
commigsa esl : cui et claves regni celorum tradidit ;
&t 8uper quem Ecclesiam svam zdilicaturum esse
promisit, nec portas inferni adversus eam prevalere
teslatus est (Maith. 16). Sed quia inimicus humani
generis usque in finem szculi non quiescit in Domini
Ecclesiam bono semini superseminare Zizania, ideo-
que ne ſorte quisquam maligno stwudio aliqua de fidei
noxtrz inlegritate diaboli insligatione fingere pra-
sUmpserit et argumentari, et ex hoc vestri ſorlasse
videaulur animi perturbari, necessarium judicavimus
per prazsentem epistolam nos1tram, et ad viscera vos
matris Ecclesiz ut reverti debeatis, cum lacrymis
Exhorlari, et de fidei novirz integritate vobis satis/a-
elionem nostram mitlere; quatenus nulla possit in
cordibus vesiris de nobis remanere suspicio, ul in
divioi tremendique judicii die de taciturnitate mea
reus inveniri non possim.
animis schismaticorum male afſeciis nibil prodesset,
imilatus Pelagium I, adversus ips0s Smaragdum Ha-
liv cxarchum Raveunz degeniem exagilavit : qui
haud impigre evsdem coercere aggressus esl, nec
Sione Ecclesiz malorum hominum persuasionibus
(quod avertat Dominus) remanere. Quid enim vos A
Sanctzx Ecclesie uvitale dividitis? quando nilil novi,
nihil (quod absit) contrarium in dicta Ecclesia pre*
dicari cognoscitis vel teneri ? Sed unam eamdeingue
lidem, quiz ab aposlolis Lradita, et a Sanctis Patribus
et predictis quatuor synodis explanata alque conlir-
mala dignoscitar, sincerissime leveri alque deſendi
modis omnibus comprobatur. Ubi ergo de lidei fir-
milale nulla vobis poterit quzstio vel suspicio gene»
rari, in unitale lidei, atque 'in sinu sanclz malris
catholicz atque apostolice Ecclenz permanere. Si
quid forte causz ext, unde vestri 8candalizati animi
videantur, manentes in unitatis charitate, eligile de
D fratribus ac filis nostris , quos ad nos, inquirendo
[in quzrendo] de quibus movemini, Ltranswillere
debeatis ; el parali svmus Secundum preceptionem
apostolicam (1 Petr. 11), et cum charilale eos sSusCi-
pere, et cum humilitate ad placita galisſactionis red
dere ratiouem; et ine aliquo impedimento cum ownl
dilectione, quaudy reverti voluerint, voluntale Since-
rissima relegare.
Audiamus awtem Doctorem gentium clamanten :
Sicut accepisiis Chriztum Jesum Dominum, in ips0
ambulate, radicati et superedificati in ips0, et confir-
ces8avit, quousque depascentem Ecclesiau morbumn
ex iis regionibus, teste Diacono lib, 111 cap, 21, peni-
lus auſerret. Sey. Bix.
709 EPISTOLA GT DEGRETA.
740.
mati in fide, 2icut didicistis, abundantes in gratiarum A una spe vocationis veatra, Unus Domunys , una
actione. Videte ne quis vos deci
◆
Pelagius, bishop of the holy Catholic Church of the city of Rome.
That we have been slow to send our writings to your love, dearest brothers and sons, should not be attributed to any ill will, indifference, or negligence on our part. Rather, as you know, the conditions of the times and the pressing threat of enemies have prevented us until now. For as the Lord says through the prophet: "Can a woman forget the child of her womb?" (Isaiah 49:15). Let no one believe, then, that we have not grieved with heavy weeping and sighing over this separation from those who are our very flesh and blood. If only, dearest ones, the Lord would illuminate the eyes of your hearts so that you might see the groaning of our heart on your behalf. For as the blessed Apostle says: "Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I am not indignant?" (2 Corinthians 11:29). And elsewhere: "If one member suffers, all the members suffer together" (1 Corinthians 12:26).
Now, therefore, since almighty God — for the benefit of our Christian rulers, and through the labors and diligence of our son the most excellent Smaragdus, exarch and chartulary of the sacred palace [the emperor's chief representative in Italy] — has seen fit to grant us a measure of peace and quiet, we hasten with all urgency to send you this present letter, exhorting and imploring you not to persist any longer in division from the Church. For we, following the voice of the Gospel, strive to show your brotherhood and love — insofar as our frailty allows — what has been commanded of us, with sincerity of heart and in all humility. You know that the Lord proclaimed in the Gospel (Luke 22:31–32): "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, Peter, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
Consider, dearest ones, that the Truth himself could not lie, and the faith of Peter can never be shaken or changed for all eternity. For although the devil demanded to sift all the disciples, the Lord testifies that he prayed for Peter alone, and willed that the others be strengthened by him — Peter, to whom, because of the greater love he showed the Lord above the rest, was entrusted the care of feeding the sheep; to whom he also handed over the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and upon whom he promised to build his Church, declaring that the gates of hell would not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18–19).
But because the enemy of the human race does not rest until the end of the age from sowing weeds among the good seed in the Lord's Church, and lest anyone by malicious intent should presume — at the devil's instigation — to fabricate or argue something against the integrity of our faith, and your minds perhaps be disturbed by this, we have judged it necessary through this present letter both to exhort you with tears to return to the embrace of Mother Church, and to make known to you the integrity of our faith.
For we hold that faith which has been proclaimed, and we defend it with all purity of conscience even to the shedding of blood — the faith handed down by the apostles and preserved inviolably by their successors, which the venerable Council of Nicaea of 318 Fathers [325 AD, the first ecumenical council] received and set down in the Creed; and the Council of Constantinople of 150 Fathers under the emperor Theodosius the Elder of blessed memory [381 AD, the second ecumenical council]; and also the first Council of Ephesus [431 AD, the third ecumenical council], over which our predecessor of blessed memory Celestine, bishop of Rome, presided, together with Cyril, bishop of Alexandria; and the Council of Chalcedon of 630 Fathers [451 AD, the fourth ecumenical council], which convened under the emperor Marcian of blessed memory, and over which Pope Leo of holy memory presided through his legates and representatives. And as the hostile opposition of various heresies demanded, these councils proclaimed that same faith more fully, with one and the same mind. We also venerate, hold, defend, and — with the Lord's help — preach in accordance with the letter of the aforementioned Pope Leo of blessed memory to Flavian, bishop of Constantinople [the famous "Tome of Leo," a key doctrinal statement on Christ's two natures], which is also called the Tome. And just as our oft-mentioned predecessor Pope Leo of blessed memory received and confirmed the Council of Chalcedon, so too do we, by the working of divine grace, venerate, preserve, and defend it in all respects.
If anyone thinks, believes, or presumes to teach contrary to this faith, let him know that he is condemned and anathematized according to the judgment of those same Fathers.
Therefore, do not allow yourselves to be driven any further by false suspicions or rumors, nor to persist in division from the Church [referring to the Istrian schism: the bishops of northeastern Italy who broke communion with Rome after the Second Council of Constantinople (553) condemned the Three Chapters — the writings of three theologians — which the Istrian bishops saw as undermining Chalcedon].
[The letter breaks off here in the source text.]
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.