Letter 28: Simplicius writes to Acacius on church matters, urging him to resist the pressures being brought to bear on the...

Simplicius, bishop, to Acacius, bishop of Constantinople. Sent through Uranius. 1. We are equally amazed and grieved that the care of love and faith has been so dissembled in the mind of your love: that while the most Christian emperor, moved by the instinct of piety and religion, sent faithful and diligent intermediaries to address us and consult us about ecclesiastical affairs, you yourself, forgetful of both reciprocal grace and pastoral vigilance, neither wished to address us nor thought to inform us about matters pertaining to the custody of Catholic truth. And therefore, dearest brother, know that what you rightly see is blamed with frank affection must be compensated with greater diligence. Accordingly, applying yourself to the charge delegated to you, prudently raise up your understanding, and for the defense of the constitutions of the Council of Chalcedon, be vigorously watchful, lest through our negligence and idleness a lethal loss overtake the flocks of the Lord. 2. Recently, a report was sent to us in the customary manner from the Egyptian synod, which was both very numerous and sustained by communion with the Catholic faith, and from almost the entire clergy of the Alexandrian see, informing us that our brother and fellow bishop Timothy, of holy memory, had died, and that in his place, by the unanimous will of the faithful, John had been installed — a man in whom all the qualifications for the priesthood were believed to be present. And nothing whatsoever seemed to remain except that, as we gave thanks and rejoiced to our God that without disturbance a Catholic bishop had succeeded to the ministry of the deceased, the assent of apostolic governance should give its wished-for confirmation. But behold, while I was arranging such matters according to custom, the letters of the most serene emperor were delivered to me, in which he stated that the aforesaid John was unworthy of the priesthood as one guilty of perjury — a fact which, he declared, was not unknown to your fraternity either. I immediately drew back my step and revoked my judgment concerning his confirmation, lest I be judged to have acted precipitously against such great testimony. 3. But what astonished me not a little was that in those same letters the emperor should think that Peter — who is proven and, as I believe, not hidden from the conscience of your love, to have long been an associate of the heretics, and whose very refutations we are confident remain on record, and who is beyond doubt still outside Catholic communion, and about whom we have repeatedly written from that city that he should be expelled — should be raised to the governance of the aforesaid church; and that the emperor should promise that Peter will conform to the definitions of the right faith — a man who, as I have said above, lives as much estranged from its fellowship as he is separated from its communion. If he now strives to return to communion, he cannot enter except through a satisfaction appropriate to Christian rules; and accordingly he should not accede to the pinnacle of sacerdotal dignity, but rather, desiring to be reconciled as one seeking the remedy of healing that is to be provided after penitence and fitted accordingly to his soul, and not aspiring to the rank of highest honor — he who is long proven to have been perverse — lest under the guise of one returning he seek not the remedy of sincere salvation but the means of propagating depravity. 4. Against such great evils and dangers, therefore, for the sake of the quality of the priesthood and in consideration of Catholic preaching, you are bound on every side by the greatest obligations to resist wisely with whatever means you can. Nor is it permissible for your love to carry out less zealously what you do not doubt pertains to the cause of your soul, the regard for your honor and reputation. Therefore, finding opportunities, never cease to supplicate the will of the most merciful emperor on behalf of the Catholic faith, and to draw him back diligently from things harmful to Christian doctrine, and to inform him frequently according to what we command, and to press rather toward that side which is friendly to truth; and, as the holy apostle Paul instructed the venerable Timothy, in season and out of season, beseeching, insinuating, and expounding, never cease to plead, and to indicate to us in turn truthfully what is happening and what ought to be done: so that in this multiplication of the talents entrusted to you by the Lord's dispensation, you may be shown to be a faithful servant, if you do not refuse to advocate for Catholic unity and for the definitions of the Fathers not only in the church over which you preside, but wherever you can.

^ '^^^f Siinplicii papae ad Acaciiiin. 15 .Tul. Mirari se significat Simplicius Acacii de rebus Ecclesiae sitentium (n. 1). Se ««evii- liujH synodi Aeyyptiae relationem ad Johannis Atexandrinae ecctesiae episeopum confirmandum comparatum litteris imperatoris ab ea re fuisse absterritum («. 2). Litteris 'iisdem se comperisse, Petrum Mongum ad huJMS ecclesiae regimen desii' nari, id quod nec liceat nec sine fidei catholicae discrimine possit admiiii (n. 3). Quare ut Acacius tantis malis ac periculis imminentibus omni qua valeai virittte obsistat obsecratur (n. 4j. Simplicius episcopus Acacio episcopo Constanti- iiopolitano. Per TJraniQm.^) 1. Miramur pariter et dolemus, ita in tuae dilectionis animo dissimulatani lacerare curam caritatis et fidei, ut quum Christianissi- mus imperator pietatis et religionis instinctu affandi me et de causis ecclesiasticis consulendi fideles atque sollertes internuntios destinaret, ipse et alternae gratiae et vigilantiae, pastoralis oblitus, nee alloqui nos volueris, nec de his, quae ad catliolicae veritatis custodiam per- tinebant, duxeris instniendos. Atque ideo, frater carissimey quae non immerito cernis libera affectione culpari, potiore diligentia re- pensanda'^) cognosce. Froinde delegatum tibi munus impendens, sensus tuos prudenter attolle, et pro tuendis Calchedonensis synodi ' constitutis vehementer invigilia, ne per negligentiam desidiamque nostram subrepatur gregibus Domini lethale dispendium. 2. Nuper ab Aegyptia synodo, quae et numero plurima et fidei catholicae esset connnunione suftulta, atque ab ipso omni prope- moduni clero Alexandrinae sedis ad nos ex more relatio^) missa pa- retieuH Alexandriam rediit, et Tiiiiotheus catliolicus inde Canopum secedete coactuH, uon nitji p08t Zenonis reditum ad Hedeni 8uani revocatas est. Aliqna igitur hic tinietur Alexandriao captivitas ea, quam Hub Basilisco passa 601, gravior. ') Haec verba ex G' U' supplemu», ubi ea hujus epiutolae iuBcriptio: ^mh- plicius eps ucavio per Uvunium. Ilunc auteni Uranium subadjuvam fiiisse, et Ze- nonis litteras, quae huic epistohie occasionem praebuere, detulisse, paiet ex hift gestorum de nomine Acacii n. 10 verbis: Johannes oeconomus cathoticut a eaihaHeiB ordinatur; qui quum de consuetudine majorum ad apostolicatn sedem synodica scrifta misissety superveniente Uranio subadjuva ct contra Johannem jam epitcopwa sacra principis de/erente, ab episcopatus illius confirmatione papa suspensus est. ^ *; Ci' repensnndo cognosci proinde, h repensunda, quae correctio non displi- cet. Hortatur enim Simplicius Aeacium, ut majori diligentia compenset, quod diutumo silentio deUquit. ') Huic mori praesertim parebant maximae et praecipuae ecclesiae; unde Leo epist. 149 n. 1 scribit, se BasiUi Autiocheni episcopi ordinationem quum BasiUi ipsius tuni episcoporum, qui eum ordinaverant, litteris cognoscere de- buisse secundum ecciesia.stinwi movem. Necpie huic officio Caleudionem ^usqne tefecit^ sanctae memoriae fratrem quondam et coepiscopum nostrum a.,482. obiisse Timotheum; inque ejus vicem consoua fidelium voluntate Jo- hannem, cui ad sacerdotium constare crederentur omnia^ subrogatum. [Et nihil] omnino restare videbatur, nisi ut Deo nostro gratias agentibus nobis atque gaudentibus^ ut sine strepitu^ quod catholicus in defimcti ministerium successisset antistes^ apostolicac quoque moderationis assensu votivam sumeret firmitatem: quum ecce secun- dmn consaetudinem mihi talia disponenti tranquilissimi principis seripta sunt reddita, quibus memoratum tamquam perjurii reum^), quod fraternitati quoque tuae non 'esse diceretur incognitum, sacer- dotio perhiberet indignum. Illico retraxi pedem, et meam revocavi super ejus confirmatione sententiam, ne quid contra tantum ac tale testimonium praepropere fecisse judicarer. 3. Sed illud me non mediocriter fecit attonitum, quod iisdem litteris suis Petrum, qui haereticorum socius dudum exstitisse pro- «vnodum defui88e, diBcimuB ex primiB duperioris epistolae 17 verbia. Superva caneom esset, hunc morem pluribus ezemplis asserere. At de Alexaudrina ec- <^e«ia, ntpote a s. Marco b. Petri discipulo fundata, specialem curam habentes Bomaiii pontifices, ut monet Julius epist. 1 n. 22, de episcoporum ejus ordina- done ae speciali jure monendos esse existimabant. Urbem adventum reddita fuisse, atque adeo antequum in ejus gratiam impera- tori Bcripsifiset. Xeqoe igitur de hoc perjurio constabat. RPISTOLAE KOMAir. PONTIF. I. 14 a. 482. betur et prineeps ^), quod eonscientiam dilectionis tuae memini] non latere instructionesque ipsas, quibus fuerit confutatua, n^ confidinius, quemque etiam dubium non sit adhuc extra commii] nem durare catholicani, saepeque nos de eodem ex illa urbe pelle scripsisse sil certum, ad praefatae ecclesiae regimen existimet ] vehendum: eumque promittat") rectae fidei definitionibus conyeiL a cujus utique, sicut superius dixi, consortio tam degit extrane quam ab eju? communione discretus est. Ad quam^) si nunc red eontendit, nisi per satisfactionem Christianis regulis competent< non potest introire, ac perinde non ad fastigium sacerdotalis digi * tatis accedere, sed medelae, quae post poenitudinem pra^benda ei consequenter aptari animae suae cupiens reconciliatus auxilium, n* gradum summi honoris afi^ectans, qui diu convincitur fuisse perversi ne per speciem remeantis non remedium sincerae salvationis inquin sed facultatem propagandae pravitatis inveniat. Quo facto n ®) qui scilicet, damnato Dioscoro et Proterio ordinato, iit in gext, de m Acacii (Gelas. tract. 1 n. 4) exponitur, statim se ab Alexandrina ecdesia, ci^ erat diaconus, una cum Timotheo Aeluro ejusdem ecclesiae presbytero separa' ideoque una cum eodem a Proterio , qui eos ad ministeria sua mouitiB revoa non poterat, damnatuR fuit. Hmic Rubinde jusRit Zeno ipse imperator teste Li rato breviar. c. 17, expelli tamquam haereticum et adulterum, Porro per trigi aunosj ait Qelasius tractat. 2 n. 7, famosus expuynator veritatis fuit. — Epiiito mox memoratae sunt Simplicii epist. 10—13. ') Hoc in se recepit Zeno, quia quum Alexandrinam sedem Petro re«ti juBsisset, dummodo Henotico suo subscriberet et Proterianos in communionem «iitet ret (Evagr.H. E. ni,12), utrumque ille spoponderat. Acacius vero, ait Libera brev. c. 17, promittente Petro facere unitatem nec adhuc implente legilima, noa ejus in diptychis recitari permisit. Simplicius, ita Petro aditum ad Ec^lcsiae commuuionem non patere, ut nuUa ex sacrorimi canonum praescripto supersit spes sununi sacerdotii alteriusve g dus ecclesiastici, quaecunque satisfactio praecesserit. Nostra lex esi Eedesi inquit Jnnocentius epist. 17 n. B, venientibus ab haereticis .. per manus impotii nem laicam tantum tribuere communionem^ nec ex his aliquem in clerieaiug kcmf vel exiguum subrogare, et n. 7 velut rem in Ecclesia constantem ponit, n^* p nitentiae remedium necessarinm est, ibi ordinationis honorem locum habere nom pm Hinc novissime Hilarus epist. 16 n. 2 decreverat, ne ki qui ex poeniieniibus n ad sacros ordines adspirare audeant, Vide etiam Siricii epist. 10 n. 8 , AugUft epist. 185 ad Bonifacium n. 44, Leonis epist. 18, Felicis H. epist. 13 cap. 2, ( lasii epist. 14 c. 3, Agapeti epist 2 n. 3. Ipse Zeno ad imperiiun revocatas regressus teste Fehce l\ epist. 1 n. 9 praecepit eos, qui a Petro aui Timiei^ haereticis fuissent ordinati^ si resipiscerent , ad communionem recipi^ non eikm male praesumpti gradus priviiegia admitti. Si hoc autem de iis est definittiiii, qi Petrus ordinaverat, quanto magis de ipso Petro, qui et haereticorum dux et pr ter Ecclesiiie leges ordinatus fuoriit. hujusmodi magis ab errore detrahinnis, quani peniiciem fidelibus a. 482. urogwnus, eoque niodo Calchedoiiensis synodi statuta violautes, adi- tm saeira copulatione *) grassandi in Ecclesiam lupis rapacibus ape- rimus. Denique ab eisdem ipsis, cuni quibus olim a catholica par- ticipatione divisus est, pontifex dicitur j)ostulari, ut satis evidenter appareat, non eos rectam fidem velle, sed in praesule proprio nefandi dogmatis quaerere potestatem; neque inter ipsos et veraciter sen- tientes pax inde possit fida^^) generari, unde haereticarum mentium crescit fnnesta damnatio, et catholiconim succedit miseranda ca- ptivitas. 4. Tantis igitur malis atque periculis pro sacerdotii qualitate rt catholicae praedicationis intuitu ut, qua potes, ratione sapienter obsistas, maximis undique rebus adstringeris : nec dilectioni tuae fas wt id segiiius operari, quod ad aniiiiae tuae causam, honoris aesti- niationisque respectum non dubitas pertinere. Opportunitatibus ergo repertis, clementissimi principis vohintatem incessabiliter pro fide tatholica supplicando, et ab his sedulo revocare, quae nociva sunt dogmati Christiano, et secundum haec, quae mandamus, infonnare orebro, inque eam partem, quae amica sit veritati, potius instare nondesiuas; et, ut sanctum Timotheum vonerandus apostohis Pau-^^g lus instituit, opportiuie, importune, obsecrando, insinuando expo- nendoque nuUatenus allegare cessabis, et nobis subinde, quae geran- tnr quaeve gerenda sint, veraciter indicare: ut creditorum tibimet dispensatione dominica talentonnn in hac multij)Hcati()Jie fidelis ser- TU8 ostendaris, si non tantum in ecclesia, cui praesides, sed ubi- *} h populatione f quod j)rimiim j)lacuit proj)tor 0]>ithotnra saeva. Sed nihil laQtandQin suasit illud Henotici apnd Liberatum brev. c. 17: CopuUimini ergo ^tali matri Ecclesiae eadein sapienles nobiscum. Ko enim resj)icer«) videtur Sim- puciog^ ideoque non immerito copulationem hanc sacvavi vocare, quae hipos cum o^ibtte copulare nitatur. *') Ita optime Bar. e. Gelasii tract. 2 n. 1 reBtituit, quum prius obtineret fatia. Hic praevertit ac refollit Simplicius, quod tum Acacius cum Petri pa- «onig praeteiebat. Ajebat enim Liberato brev. c. 17 teste, Petrum amalibem in f^J^* et posse eum in communionem comjregare. Quocirca j)Ontifex prius eumdeni *|^ilem esse nou negans iis, qni sectarentur haeresim ct Aeluri partibu» ad- ™*ti essent, inficiatur, iiiter hoB et veraciter sentientes fidam jjacem uUo modo ^^^^ p088e. Dum tamen Acucius de Johaimc; Talaja j^eUendo cogitabat, ut ^'Wem Liberatus loquitur, occurrerunt quidam a Petro volentes quasi fieri unitatem, ♦** J^mndiMsime susccpit Acacius et imperatori praesenfavit. Ilinc Acacio data *^oHenotici imperatoris nomine condendi, cujus notitiam ad Simplicium jam ""''^ pervenigBO, non id modo, quod proxime de saei^a copulatione praemisit, sed ft^waenunc disserit, manifeste indicant. Hoc tamen prudcnter dissimnhiuB, . ™ wtiu habet repellere, quod pacis specici tentiibatur. ('erte quantum haeretici ^P^ogo iUo pacis nomine priucipibus sohti sint imponere, jam ante s. Hilariua "«. contni Auxentium probarat, ac jiost^ni ekthesis Ileraclii et Constantis typus abunap confirmant. 14* a. 466. cunque poiueris, pro unitate catliolica et pro puternis definitionibus suadere nou renuas. Data Idibus Juliis Severino viro clarissiino (?onsule.