Letter 22: The Roman synod assembled under the presidency of Bishop Felix, to our beloved sons the priests and archimandrites...

[Editorial heading:] The Roman Synod to the presbyters and archimandrites established at Constantinople and in Bithynia. [Editorial summary:] A Roman Synod gathered at the church of Saint Peter on account of the church of Antioch makes known that, with their crimes laid bare, Vitalis and Misenus have been suspended from the priesthood and from the holy communion, but that Acacius has been cast out both from the college of bishops and from the communion of the faithful (sections 1-3). It announces that it is sending again the sentence against the same man, already sent earlier through Tutus the defender, and refuting a certain empty complaint of his (section 4), it exhorts them to be steadfast against the new machinations of the condemned man (sections 5, 6). The holy synod gathered at Saint Peter the apostle, to all the orthodox presbyters and archimandrites established at Constantinople and in Bithynia, most beloved sons, greeting in the Lord. 1. Long ago, and from the beginning, the faith of your holiness was approved by the apostolic see, the chief of all our sees; nor can it be doubted that you so hold to the constancy of true devotion toward God that you also possess the diligence of the divine Spirit for discerning the just from the impious, the faithful from the unbelievers, the catholics from the heretics. Glorying in the Lord concerning this, even if there were nothing which we knew to lie hidden in the cause of the faith, nevertheless, lest perhaps anyone be of a faint mind, out of concern for our ministry we set forth the words spoken specially by the Lord through the prophet Ezekiel: 'If,' he says, 'the watchman shall see the sword coming, and the trumpet sound not, and the people guard not themselves, and the sword come and take from them a soul: he indeed is taken in his own iniquity, but his blood I will require from the hand of the watchman' [Ezekiel 33:6]. Behold, you see what care constrains us, what commands terrify us, and what must rather be guarded against, lest we keep silent in the face of these adversities, the more to be feared than to lie subject to the divine punishments; and since whoever shall keep watch can without doubt be saved by hearing the heavenly voice, the guilt of the watchman is the graver, if his silence shall have lost anyone. 2. Hence we recall what things were done, when Vitalis and Misenus, set before our judgment, were setting forth the causes of the legation entrusted to them on behalf of the faith. Since the sons of darkness are craftier than the sons of light, they were found to be transgressors of the legation entrusted to them, with Acacius circumventing and the more oppressing them: so that, as far as has been learned beforehand from the swift report, it was established that they, against the form of their instruction, displayed their forbidden service to the aforesaid man. Whereas they had been specially dispatched for this purpose, that they should rebuke him in church while you listened, and that, with Peter shut out from the city of Alexandria, whom the holy pope Simplicius had often demanded should be banished into distant exile, the catholic bishops and peoples might be aided: these men, in your presence, among the venerable altars, not only declared that they had communicated, unknowingly as they said, with Acacius, who was committing what was forbidden, but with those very men whom they had been directed to avoid; nor did they wish to aid by their crafty seduction the catholic bishops and clerics who had been transferred, whom Acacius was persecuting. And when they falsely claimed they had done everything as had been entrusted to them, [it is shown that] coming to Rome [the same Roman synod] convicted those same legates of manifold prevarication; compare Evagrius, Ecclesiastical History III, 20 and 21. When the letters of Acacius, which they themselves had brought, had been read, it became manifest that they had seen, without excuse, that Peter and Acacius held one and the same opinion, since [the report] had related that Peter had been condemned by holy Simplicius even before his episcopate and had been driven from the honor of that very episcopate. It was added also then, when these matters were being treated in the examination, that Acacius made that John preside over the church of the Tyrians, who had been ordained bishop of the church of Apamea by Peter, the tyrant of the church of Antioch, but in no way received; and who, with his own ordainer driven out, did not fear to occupy that same see: whom then the hypocrite Acacius caused to be so condemned by the apostolic see that even the name of Christians was taken from these men, as the proceedings held in his presence make manifest. 3. Having therefore learned these things and worse, we have suspended Vitalis and Misenus from the priestly college and from the most holy communion. Acacius too, gaping the more perniciously after the members of Christ and scattering through cities and provinces the one catholic Church of the faith, we have judged not to be held among the holy bishops nor among Christians. For how could it be that he who rends the tunic of Christ, which not even those crucifying him dared to divide, should be reckoned in the number of the faithful? Therefore, considering and foreseeing all things which befit us in the fear of God, lest the serpent of the Eutychian plague of heresy, so often extinguished, of which Acacius is the defender and patron, should like a cancer scatter the members of Christ, we now anathematize him, cut off from the ecclesiastical body like a putrid part by the aforesaid sentence, obeying the words of the Lord: 'If your eye or your foot scandalize you, cut it off and cast it from you' [cf. Matthew 18:8-9]. 4. And that your charity may be able to recognize that we hold the venerable synods, the Nicene and the earlier Ephesine and the Chalcedonian, against Nestorius and the most impious Eutyches, after that sentence which was spoken against Acacius, the disturber of the whole church of the East, we now also, gathered again, add by these letters, subjoining the aforesaid sentence, which it pleased us to direct to Acacius through Tutus the defender of the church, lest some, wishing to circumvent the truth, should seduce the simpler ones by most malign blandishments. For if snares were not laid for the orthodox by land and sea, very many of us could have come with that same sentence against Acacius. Hence now, gathered at Saint Peter the most blessed apostle on account of the cause of the church of Antioch, we have hastened to indicate again to your love the custom which has always prevailed among us. As often as, within Italy, the priests of the Lord are gathered on account of ecclesiastical causes, especially of the faith, the custom is retained that the successor of the bishops of the apostolic see, in the person of all the priests of all Italy, according to the solicitude for the churches belonging to him, should determine all things suitable for all, who is the head of all, the Lord saying to blessed Peter: 'You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it' [Matthew 16:18]. Following which voice the three hundred and eighteen holy fathers gathered at Nicaea conferred upon the holy Roman church the confirmation of affairs and authority: which both [successions], down to our own age, all the successions, by the grace of Christ bestowing it, preserve. What therefore pleased the holy synod at blessed Peter the apostle, as we have said, and as through Tutus the defender of the church the most blessed man Felix, our head, pope and archbishop, indicated, is contained in what follows below. 5. But just as Acacius has stretched out the impiety of his pestiferous condemnation, so that even cast down he insults, so that cut off he does not cease to rage, and although he is held altogether outside the body of the Church, nevertheless [he gnaws at] its members, since it is testified to have been written: 'The impious man, when he has come into the depth of evils, despises' [cf. Proverbs 18:3]; adding worse things to the former by persecuting now even the dead, his soul, gravely transgressing, incurs the condition of the second death. He who, with the holy bishop Calendio recently cast out, as we have learned, sent into his church Peter, so often and long ago condemned, so that very many catholic priests, if it is true, have departed, leaving their own sees, and our pearls have been cast before swine and dogs. Nevertheless let it terrify no one that the condemned Acacius is not at rest. Satan has been crushed and yet he works. Christ has conquered and conquers, and yet the enemy does not desist. And because it is certain to us that you also remember the prophetic reading and have nothing against the camps of dread that stand firm, most opportunely we exhort, looking to the Lord: as we also do, persevere unto the end, and retain with steadfast mind the sentence which you find in what follows below! 6. But lest anything be maliciously changed in our letters before depraved minds or be able to be interpreted otherwise, first, as was fitting, supplicating the most clement prince, we have directed these same letters of ours to your love, to the clergy and people and the most ample senate, to which we, each and all, have subscribed, seeking divine aid, that, the snares being avoided, He may cause these things written to reach you. Given on the third day before the Nones of October, in the consulship of Symmachus, most distinguished man. And in another hand: May God keep you safe, most beloved sons! And the subscriptions of the bishops. Candidus, bishop of the city of Tibur, against Peter the usurper of the church of Alexandria, and Acacius formerly of the church of Constantinople, and also against Peter of Antioch, long ago and rightly and deservedly separated from the episcopate and from the number of Christians, and against all their followers, following the authority of the apostolic see, according to our desire, [the sentence] brought forth by catholic deliberation in accordance with the state of the Church, pronouncing anathema, have subscribed. Forty-two bishops subscribed in like manner.

8CU \ Oct Synodus Bomana ad presbyteros et archimaDdritaa Constan- tinopoli atque in Bithynia constitutos. Synodus Homana Anliochenae ecclesiac causa apud b, Petrum confjregaia tigm- m^ /icai, palefactis criminibus t^italem et Misenum a sacerdotio et sacra comanadime suspensosj Acacium vcro et ab episcoporum coUegio et a commufuone fidtUmm dcjectum esse (ti. 1 — 3). Scntcntiamin eumdem Jam per Tutum de/ensorem missam iterum se mittere nuntiat, ct inanem quamdam iilitts incriminaiionem futans (n. 4), ut adversus novas damnati molitiones constantes sint hortatur («. 5,6). Sancta sjnodus apud beatum Petrum apostolum cougregata universis presbyteris et archi- mandritis orthodoxis Constantinopoli et Bi- -thyniae constitutis^) dilectissimis filiis ia Domino salutem. 1. Oliui uobis atque al) initio sedi apostolicae omiiium nostram principi fides vestrae probata est sanctitatis: nec dubitaii potest, ita vos verae in Deum pietatis tenere constantiam, ut etiam discer- nendi justos ab iuipiis, fideles ab infidelibus, catholicos ab haereticis, Antiochenuni onliiiavit. Qiiod licet ex neccssitiite factum exciisavit (cf. Simplie» " epist. 15, 16, 17), facile taiuen multis aliis exeniplis hi\jusmodi infractionis jnxii alieni prodidit, cfuo animo attentasset. Neque parum ejus aniniiun a Simplido et postca a Fehce ahenavit, quod ilh ambitiosis ejus conatibuB eemper et nbl* que intercederent. ') Editi consistentibusy (i' constitutis, iis scilicet, qui priuB ad Felicem scripte- rant Misenum et Vitalem iu multis accusantes. Inter quos praocipaaB erat Qy* riUus Acoemitensium monasterio praefectus, cigus juBsu Symeoaes monachai. EPISTOLAE 10. 11. 253 ^ _ — divini Spiritns habeatis industriam. De eo ^) gloriantes in Do- a. 485. BonO; etsi nihil esset^ quod in causa fidei latere noverimus; tamen ne qm pnsillae forte sit mentis, pro sollicitudine muiisterii per JSiechielem prophetam a Domino specialiter verba dicta prof erimus : Owdsi, inquit, speculator gladium viderit venientem et non insonuerit £z.33,6. buccma, et populus se non custodierii, venerilque gladius et tulerit de m animam: Ule quidem in iniquitate sua captus est, sanguinem vero ejvs de manu speculatoris requiram. Videtis ecce, quae nos cura CQiistringat, quae mandata perterreant, et quod cavendum est po- tius^), ne ipsis taceamus adversis, quam magis verendum divinis sobjacere suppliciis, et quum possit coelestis vocis auditu, quisquis 86 eustodierit^ sine dubitatione salvari, speculatoris sit gravior reatus^ 81 quemquam tacitumitas ejus amiserit. 2. Unde quae sint acta memoramus, quum Vitalis atque Mi- senus in*) nostro judicio constituti causas mandatae sibi pro fide legationis exponertot. Quoniam astutiores sunt filiis lucis filii tene- hrarum^ praevaricatores mandatae sibi legationis, circumveniente magisqae oppriraente Acacio, sunt reperti: ita ut, quantum famae mobilitate praecognitum est, constiterit, eos praedicto^) contra for- mam praecepti prohibitum sui exhibuisse famulatum. Quum ob hoc specialiter directi fuissent, ut in ecclesia vobis audientibus eimi cor- riperent, et Petro Alexandrina urbe secluso, quem sanctus Simpliciu^ papa saepius poposcerat hmginquo exsilio relegaiidum, catholicis epi- Bcopis* snbveniretur et populis: isti coram vobis*^) inter altaria ve- neranda non solum Acacio, quod vetitum fuit, contraria perpetranti, aed iisdem ipsis, ad quos directi fuerant evitandos, se nescientes eommonicasse dixerunt; nec catholicis episcopis et clericis, quos per- aeqnebatur Acacius^ callida seductione translatis subvenire') voluerunt. Et qnum se universa, sicut illis mandata sunt; mentirentur egisse, Rofmam Teniens eosdem legatos multipliciB praevaricatiouis eoiivicit; cf. Evagrius li. e. in, 20 et 21. «) "Vulg. De quOy moxque popuK se non custodierint, et omittuut ejus. Sequi- muz G* (popHlis se non custodierit). «) Puta, quum Congiantinopoli degerent. a^ corani nobis legisse videtur, ubi totam ad synodum Bomanam referendum foret, et sequentia melius cohaererent. Simeones detulerat. Qui quidem, ut narrat Evagrius h. e. III, 21, in ipsa synodo ftfffyim"». eo8 reprehendit, quod in urbe regia constituti, quum variae quaestioncs prvponiat eueni, noluerint unquam colloqui cum uUo orlhodoxorum aut Htteras eis iradere, nec quidquam eorum, quae contra rcclam fidcm tcntabantur^ examinarc. a. 485. lectis Acacii litteris, quas ipsi detuleraiit, mauifestum est, eos siiie excusatione vidisse, unum atque idem Petrum Acaciumque sentire, qui Petrum sancto^) Simplieio et ante episcopatum fuisse damnatum et ab episcopatus ipsius retulerat honore propulsum. Adjectum etiam tunc, quum ista in examinatione tractantur, quod Acacius Johannem illum Tyriorum ecclesiae fecerit praesidere, qui Apamenis a Petro Antiochenae ecclesiae tyranno fuerat episcopus ordinatus, sed minime receptus, proprio ordinatore depulso eamdem sedem non timuit oc- cupare: quos tunc hyj)ocrita Acacius ita fecit ab apostolica sede danmari, ut liis etiam Christianorum vocabulum tolleretur, quod gesta apud-^) eum halrita manifestant. 3. His ergo deterioribusque compertis, Vitalem atque Misenum a sacerdotali coUegio et sacrosancta communione suspendimus *•). Acacium quoque membris Christi peniiciosius inhiantem et per civitates atque provincias unani de fide catholicam Ecclesiam dissi- pantem, inter episcopos sanctos atque inter Christianos judicayimus non haberi. Qualiter enim fieri poterat, ut scindens tunicam Ghiisti,- quam nec crucifigentes eum dividere ausi sunt, in iiumero fidelium censeretur? Igitur omnia, quae nobis in timore Dei competunt, cogitantes et praevidentes, ne toties exstinctae Eutychianae pestis haereseos, cujus Acacius defensor est et patronus, serpens ut cancer Christi membra disperderet, eum jam nunc e corpore ecclesiastico ut partem putridam anathematizamus sententia memorata abscissum. ■ ig g ' dominicis eloquiis obsequentes : Si oculus luus aut pes tuus scandaH' zaverit te, ahscide eum et projice ahs te, 4. Et ut caritas vestra possit agnoscere, venerandas synodos Nicaenam et Ephesinam priorem atque Calchedonensem contra Ne- storium et Eutychetem impiissimum nos tenere*^), post illam sen- '') Kditi a sancto SimpUcio (ot mox ab episcopaiu), erratum simile, quod jain iii epist. 0 n. 1 auctoritate mss. correximus, ex quibus rcstituimus qtiem damnor luvi sanciae memoriae decessori meo ipse reiuierai (loco a sanciae etc.). PonO Petrus Mongus non a Simplicio papa sed a Proterio Alexandrino, dum adhac diaconus crat, damnatus est, et a sacerdotali honorc, quem UBurpaverat, de- » jectus est ipso Zeuonis imperatoris decreto, quo Timotheus catiiolicus epiBCOpns revocabatur. Hoc autem geminiim factum Acacius ipso ad Simplicium retuleiat (cf. Simpl. epist. 8). *^) Gelasius epist. SO n. 8 et 9 ^os suspensos fuisse tradit, donec aueicre DeQ et annisu cathoiiconim principum vel populi Chrisiiani Alexandrina caihoUcum reee* pissei episcopum ecciesia. — Mox G*" perniciosius inherentem, *') In edit. conciliorum hic additur eic^ quasi aliquid dedt, et ad margineu annotatur: Sequitur fidei instruciio ejusdem episiolae, Nohis vero nihil hic snp- pressum, nihil desiderandum videtur. EPISTOLA 11. 255 m tentiam, quae in Acaeiuni perturbatorem totius Orientis ecclesiae a. 486. dicta est, his quoque nunc iterum congregati adjicimus^^) litteris memoratam subdendo sententiam, quam placuit per Tutum defenso- rem ecclesiae Acacio dirigi, ne volentes aliqui circumscribere veri- tatem, malignissimis blandimentis simpliciores quosque seducant. Xam si terra marique orthodoxis non ponerentur insidiae, plurimi ex nobis cum eadem contra^^) Acacium sententia venire potuissent. Unde nunc causa Antiochenae ^*) ecclesiae apud beatissimum Petrum apostolnm coUecti, rursum dilectioni vestrae morem^^), qui apud nos semper obtinuit^ properavimus indicare. (iuotiens intra Italiam pro- pter ecclesiasticas causas, praecipue fidei, coUiguntur Domini sacer- dotes, consuetudo retinetur, ut successor praesuhim sedis apostolicac ex persona cunctonmi totius Italiae sacerdotum juxta soUicitudinem sibi ecclesiarum *omnibus competentem cuncta constituat, qui caput*f.oMmi/;/« est omnium, Domino ad beatum Petrum dicente: Tu es Pclrus, ^/Matth. 1 fi 1 M super hanc peiram aedificaho Ecclesiam meam, el porlae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam. Quam vocem sequentes trecenti decem et octo sancti patres apud Nicueam congregati, confirmationem rerum atque auctoritatem sanctae Romanae ecclesiae detulenuit *'') : quam *'^ a* adducmus, G* (si recte legimus) adulimury unde adjicimus pro genuina lectioue derivavimus. Hoc autem verbo restituto et mututa inteqnmctione nihil jam oratioms, quae ante mutila videbatur, integritati deerit. Signiiicat syno- dus, se eamdem his litteris subjecisse sententiam, quam pridem Tutus Acacio pertnlerat. — Mox G* omittit quam (ante placuii). *^) Ita G*. Vulg. eadem Acacii sententia . . . healwn Pelrum. **) Quae esset nova illa Antiochenae ecclesiae causa, n. 5 explicatur, scilicet Acaciuzn. ejecto Calendioni episcopo catholico Petrum Fullonem subrogasso in- famem haereticum. His autem rationibus, quibus synodus Graecorum expostn lationibuB, quod a solo Felice damnatus esset Acacius, satisfacere nititur, alias adjicit Gdasius epist. 26 n. 14. »^) G* moret, vulg. morCy unde nos morem restituimus. '•) G* detuleruni qu^ ... omnis Cftristi, mendose. Ea quidem potestas Ro- mano pontifici ut metropolitano in Urbicariis i^rovinciis attribuitur concilio Ni- caeno c. 4 his verbis: Potestas sane vel confirmatio pertinebit per simjulas provin- cias ad metropolitanum. Sed ex adjunctis hic quoddam singulare privilegium a ■jnodo illa Bomanae ecclesiae delatum denotari colligitur, quod litteris ad Sil- Te«trum scriptis neque hodie exstantibus expressum fuisse suspicamur. Ad harom ipsarum imitationem forte artifex in supposititia illa epistola (Ps. Silv. epist. 12 in Const. ep. Rom. pont. Append. I pag. 53) Nicaenos patres ad eum- dem ita poutificem induxit scribentes : Quod autem constituimus in concilio Nicaeno, precamar, vl vestri oris consortio "confirmetur. Sed et ante Nicaenam synodum «piscopi Arelate congpregati, et post, qui Sardicae convenerant, quidquid consti- tneraut, JaHo et Silvestro retulerunt (vid. Silv. epist. 2 et Jul. epist. 3). Forte etiam hic memoratar consuetudo in Nicaena synodo c. 6 confirmata, qua Romani '^ntificxs ad instar potestatem in plures provincias Alexandrino et Antiocheno antistitibtis attribnit. Ejus autem consuetudinis, quam nunc Romana synodus explioat, exemplum habemus in Julii epist. 1 n. 8. a. 485. utramque usque ad aetatem nostram suecessioues omiies Christi gratia praestante custodiunt. Quod ergo placuit sanctae synodo apnd beatiun Petrum apostolum, sicut diximus*') et per Tutum ecclesiae defensorem beatissimus vir Felix, caput nostrum papa et archiepi- scopus, indicavit, in subditis continetur. 5. Sicut^^) autem Acacius impietatem pestiferae damnatiomB tetendit, ut etiam dejectus insultet, ut scissus saevire non desinat, et quujn omnino extra corpus habeatur Ecclesiae, ejus tamen membra -18*3 ^^'^^^^^^ ^* ^^ se scriptum esse testetur : Impius gitum pervenerit m profmdum maiorum, coniemnit: adjiciens deteriora prioribus perse- quendo jam mortuos^^), ejus anima graviter delinquendo conditio- nem secundae mortis incurrit. Qui Calendione episcopo sanct0| queraadmodum cognovimus, nuper ejecto-*^), Petrum toties et a ae ante danuiatum in ejus misit ecclesiam, ita ut plurimi, si verum est. ") Oratdoiiis integritas postulare "videtur sicut direximus per, vel legendam est sicut diximus et per ... defensorem beatissimus vir Felix caput nostrum papa ei arc/iiepiscopus indicavit. Editi sicut diximus, per Tututn eccl, def, et beatistimus ... archiepiscopus judicavit. — Hic observandiun, nusquam iu superioribas Romanaiii pontificem a Latinis vocari archiepiscopum, Antea quidem DamasuB hoc titulo insignitus legitur in libello Marcellini et Faustini ad Thcodosium imperatoreni, sed ironice. Subindc etiam Latinis faniiliare esse coepit. Caesarius Arelatenais in suo testamento apud Baronium ad ann. 508 succcssorem suum Baepias at- chiepiscopum dicit. *-) Editi Sic autem ... corpus haheatur ejus ... Impius cum veneril, "Seqoi- mur G*. Hcopi corpus ex ecclesia in desertum locum ejecerat, ejusdem criminis obnoxias reputiitur. Neque enim deprehenso hoc facinore so a Petri societate abstraidt^ quamvis eum quodammodo culi^avcrit, ut supra in epist, 6 ex Evagiio h. e. ITI, 18 observavinius. *") G* a' electo ... misii, cc ejecto ... immisii. Hujus episcopi alioromqae ejiciendorum causam Theophanes chronog*» p. 207 his verbis prodit: Zeno « tyrannis se opprimentibus liber Calandionem Antiochensium ecclesia expulii et Oadm j relegavit^ atque Petrum FuUonem in sedem restituit. Nestorem autem Romanum Cmt' chedonis, Eusebium Samosatensium, Julianum MopsvestiaCt Pautum ConstanHnae^ Ma- num Ilemeriae et j4ndream Theodosiopoleos praesules specie quidem cot/aii in /yrlPi- nos favoris, sed revera Ilenolici ab eis rejecti causa dignitate moveri jussit. Tiadii ' quoque Evagrius h. e. III, 16, Cidendionem Oasim deportatum^ et quidem, ot i loquitur Liberatus breviar. c. 18, quum accusaretur in aperto tamquam iMdevatm principiy mitten.s populum in rebeltionem cum EUo^ latenter autemt quia se non Mtfpoi* deret el a Felicis papac ct a Johannui (Talajae) communione. Ex quo et seqoitort • ' ut Caleudionis expulsio adeoque et Antiochenae ecclesiae causa, propter qaua haec synodus congregata est, longe postorior sit illa altera, in qua Acacias pri- mum damnatus est. Siquidem Acacius, qui aliis auctor fuit, iit '&e a Feliat commiuiiono suspenderent, tmn primuni teste Theophaue pag. 205, hi\ju8 papM *" nomen e diptychis ex];)unxit, quum sententiam, qua a sacerdotali honore remo- vebatur, accepisset. EPISTOLAE 11. 12. 257 catholici cesserint relictis suis sedibus sacerdotes ^ et nostrae pro- a. 485. jectae sint porcis et canibus margaritae. Verumtanien neminem terreat, quod damnatus Acacius non quiescif^^). Elisus est satanas et tamen operatur. Vicit Christus et vincit, nec adhuc hostis ab- sistit. Et quia certum est nobis; meminisse vos etiam propheticae oq 3 lectionis nec aliquid habere contra consistentia castra formidinis, opportunissime cohortamur spectantes Dominum : sieut et nos, perseTeretis in finem^ et sententiam, quam reperitis in subditis, animo constanti retineatis! 6. Ne quid autem maligne^'^) in litteris nostris mutari apud prayisaimaB mentes aut aliter interpretari possit^ primum clementis- simo principiy sicut oportuit, suppIicanteS; has easdem litteras no- stras ad dilectionem vestram^ clerum plebemque et amplissimum senatuin direximus^ quibus singuli universique subscripsimus^ divinum petentes auxilium^ ut vitatis insidiis haec ad vos scripta faciat per- venire. — III ^) Nonas Octobris Symmacho v. c. cons. Et alia manu. Deus Tos incolumes custodiat, filii dilectissimi ! Et ■iibBeriptionefl episcoponun. Candidus Tiburtinae civitatis episcopus Petro Alexandrinae ecclesiae pervasori et Acacio quon- dam ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae necnon etiam Petro Antiocheno ab episcopatus et Christianorum numero olim jure et merito se- gre^tis omnibusque sequacibus eorum y sequens auctoritatem se- dis apostolicae, secundum desiderium^^) nostrum juxta Ecclesiae statum catholica deliberatione prolatam^ anathema dicens sub- scripsi. Quadraginta duo episcopi similiter subscripserunt.