Letter 27: Felix, bishop of Rome, to the holy Thalassius, archimandrite of Constantinople, greetings.

Of Pope Felix, to Thalassius, archimandrite of Constantinople. [Letter 16] That neither he himself nor his monks should communicate with the church of Constantinople or its bishop before they have been ordered to do so by the Apostolic See. Felix to Thalassius. After the letter which we sent through our sons, men of religious purpose, to be handed over to your love, lest the more diligent care should make less provision for the safeguarding of the catholic faith, we have judged that your charity should be admonished: that even if, by the grace of our God, the names of the condemned, that is of Peter of Alexandria and of the unhappy Acacius, shall have been removed from the ecclesiastical recitation, so that men like them in their ruin be not permitted to presume to the dignity of the priesthood, your love or the congregation which you govern should not decree that there is to be communion with the church of Constantinople, or with whoever shall be its future pontiff, before all matters are referred to the notice of the Apostolic See, either by the very letters of him who shall have been created bishop, or by the address of your love. For just as through the catholic profession you have followed the rule of the Apostolic See, so that you held yourself back from condemned communion, so you ought to follow the example of blessed Peter, that when by his authority communion has been restored, then you may know that your fellowship too is to be joined with theirs. And let no one at all persuade your love that our communion has already been entrusted to those parts, since you see that matters are still placed in doubt, and that with us everything concerning the pontiff created there is held to be altogether uncertain. Nor could communion be allied with him whose honor is not yet proven by us to have been received, nor whose faith and intention have been approved. Therefore let your love await the order of the Apostolic See, and so join itself to the church of Constantinople by sacred communion, if it desires to remain in the participation of blessed Peter and of catholic truth. Given on the Kalends of May, in the consulship of Probus Faustus, a most distinguished man, in the thirteenth indiction. [Letter 17] Of Pope Felix, to Vetranio the bishop. The causes of the dissension of the church of Constantinople having been set forth, he exhorts him to move the emperor to restore union with the Roman church. Felix to Vetranio the bishop. 1. That we desire the unity of the Church to be confirmed by full restoration, we have learned from the report of many: that your love, by the gift of divine grace, excels also in distinguished character, and that your brotherhood, supported by the familiarity of our lord and son the most Christian prince and prepared, freely and prudently builds up the cause of the catholic faith, if it should be more openly disclosed. Taking these indications from your mind, we judge you to be such an author of truth as we have desired to find there. We give thanks, therefore, that the Lord has not utterly cast off his inheritance, but has kept hidden in the hearts of those the flame of right confession, who, whether they entirely abstained from the confused communion or had fallen back into it through ignorance, nevertheless would rather that the things which are right be declared, and that they follow what has been approved according to the tradition of the ancients. And therefore we have taken care to address your charity by our discourse in every way, and fittingly to instruct you concerning those things which have made the Church of Christ to be at variance. 2. In the synod of Chalcedon, then, which, proceeding from the tenor of the Council of Nicaea, was celebrated for preserving the integrity of the Christian confession both by the authority of the Apostolic See and by the consensus of the universal Church, it is established that Eutyches and Dioscorus were condemned. Of these Timothy and Peter are shown beyond doubt to have been followers, and Acacius too is shown to have mingled himself with their wicked communion, even when he was forbidden by us: and on this account, from the form of the aforesaid synod, all incurred a like sentence of condemnation, which had been fixed against depravity, of whom they chose to be partners. Whence deservedly the aforesaid Acacius was driven out by a repeated excommunication from the Apostolic See, which now, being the executrix without doubt of the said Council of Chalcedon, then approved on behalf of the catholic faith, was not lacking; lest through him—which God forbid—we too be rendered accomplices of the lost. Nor let anyone believe that Peter was lawfully cleared, who has not been received by the see of blessed Peter the apostle, by whose command he was deposed. For I do not doubt that your love well knows that a person of this kind, when reason so required, can or ought fittingly to be absolved only by the order of ecclesiastical law as competent, as has been divinely established. And since this has not been done, it is manifest that Peter is held fast in that perversity and condemnation in which he was before. And even if he had wished to be lawfully corrected, he ought to have obtained indulgence, not ecclesiastical dignity: because, taking on from heretics and the condemned the name of a false priesthood, he could by no rules preside over the catholic church. But these things, which we have related as done concerning the aforesaid men, are proved by the documents coming thence, just as the clergy of Constantinople who were sent recognized; and it was openly shown that Acacius made himself their partner, whom by his own letters he had also reported as heretics and condemned. 3. Having therefore perceived in summary, your love, the things which appear to have made the dissension of the churches, and considering us to have been, not without cause, solicitous on behalf of the catholic faith, may you not only henceforth strive to keep yourself from the communion of the condemned, but may you not cease to draw back the flock of Christ with what industry you can, and may you not omit unceasingly to suggest to our lord and son, the Augustus of Christian devotion: that, mindful of his work, which by the inspiration of the catholic faith, our Lord granting, he is mercifully said to have carried out, he may, as a foremost son of sacred religion and conspicuous in pious devotion, restore by tranquil arrangement full peace in his times and the truth of Christ unimpaired, and, the name of Peter of Alexandria and of Acacius—for whom all this storm has arisen—being removed from the church of Constantinople, may, after the Lord, in his kindness bring about the unstained unity of the faith of the fatherly tradition. This would certainly never have been violated, if Acacius had faithfully wished to instill it into the most Christian emperor. But while he strives to remove the boundaries of the fathers and shamelessly seeks for his own ambitions an entrance for prevarication, he did not hesitate to trample the venerable decrees, and, to the venerable prince occupied amid public cares, he dissembled the things which he knew to be true to suggest: showing himself to bear such a conscience concerning the royal welfare and power as he exhibited in the business of religion itself. Whence—which is not to be said without dread of the divine judgment—even to us, had he sought it, though we wished it, he was not permitted to be absolved. But how could our lord and son the venerable emperor judge that this was to be done by himself, which he saw the priest either doing or teaching? Wherefore, my own prayer being joined with it, may your love beseech the oft-mentioned our lord and son with the supplication that it can, and with the profession of tears: that he may patiently permit those to be cut off who disturb us, lest in the successors of the heretics we seem to have restored what in their authors it is certain was condemned; and may he not allow those like the former ones to seize ecclesiastical dignity, inasmuch as we proclaim apostolic things: If therefore there be any new creature in Christ, the old things have passed away; behold, all things are made new. May he grant to us the church of Constantinople, united as always, by his graciousness after God, since both the increments of its present felicity desire this, and the fruit of eternity to be obtained demands it. But your love especially I admonish and call to witness, that in that dreadful examination of our Savior you will render account to me in every way, if the things which I have entrusted for the integrity of human salvation, for the orthodox and regular constitution of our elders, and for repairing the true and sincere peace of the whole Church—which we do not believe of your mind—you should carry out too slothfully. [The letter breaks off here in the source.]

Felieis papae ad Thalasium archimandritam Constan- a.490d. tinopolitannm. ^^' f. 18. »e eim ecclena Constantinopolitana vel ejus episcopo ipse aut monachi ejus ante eommumcenty quam a sede apostolica jussi fuerint. Felix Thalasio. Fost factas litteras, quas per filios nostros^) religiosi propositi ) HiB verbis Felix aperte demonstrat, quo sensu in epist. 6 n. 2 dixerit ^^ daninatum nunquamgue anathematis vinculo exuendum. Ac vero auperiore ^PwolaUa, 5 testatos est, se ejus absolutionem non solo affectu maluisse sed ** ^siriis conatibus prosecutum esse: etiam nobis conantihus, ait, non est permissus ■*^w. Conf. epi8t. 6 not. 21. ) Apostolicae sedis praesules Romani presbyterii nomine totius cleri sui coe- ^ a digniori gradu de&dgnare solitos , jam ex prioribus illorum epistolis no- "**^um est. Hoc etiam observabis, eosdem quas per legatos mittebant litte- ^ coram preBbyterio et legatis ipsis praesentibus recitari curasse. ] GoB videlicet ipsofl, quos Felix sancti propositi monachos in epist. 15 u. 2 ^^^^^^ffiims monaehos in epist. 14 n. 2 appellavit. Ne vero quis putet, mona- *«8T0LAE SOMAV. POHTIF. I. 18 a. 490. viros dilectioiii tuae niisimus eontradeiidas^ ne quid minus pro tholicae fidei custodia diligentior cura prospiceret, caritatem tuftBi duximus admonendam: ut etiamsi praestante Deo nostro nomixia danuiatonun, id est Alexandrini Petri et infelicis Acacii, fuerint ^^ ecclesiastica recitatione sublata, ut similes ^) perditionis eorum sac^T- dotii non permittantur praesumere dignitatem ; non prius tua dilec*ao vel eongregatio, quam gubernas, Constantinopolitanae ^) ecdesi^ vel quicunque ejus futurus est pontifex, conmiiuiicandum esse dec^^' nat, quani ad notitiam sedis apostolicae cuncta referantur velipsi*"* litteris, qui fuerit creatus episcdpus, vel tuae dilectionis alloqnLi*- Quia sicut per professionem catholicam sedis apostolicae formam 9^ cutus es, ut te a damnata communione suspenderes, ita beati Pctofi sequi debes exemplum, ut quando ejus auctoritate fuerit rela»'** communio, tunc eis etiam tuum noveris miscendum esse 'consortinK^D» Nec quisquam dilectioni tuae (mmino persuadeat, jam nostram munionem illis partibus fuisse commissam, qumn videas adhuc in dubio constitutas, et apud nos de illic creato pontifice onmia 1»-* beri prorsus incerta^). Neque posset cum eo sociari communi^ cujus adhuc a nobis nec honor probatur esse susceptus nec fii^ atque intentio comprobata. Exspectet ergo dilectio tua sedis a stolicae jussionem, et sic ecclesiae Gonstantinopolitanae sacra conmiunione conjungat, si in participaticme beati Petri et catholic^^ veritatis desiderat permanere. Data Calendas Majas Probo*) Fauarft^ viro clarissimo, indictione XIII. chos, pcr quo8 missae siint littorae, quao prins factae mcmorantar, alioe ab iis, qui hanc epistolaui 16 pertulerunt, vetat titulus in Virdunensi codiee praemisBUB (cf. monit. in hanc epist. n. 1) et ipsum nostrae epistolae initiaiB, in quo litterat^ illae non simplicit^r iradiiae sed contraditae vel contradendtie ^ cuntur. ') Istud Constantinopolitanae ecclesiae vel quicunque ej. f, e. poniifex in daiidi casu ad subjectum verbum communicandum refertur. Sic loquitur Feliz, qoan pro certo haberet, mox alium Flavitae loco subrogandum esse. Qaod non id- circo ab eo ihctum put^ui, quia hunc brevi moriturum prophetico spirita noi- set. Restat igitur, ut ideo dixerit, quia ejus ordinationem nullam se non con- firmante censebat, vel quia penes se monumenta habebat, quibus prolatis ipsam imperatorem ad eani rejiciendam pronum fore existimabat. Juniorvt consulatu insignitur (conf Rossi 1. c. n. 893 et 894), quum collega Lon§i^ nus in Occidente serius innotesceret. Quem Faustum etiam Probum appellatum, EPISTOLAE 16. 17. 275 Eplstola 17. Felicis papae ad Tetraiiioiiem episcopum. mM^) 1. 19. Di$$idu ecclesiae ConstantinopoiUanae cmisis exposUis horlatur, ut imperatorem ad unionem cum Romana instattrandam permoveat. Felix Vetranioni episcopo. 1. Quod unitatis Ecclesiae plena cupimus redintegrationo fir- mari, multorura relatione comperimus^): dilectionem tuam et egregiis moribus divina gratia tribuente pollere, et domini filii nostri Chri- stiaDissimi principis familiaritate subnixam paratamque fratemita- tem tnam catholicae fidei causam, si manifestius panderetur, libere et prudenter adstruere. Quibus de tua mente sumptis indiciis, talem t€ veritatis auctorem esse perpendimus, qualem ilUc desideravimus inYemre. Gratamur igitur, quod haereditatem suam non usquequa- qne Dominus repulisset, sed in eorum cordibus flanmiam rectae con- fessionis servaret absconditam, qui sive se a communione confusa^) penitus abstinerent sive in eam per ignorai^tiam recidissent, mal- lent tamen et declarari quae recta sunt, et secundum traditionem Teterum comprobata sectari. Atque ideo alloqui caritatem tuam nostro modis omnibus sermone curavimus, et de his, quae Ecclesiam Cliristi fecerint dissidere, competenter instruere. 2. In Calchedonensi itaque synodo, quae de concilii Nicaeni tenore procedens, pro Christianae confessionis integritate servanda tam auctoritate sedis apostolicae quam universalis Ecelesiae est cele- I l>rata consensu, Eutychem atc|ue Dioscorum constat fuisse damnatos. QQorum Timotheus et Petrus exstitisse docentur procul dubio secta- ^res, eonunque se communioni nefariae miscuisse, etiara quura a fiobis prohibitus est, Acacius : atque ob hoc ex forraa synodi raerao- ^tae similera cunctos, quae praefixa fuerat pravitati, daranationis ^cidisse sententiara, cujus se elegerunt esse consortes. Unde merito praedictus Acacius apostolicae sedis, quae nunc exsecutrix utique ^pe dicti Calchedonensis concilii 'pro fide catholica tunc probati ^on defait, iterata excoraraunicatione^) depulsus est, ne per eura. ^ Aeclanenai inscriptione (Rossi 1. c. n. 927) et notatione anni 491 (p. c. Fausti ^' vel p. e, Flam Fausti vel p. c. Prohi Fausti; conf. Rossi 1. c. n. 899) pa- lamfit. ') Clarios esset hoc exordium in hnnc moduni: Multorum relatione comperi- *"* ^t tptod ecciesiasticae pacis plena cupimus redintegratione firmari, dilectionem ') Plavitae communio merito dici potuit confusa, quam se cum Felicc papa « coin Petro Mongo scriptis ad utnimquc litteris habere asscrebat. Nisi forte <»»/wa per antiphrasim eonim communio dicitur , qui se in Henotico seu unitivo oecreto comnmnicare jactitabant. ) Primum yidelicet Felicis sententia anno 484 a. d. V Kal. Aug. Romana in 18* (a. 490.) quod absit, nos quoque reddamur complices perditorum. Neque Pe- trum quisquam legitime credat esse purgatum, qui non a beati Petri apostoli sede receptus est, qua fuit mandante dejectus. Bene enim dilectionem tuam nosse non ambigo, quod personam hujusmodi, quuni ita ratio postularet, non nisi ecclesiasticae legis ordine competeuiiy sicut divinitus constitutum est, vel possint vel debeant convenienter absolvere. Quod qumn factum non sit, manifestum est, Petrum in ea, qua pridem fuerat, perversitate ac damnatione detineri. Qoi etiamsi legitime coirigi voluisset, indulgentiam consequi debuit, aon ecclesiasticam dignitatem : quia ab haereticis danmatisque falsi saccr- dotii nomen assumeus, ecclesiae catholicae nullis regulis potuit pra©- ! sidere. Haec autem, quae de praedictia gesta narravimus, documexi- tis inde venientibus approbantur, sicut Constantinopolitani clerici) qui directi^) sunt, agnoverunt; palamque monstratum est, Acacii»^ se eorum fecisse participem, quos suis litteris haereticos et retuler** ipse damnatos. 3. Perceptis ergo'*) summatim dilectio tua, quae videntur ecd^ siaruni fecisse dissidium, nosque perpendens noir immerito pro fi^3^ catholica exstitisse soUicitos, non solum deinceps se a communio^^® danmatorum studeat custodire, sed Christi gregem qua valet ind stria retraliere non quiescat, et domiio fiHo nostro Christianae m( tis Augusto incessabiliter suggerere non omittat: ut operis sui memor^/ quod fide catholica iiispirante Domino nostro clementer dicitur exs^' cutus, plenam temporibus suis pacem et Christi veritatem sinceratv^ ut praecipuus sacrae religionis filius et pia devotione conspicuiii^ tranquilla dispositione restauret, et de ecclesia Constantinopolitana Petri Alexandrini uomine Acaciique sublato, pro quo tempestas omnis exorta est, intemeratam paternae traditionis fidei post Domi- nimi benignus efficiat unitatem. (iuae nunquam fuisset utique teme- rata, si hanc imperatori Christianissimo fideliter Acacius insinuare voluisset. iSed dum patrum terminos transferre molitur et ambitio- nibus suis praevaricationis aditum impudenter exquirit, nec venera- bilia dubitavit decreta calcare, et inter curas publicas occupato principi venerando dissinmlavit, quae noverat, vera suggerere : talem se conscientiam circa salutem regiam potestatemque gestare demon- s^Tiodo lata, quae deinde altera Roinana synodo anno 486 d. V Octobris habiia iteratii atque confirmata est (cf. monit. praev. in epist. 11). EPISTOLAE 17. 18. 277 stms, qualem in negotio ipsius religionis exhibuit. Unde^ quod (a. 490.) Jioii gine divini judicii terrore dicendum est; etiam nobis, si requi- sisset, optantibus non est permissus absolvi^). Quomodo autem donmns filius noster venerabilis imperator non hoc sibi judicare pos- set faciendum, quod cemeret sacerdotem vel facere vel docere? Qua- propter adjuncta secum mea prece, dilectio tua saepe dictum domnum fflimn nostrum supplicationC; qua potest, et lacrymarum professione deprecetor: nt patienter permittat abscidi, qui nos conturbant, ne in successbribus haereticorum reparasse videamur, quod in auctori- bos eorum certum est fuisse damnatum; priorumque') consimiles (^primere non sinat ecclesiasticam dignitatem, quatenus apostolica Tocedicamus: Si qua igitur in Christo nova creatura^ vetera transie-^^J^^' mt, ecce facta suni omnia nova. Ecclesiam Constantinopolitanam nobis sicut semper unitam sua post Deum placiditate concedat, (pomam et hoc praesentis felicitatis ejus incrementa desiderant, et consequendae fructus aetemitatis exposcit. Dilectionem vero tuam specialiter commoneo atque contestor, in illo nostri Salvatoris exa- ffline forniidando rationem mihi modis omnibus reddituram, si quae pw integritate salutis humanae , pro orthodoxa atque regulari con- stitntione majorum et veraci atque sincera totius Ecclesiae pace ^eparanda delegavi, quod te tua mente non credimus, segnius ex-