Letter 105: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

A copy of a letter of Justinian. To the lord, most blessed and holy man, father Hormisdas, pontiff of the city of Rome, Justinian. What veneration we have for religion, and how solicitous we have always been on behalf of uniting the holy churches, your beatitude too is a witness. For after our lord, the renowned emperor, began to reign, we directed letters by way of all who were coming to Italy, entreating your apostolate as was fitting. Now also, lest any of those things which it is proper to be done should be passed over, John, a most reverend man and bishop, the presbyter Heraclianus, and the deacon Constantinus, of the most holy church of this renowned city, have been appointed to the city in good fortune, that concerning all the matters about which your most serene son the emperor wrote they may receive a complete reply. Let your holiness therefore deign to receive the aforementioned most religious men gladly, and, when prayers have been held and the Godhead appeased, to order all things venerably in such a way that nothing further may remain in doubt. For it seems to us that, since the son of the living God, our lord Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, whom the chief of the apostles proclaims to have suffered in the flesh, is rightly said to reign as one in the Trinity together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, we believe, not unfaithfully, the person of his majesty to be in the Trinity and from the Trinity. But concerning the names of the deceased bishops, dispose matters mercifully and as befits a peace-making father; because your predecessor too, of blessed memory, wrote to Anastasius the chief ruler that, if only the name of Acacius were removed, we should have one communion with you. It is not, then, [a heavy thing] which your see has counseled, that it should grant. For you ought to imitate the most holy Leo, pontiff of Rome, and, just as he wrote to Leo, so you also, with all doubts cut away, should write back perfect and peace-making pages to the most unconquered prince, your son [...] of the church, so that before the tribunal of the judge who is to come you may be partakers of those whose see you hold by priestly right. Let your apostolate therefore show [that it has worthily] succeeded the apostle Peter, since the Lord is going to exact from you, as from the highest shepherds, the salvation of all, who will be able to be saved once concord has been confirmed. For we, the chapters being finished concerning which you have received writings, will no longer suffer a controversy of religion to be stirred up by anyone in our commonwealth, nor is it fitting for your holiness to listen to those contending superfluous things.

EXEIPLUM £PISTOLA£ lUSTINLAifl. DOMINO UIRO BEATIS8IM0 SANCTOQUE PATRI HORMISDAE URBIS ROM.\E poNTiFici lusTiNiANus. Quautam uenerationem religionis habeamus quamque solliciti semper fuerimus propter uniendas sanctas ecclesias, testis est quoque uestra beatitudo. postquam regnauit etenim domnus noster inclitus imperator, per omnes ^ad Italiam uenientes direximus litteras apostolatum tuum rogantes sicut decebat. nunc etiam, ne quid eorum, quae 2 fieri conuenit, praetennittatur, lohannes uir reuerentissimus antistes, Heraclianus presbyter et Constantinus diaconus sacro- sanctae ecclesiae buius inclitae ciuitatis destinati sunt ad urbem feliciter, ut super omnibus, quae scripsit filius uester serenissimus imperator, integrum responsum accipiant. dignetur ergo sanctitas tua suscipere memoratos uiros religiosissimos libenter et habitis orationibus placataque diuinitate sic omnia debeat ordinare uenerabiliter, ut nihil ultra reraaneat in ambiguum. nobis etenim uidetur, quoniam filius dei uiui 3 dominus noster lesus Christus ex uirgine Maria natus, quem praedicat summus apostoloinim carne passum, recte dicitur unus in trinitate cum patre spirituque sancto regnare, maiestatisque eius personam in trinitate et ex trinitate non infideliter credimus. de nominibus autem defunctorum episco- 4 porum clementer et ut decet pacificum patrem disponite; quia uester quoque praecessor beatae recordationis ad memoriae 22 Petr. I 4, 1 1 strotonici^ 7 2 lidie F 285. Baia et accepia ut ep. 233. Edd. Car P 553; Collect. ConciL; Thiel 954; commemorat Bar. ad a. 520, 59. 6 romane F, corr. Car. 7 unigendas F, corr. o 12 pretermittetur F, corr. p 17 memoratos ex memoratns corr, V 18 et F: ut Hartel 24 per- sona F, corr. edit. reg. 716 Hormisda lustino Augusto principalis Anastasium scripsit, ut, si nomen Acacii tantummodo tolleretur, una nobis esset communio. non est igitur Cgraue, quod> suasit uestra sedes, ut praestet. imitari debetis etenim sanctissimum Leonem Romanum pontificem ac, sicut ille scripsit Leoni, ita et uos omnibus amputatis dubitationibus & perfectas pacificasque paginas ad inuictissimum principem filium uestrura rescribere * * ecclesiae, ut ante tribunal uenturi iudicis participes eorum sitis, quorum sedem iure sacerdotaii 5 tenetis. ostendat ergo tuus apostolatus, <quod merito> Petro successit apostolo, quoniam dominus a uobis utpote summis lo pastoribus exacturus est uniuersorum salutem, qui poterunt esse salui fiimata concordia. nos etenim finitis capitulis, de quibus scripta suscepistis, ultra non patiemur a quoquam controuersiam religionis in re publica nostra moueri nec uestram sanctitatem conuenit audire superflua concertantes. i&