Letter 45: seu Stemcti G elasii Bomae of the bishop exemplar epistolae to Syriae \ n\ episcopos missae ).

A copy of the letter of Saint Gelasius, bishop of Rome, sent to the bishops of Syria. [Editorial summary: Seizing the occasion afforded by a band of monks who professed the catholic faith against the Eutychian heresy, and by an embassy of the bishops of Syria concerning the state of the Eastern Church, he exhorts those same bishops to hold to a like profession (sect. 2). He grieves for the lot of that region, where heretics rage with impunity (sect. 3). He refutes their fabrications about a God who suffered (sect. 4-7), and once more urges them on toward fidelity to the doctrine of the Fathers and of the catholic Church (sect. 8 and 9).] To my lords, most devout and most holy, the bishops Cosmas, Severianus, Cyrus, Zoilus, Eusebius, Thomas, and Silvanus, Gelasius, sent by divine appointment a minister of the catholic and apostolic faith. 1. If you have written things that are upright, press on with the work. Why do I share my own sorrows with you, O you most beloved of God? And why does one so lowly take such boldness before the great? It is no impulse of rashness nor the urging of empty glory, but the kindling of divine and saving love that, taking hold of me, stirs up this exhortation. Grant me pardon, therefore, I beg; for it is not because I would wish to supply any defect in your prudence that I have resolved to put forward the words of my lowliness, but rather, since my entreaty is made with religious purpose, because you are all taught of God, as the divine oracle declares [John 6:45]. Therefore, weighing what is said out of love, grant me the reward of repayment, the recompense, that is, for your prayers. It is fitting that good teachers should take the lead of their disciples in the order of prayer, since this most excellent office is here assigned to us as well -- like forerunners who devote their care to the spectacle, and who moreover rouse and strengthen the limbs, and finally sound, as it were, the war-trumpet of fortitude by our example. Of good teachers the truest are the disciples; wondrous pastures are furnished to the sheep by good shepherds: these are the fruits of your labors. 2. Since, therefore, the excellent band of holy monks who have come to us has received the right hand of communion from the apostolic see -- because they refused to hold communion with the Eutychians, that is, the Manichaeans, but rather assented to all the definitions of the sacred canons, and repudiated whatever heretics had been condemned, and held in all things the confession of the synod of Chalcedon and of the holy and apostolic pope Leo -- it is necessary for us to say to your holy synod: if the first portion is holy, so is the whole lump; and if the root is holy, so are the branches [Rom. 11:16]. For the tree is known by its fruit [Matt. 12:33]. Come, you also, O most honorable ones, to that see which you yourselves have proclaimed holy; hasten to the immovable rock of Peter; number yourselves with the apostolic choir; confirm the crowns of your victory; lay hold beforehand of the reverence prepared for you, O most reverend ones, among those who have always been wont to confirm the faith. Indeed, John and Sergius, the most zealous brethren, who came from you to us, have told us of the invincible strength of the faith of the Romans, of their tender love toward their children, of their solicitude for the churches. For they were not received as spies of our weakness, but as witnesses of your fortitude; nor were they turned away as men unapproved, but received as heralds of your concord. For they announced and set forth your firm judgment, the impudence of the heretics, the steadfastness of your endurance, and the savagery of the wicked. And these things they narrated by word of mouth; but in truth they also instructed us, by means of the document sent through the devout monks under your charge, teaching how many and how grievous the afflictions are that you have endured, and what helps of God have come to you. 3. Nor is this to be wondered at; for the incursions of the wolves are not among the first onsets, yet they ever assault, and ever in turn are driven off by the staff of the good shepherd. Then faith conquers, then war does not arise: not in [peace] are the deeds of fortitude, but in [battle] is the splendor of virtue. [The text continues; the following passage is broken by lacunae in the manuscript that could not be restored.] [...]

seu Stemcti G^elasii Bomae episcopi exemplar epistolae ad Syriae ^\^n\ episcopos missae^). • ^casione arrepta de monachorum manipulo conlra Eulychianam haeresim fideni, thoHcatn profitenie ei episcopomm Syriae legalione de statu ecclesiae Orientalis ^Unnte, ipsos episcopos ad simitem professionem tenendam hortatur {n. 2). ^^^ram iltius regionis vicem doleij ubi haeretici impune debacchantur («. 3). '0*tat horum de Deo passo commenta (n. 4 — 7), iterumque ad fidem erga patrum et Ecclesiae catholicae doctrinam incilat («. 8 etSi)* '^Qtotg ^ov icavxa ^so- CepsOtdtOLS xal oOiO' Tarofcs i7CL6x67C%)LgKo0- ^a^), UsPrjQi^ava, Kv- Dominis meis religiosis- simis et sanctissimis episcopis Cosmae^), Se- veriano, Cyro, Zoilo, Pelagii discipulus. Postea a* c* soq. Maximinus refragantibus omnibus mss. t fuerit Maximinus hacreticus Ariauus, contra quem Augustinus scripsit, ^^t tuhilo minus et Maximianus DonatiBta, a quo Maximianistae, qui eo duce 'teria Douatiatis seccsserunt, fuerunt cognominati. '*) F^ et editi UnicHs, verius meliorcs mss. (etiam C* F* F^ F"» H^) Cynicus (I« ) Ita F* H** !<' c* c'", nisi quod I*^ fiaeresiarches et eorum discipulos qui scJds- ^^. c* discipuli qui schismatica. F^F°^ C^ c^ haeresei {C^ haeretici) haereseorumque Puli^ F^ H' 0* haereses (H* O^ haeresei) haereseorum discipuli, X'' haereseorum ^^*ereiici sive schismatici, F haeresei haereses eorumque disdpuH, editi alii hae- ' corumque discipuU. Mox X"* retinemus, F** F*" I<= retinuimus, ) 1« a^ c' seq. indissolubili: emendantur ex melioris notac mss. Voce inso- ^ jam Felix H epist. G in sententia adversus Acacium usus fuerat, eamque '^ Gelasius, ut vidimus ac visuri sumus, retinet ipse ac non semel explicat. ®* ea formula, qua clauditi^r istud decretum, ad Gelasii tempora pertinere, ^^0 ipsi adscriptum esse, dinoscitur. F<* F"" claudunt; Explicit explanatio ^atholicae. ) Ita iu Graeco inscribitur: Tov ayCov rsXaaCov iniationov 'Pcof^ijff ^ ini.axolris nspLq^d^siarjg zoCg t^g Zvgiag iniationoig. ') £x coaevifi illi se nobis apud Lequien Oriens christianus tom. II offerunt 472 a. 495 /,c3, ZiOLk(o, EvaeBcGJ, ©ofiff, -TtAoimi/coFfAa- aiog^) iXest d^eov dcd- xovog tijg xccd^oXLxijs xccl dno6toXcxrjg tcc- Ors(og. 1. Ei ax6Q i^^icaoag Bygatl^ag^ BQyo) TtQosXds, TCg rdg s(idg cidt- vag TtQog vfidg iyxara(i£^sij d^so- q)ikhOraroi\ TC dl xal rou r«- Tcsivov 71 TtQog tovg (isydXovg na^QYloCa ; Ov jiQonstsCag ro stci" %sCQYH»,a ovts xsvrjg do^rjg ij svaQ- ^ig^ ^sCag dydnrjg xal acotfjQici- dovg TtvQOog vTtskd^cov snsysCQSi ri}i/ 7tQorQ07tii\v, KdiLol Sors dvy- yvcinrjv^ TtaQaxakcj' ovSs ydQ skksCnovra rfj viists'Qa 6vvs0sl r« rrjg taTtsivotrjrog TtQOS^siirjv XsysLV «AA* c5^ VTto^LvrfiSi (piXo- d^sci {] 7taQdxkr]0ig^ ort ndvrsg Joli.6,45. vfierg SiSaxtol d^sov^ xad^d jtov (prjOl ro d^stov koyiov. Ovx- ovv td s^ dydjtrjg ksyoiisva xqC- vavtsg^ Sots (icOd^ov dvtaitoSo- Osag^ tcjv svxcov vficjv tdg dfiOL- fidg. ''ESst rovij xakovg SiSaaxd- Xovg t(ov (lad^rjtcjv itQoaQTcdoat ri}v TtQog trjv TCQSO^sCav td^tv st xat fi(itv STttyQdcpstat tavtrig ro xdkktatov^ cig iv TtQoSQOfiotg ^sfiivotg trjg iTCtSsC^sajg t7]v OTtovSrjv StsysCQOvOt (liv xal Eusebio, Thomae, Si vauo Gelasius') mis ratione diyina mi ster eatholieae etap stolicae fidei. 1. Si quae recta existancL-jaas scripsisti, operam urge. Q^rmiis meos dolores vobis communic — •ety o Deo carissimi? Cur hunr^Slis apud magnos fiduciam smuKst? Non est audaciae-molimennec^ne vanae gloriae impulsus, sed ^- vinae salutArisque , caritatis :fai[ mihi supposita ad adhortandl vmi exeitat. Mihi ergo veniam d^^ftiS) oro; non enim quia vestrae p^rxi- dentiae defectum supplere velxm, himiilitatis meae verba prori decrevi; sed cum religiosa nitione fiet deprecatio mea^ 'k^uiA vos omnes docibiies Dei est.is, prout ait divinum oraculum. 'Lt^- que quae caritatis affectu dicixm» vos dijudicantes; date merce^^n* retributionis, precum scilicet^ '^^ strarum remuneratiouem. Ojp^r- tet bonos magistros praeoccai^^*'* discipulonim in orando ordin^^» siquidem nobis tribuitur hic g^* • dus praecipuus, ceu praecurs^^' bus spectaculo curam impen<l^'^* tibus, excitantibus insuper ^ Syriae episcopi, quos Gclasius hic notare possit: Cosmas Epiphaniae drca LdJ*"* Boeculi VI (1. c. col. 918), Scverianus Arelhusae eodem tempore (1. c. 916), C^Sf"" AJariamnae St/rincne, qui scripsit ad Johannem Constantinopolitaniim (L c ^^\ alius Ci/rus HierapoUtamis episcopus sul» Zenone imperatore orthodoxos e^^^ pOB iu cxilium pepulidse memoratur 1. c. 928, tertius ejusdem nomiiiiB E^^^ epiicopus item sub Zeuoue 1. c. 96*2; ZoiJus Rhaphanoeae, qui item soripai^ ^ Johannem ConBtautinopolitanum (1. c. 920) ; Ensebius Larissae Syriacae, qni i^ scripsit ad Johanuem Constantinoi^olitanimi et iloruit oirca annnm 518 (Lo. ^^h Thomas Damasci episcox^us monophysita circiter ami. 518 Damasoo eipalBHi 0- ^ ') reXdciog deest in codioe; ex inscriptione huc revooatam eei EPISTOLA 43/ 473 '6a6i xa liskri^ JtQOodo- H Si riqv iirjvvOLV rrig fftog Si^ iavrdjv. Kakciv Ikmf akri^Ag aQifSroL fia- xaXav jtoi(iivG}v d^avfia- f TtQofidrmv 7) voiirj' ov- V viisreQOV Ttovcav of fljteidrj roCvvv q^d^aodtncav \lv rcjv £vay(ov iiovax(ov v6rrj(ia dsl^vdg iXa^e xot- naQa ri\g aTtoOrokixrjg xg, .aQVTjadiiBVov fiav r^v wg EvrvxiavtCrdg ijyovv lovg^) xoivcaviav, ^Vfi- :v de TtdCi rotg XQC^aCi iGiv xavovav iv dno^okri ccd^aLQed^ivrov atQsrcxav , oiioXoyCa di rrjg did ' iv Xakxridovi OvvoSov^ ' iv dyCoig xal dnoOrokoig ; rov Ttdna' kiyeiv ind- nQog rr^v ayCav v(i(av V ei 1} dnaQXTj ayCa^ 6 (fVQaiia' xal eC ri Kkexrrji^xaloCxkddoc' } rov xaQnov ro div- nvcicxerai, "Hxare de etg (a riiitciraroL nQog tyyekLO^eidav naQ v(i(av xad^idQav nQOfp^dOare )v dxeC(ia0rov HirQov ni- OvvaQLd^iiiidTire %oqo3 rc5 Uxg5 * PePaLciOare v^cjv rig rot)s tSretpdvovg' nQo- iere rrjv riroL(ia6nivriv PaCnLorrira naQ olg^) xal membra roborantibus , classiciim denique fortitudinis exemplo no- stro canentibus. Bonorum ma- gistrorum optimi vere sunt disci- puli, mirifica ovibus pascua a bonis pastoribus suppeditantur: lii Yestrorum laborum fnictus. 2. Quia igitur sacrorum mo- nachorum egreguis manipulus ad nos delatus communionis dexte- ram ab apostolica cathedra ac- cepit, propterea quod communi- care se cum Eutychianis sive Manichaeis^) negarunt, sed cun- ctis potius sacrorum canonum definitionibus consentiebant , et damnatos quosvis haereticos re- pudiabant, et Calchedonensis sy- nodi sanctique et apostolici Leo- nis papae per omnia confessio- nem tenebant; necesse est dici a nobis vestrae sanctae syno- do^): si delihatio sancta est, et massit, et si radix sancta, et rami. Namque ex fructu arbor cogno- scitur. Yenite et vos, o hono- randissimi, ad eam, quam vos ipsi sanctam praedicastis cathe- dram, accurrite ad inunobilem Petri petram, connumerate vos choro apostolico, confirmate vi- ctoriae vestra coronas, praeoccu- pate paratam vobis, o reveren- dissimi, reverentiam apud eos^), qui fidem semper confirmare so- liti fuerunt. Utique narrarunt nobis Johaiines ac Sergius, dili- a.495 —496. Rom. 11,16. Matth. 12,33. a Eutychianos dicit, advertit Majus, qoia ipsi revera phantasiastae cum >re Manichaeorum cougruebant, qui Gelasii quoque aetate grassabantor liboB semper quasi foedissimi haeretid respuebantur; cf. infra not. 12. e hac Syronmi synodo nihil aliud notum. Sed ab ea Johannem et legatos et libellum synodalem ad sedem apostolicam missos esse, hinc nlicet praesules sedis apostoUcae urbis Bomae, ad guam, ait Ireoaeaa 474 S. (JELASII PAPAE a. 495 del rj nCozL^ to xvqo<$ sxet. ^u]- ' ytjOavro yuQ i^iitv ^lodvvrjg xal ZsQytog 01 aTtovdaLoraTot ddsk- (polj o[ d(p^ rfwui/ nQog rniag jcaQayevo^evoL^ rr]s itLOreag roJi/ 'Pc3fi«i©i' ') t6 «i/tri^rov, rt]v TteQl rd rexva tpLkoaroQyCav^ rrjv (le- QLfivav r(av exxXrj6Lc5v. Ov yaQ cig xardoxonoL riig eXa(pQCag^) ri(i(i5v eSexd-fjOav, «AA' dg ^rjvv- ral rrjg dvdQeCag vficov ovde dg ddoxLiiOL dneneiKpd^TiOaVj dkk^ cjg evayyekLtSral rijg 6(io(pQo6vvrjg viKov dTiTJyyeLkav yccQ xal dLtj- yrjoavro rtjv re arad^tjQav xqC6lv viidjv^ xai riov atQerLXcav rijv dvaCSeLav, r^g vnoiiovrjg vficjv ro xaQreQLXOv^ xal rcjv «i(r;|f(;(rr©i/ rriv ^LaL(povCav. Tovro nev oro- fiarL SLrjyrjiSdiievoL^ rc5 Se dkrjd^et xal SLa kL^ikkov rc5v v(p v(idg evXaficjv fiovaxcjv SLaneiKpd^ev- rog SLSd^avreg^ o(Sag d^kCipeLg itok- . kdg xal xaxdg dtif AO^arf, oOaL rov d^eo^d al dvrLktjil^eLg inavereLkav, 3. Kal ox) d^av(ia6rQV' ovSe yaQ iv TCQcSroLg rcov kvxcov ai imSQoiial^ dkV del filv iuLrQe- %ov0LV^ del Se rc5 ^ondkcp roi) xaAot; 7tOL(iivog ix{fidkk)ovraL' Tor£ VLxa 71 zC6r,Lg^ rore ovx i^a- vaarrj nokefiog ' ovx iv ®) ... r« rrjg dvSQeCag^ dkV iv ... ro ka(i- «^eiitissimi fratres, qui a, vobis lul iios veueruut, fidei Romauo- rum') iuvictum robur, amorem erj^ti filios, eeclesiarum sollieitu- diuem. Nou euim tamquam spe- culatores parvitatis ^) nostrae re- cepti fueruiit, sed ut fortitudiiiis vestrae testes; neque ut impro- bal)iles repulsi sunt, sed ut umitii coucordiae vestrae recepti. Nun- tiarunt enim et exposueruut fir- mum vestrum judicium, haereti- corum impudentiam , patientiae vestra« constantiam, et pessimo- rum saevitiam. Atque haec ore- tenus uarrarunt: tum veritatem confirmarunt libello a vobis per religiosos monachos vestros mis- so, docentes, quot quantasque malas pressuras perpessi fueritis, qualia vobis Dei auxilia obvene- riiit. ii: Ne(pie id mirum; haud enini in primis iiimt luporum in- cursiones, semper tamen assul- taut, semperque vicissim chiva boui pastoris abiguntur. Tunc iides vincit, tunc bellum non consurgit: non^) in (pace) for- titudiuis facinora, sed iii {pugna) splendor virtutis. Quid enim adv. haer. III, 3, propler poteniiurem principalitatem necesse est omnem eonoemre Ecclesiam, quac C8t nQOKad^rjfiivrj trjg dydnrjg (Ign. ad Uom.). °) Lacunae scquentes sacculorum dcnte in codice factae resArciri non po- tuerunt. Si explcveris iv cCQijvrj ... iv fidxjj ... ot ovda^iiroi (vel ovlo^ ^vfkoi vol ovloiievoi) vcl quid simile, integcr bcusus erit. Certe ifta rcddidimus. Mujus vcrtit: iunc foriHudinis facinora, tunc splendida virtutU»