Letter 23: Felix, bishop of Rome, to the holy monks of Constantinople and Bithynia, greetings.

Of Pope Felix, to the monks of the city of Constantinople and of Bithynia (in the year 485). [Summary:] The treachery having been disclosed, their defender of the church has been deposed and deprived of holy communion (section 1). That they themselves should likewise take action against the deserter monks, due account nevertheless being taken of each person's particular degree of guilt (section 2). 1. Felix, to Rufinus and Thalasius, presbyters and archimandrites, and to the rest of the monks established around Constantinople and Bithynia. 1. We experience rather frequently the cunning devices of the diabolical art, but with God's help we do not yield to its malice. For when his fraud strives to render void those things which are so often appointed for the steadfastness of the faith, it is necessary that, by the strength which divine grace supplies, we root out his very efforts. And so, when the letter of your love had been received, of which Basilius was the bearer, among the rest [it was learned that] Tutus, whom we had for this purpose made defender of the church from among the more advanced clerics within the church, so that he might carry into effect against Acacius the sentence which it was not permitted to be delivered [otherwise] - he, by a certain madness, indeed by a burning greed for money, after satisfaction had been made to our decrees, was convicted, and confessed, to have sold himself to the enemies of the faith. For his own letters were read aloud in the assembly of the brethren, [showing] how, by an agreement made with an interposed person, with Maro condemned, he is believed to have attached himself to the one to whom he had carried the sentence; recognizing these to be his own, he could not deny them. Whence we have stripped him, as a betrayer of the faith and of the apostolic see, of the office of defender which we had given to him for a time, and, having deprived him of communion in the most holy mystery, we have ordered him to be cast down [from his rank] by formal inquiry, admonishing your love that, as you have always done, you keep watch with continual vigilance for the guardianship of the truth. 2. And because there is no doubt that some from your monasteries have been deceived and have gone over to the enemies of God, whether of their own will or by necessity, we command that this is to be observed by you concerning such people: that whoever among you, of whatever place, either gave himself over of his own accord or was corrupted by a bribe, shall be utterly cut off from your fellowship. For unless the faithless are removed from the faithful, the distinction between things being taken away, the innocent will be burdened with suspicions, since lapse into vices is easy for men. The contagions of the lost must be driven away from the company of the approved, since, as it is written, evil communications corrupt good morals. But the cause of those is to be handled otherwise, who shall be shown to have been afflicted with grievous punishments, so that they might be led astray. Toward these it is fitting that you be more humane, so that they may return to their cells under the strictness of penance, and that what they have lapsed into may be expiated by them with more faithful tears, until, with the enemies and perverters excluded, the Catholic Church may be purged.

Felicis papae ad monachos urbis Constantinopolitanae et (a. 4S5 Bithyniae. ^ ^ - Paiefacta praevaricatione Tuinm defensorem ccclesiae depositum et sacra com- muHione prfvaium esse {n. 1). Ut ipsi in Iransfugas monachns similiter animad- vertant, Justa tamen culpae cujusvis ratione hahiia (n, 2). I Felix Rufino, Thalasio, presbyteris et archiman- ") Valgati quiescai et mox exspectantes Dominum ut sicut. Etiam in hia archetypam reddimus. ■•) cc midigni, rectius a* maligne, ut postulare videtur quod mox subjicitur mmi aiiter, Porro yerbum interpretari passive sumitur. ") Notam hanc conBularemf quam c' c' c'*' c veteri codice erutam satis ha- bnere ad marginem adnotasse, suo loco restituimus utpote cum gestis opHme conTexiientem. ••) Ex G* reTOcamns desiderium, quod vulg. omittunt. Kt^IdTOLAR BONAX. POMTIP. I. 17 a. 485. dritis et ceteris monachis circa Constantiii polim et Bithyniam constitutis. 1. Diabolicae artis astutias frequentius experimur, sed malign^^^ tati ejus Deo juvante non cedimus. Nam quum ea, quae toties pn^^ constantia fidei disponuntur, fraus ejus vacuare molitur, necesse est, ut et viribus, quas divina gratia subministrat, conatus ipsius exstir- pemus. Acceptis itaque litteris dilectionis vestrae, quarum Basilius fuit lator, inter cetera Tutus, quem ob hoc feceramus defensorem ecclesiae de provectioribus intra ecclesiam clericis, ut quam dirigi non licebat in Acaciimi sententiam ipse portaret, se quadam de- mentia imnio ardore pecuniae, postquam nostris satisfactum est con- stitutis, inimicis fidei vendidisse convictus est atque confessus. Lectae sunt enim litterae ipsius in conveutu fratrum, qualiter pacta *) inter- posita persona, Marone condenmato, ei cui sententiam portarat in- haesisse creditur: quas proprias esse cognoscens, non potuit diffiteri. Unde eum fidei et sedis apostolicae proditorem officio defensoris, quod ei ad tempus dederamus, exuimus, eumque sacrosancti mysterii communione privatum praecipitarique'^) cognitione praecepimus, mo- nentes dilectionem vestram, ut sicut semper fecistis, pro custodia veritatis jugi observatione vigiletis. 2. Et quia non est dubium, nonnullos ex monasteriis yestris esse deceptos atque ad inimicos Dei seu sponte seu necessitate trans- • iisse, observandum vobis de talibus hoc esse mandamus: ut quisquis cujuslibet loci apud vos vel sponte se dedit vel mercede corruptus, collegii vestri sit prorsus alienus. Quia nisi a fidelibus perfidi sint remoti, renjm discretione sublata laborabunt suspicionibus innocentes, ut ad vitia facilis homiiiibus est prolapsus. A probatorum consortio ir 3S contagia repellenda sunt perditonmi: quoniam mores bonos colloqma, sicut scriptum est, perversa corrumpunt. Illorum vero aliter causa tractanda est, quos constiterit poenis gravibus, ut traducerentur, aftiictos^). Circa quos humaniores vos esse convenit, ut ad cellulas [^3] *) Henr. Valesius in disscrt. dc duab. synodis Romanis (ad calc. edit. Theo* doreti pag. 183) ita corrigendum hunc locum censet: paclo interponto per temem Maronem condemnato ei, cui sententiam portarat, inhaesisse creditur. EPISTOLAE 12. 13. 259 sub districtione poeuiteutiae revertantur, et fidelioribus lacryinis a. 485. eoram quod lapsi sunt expietur, donec exclusis inimicis et perver- soribus suis eatholica purgetur Ecclesia.