Letter 120: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

[A copy of the letter] of the Emperor Anastasius, sent to Pope Hormisdas through the legates of the Apostolic See. [Argument: In it, with a profession of faith set forth, he condemns Nestorius and Eutyches. The decrees of the Council of Chalcedon, he says, have been confirmed by many decrees of his own predecessors, and have not been revoked by himself. The memory of [Acacius] and the others, he says, cannot be expunged without scandal; for which reason the peace of the churches must be consulted.] A copy of the sacred [letter] of Anastasius Augustus to Pope Hormisdas, [delivered] by Ennodius bishop of Pavia, Venantius the presbyter, Vitalis the deacon, and Hilarus the notary. 1. We give thanks to Almighty God that Your Holiness, instructed by heavenly precepts, has, as we requested, appointed as legates of the faith Ennodius and Fortunatus, venerable bishops, and likewise religious men, Venantius the presbyter, Vitalis the deacon, and Hilarus the notary, such men as the gravity of the cause demanded; men who are able to fulfil the greatness of the business with the light of ecclesiastical discourse, and who, with God before their eyes diligently inquiring into all things that pertain to the right and true faith of Christians, both themselves declared it as was fitting, and acknowledged it from us as was proper: that the Church of God is one, everywhere established upon the apostolic doctrines. Whence who would dare to think otherwise concerning the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ than the truth itself holds, unless he confess that the Son, equal and consubstantial with the Father, for the cause of our salvation, according to the announcement of the archangel, taking [a body] from the same virgin in the womb, was made man, and, as the Apostle says, [was found] in the form of a servant, so that He might take up the cross for us in the flesh? [Phil. 2:7] Of whom Peter the apostle says to the Jews: You asked that a murderer be released to you, but the author of life you slew. [Acts 3:14-15] Of whom it is also read [...]. For we confess that the bearer of God, the blessed Virgin Mary, in true flesh and with a rational and intelligible soul, brought forth for us God the Saviour. Whom, of one substance [homoousios] with God the Father and the Holy Spirit before the ages, we believe and prove to have been likewise begotten for us also of the same substance [homoousios], apart from our sins, at the end of times, as the prophet David says: From my mother's womb You are my God. [Ps. 21:11] Yet our substance was so assumed, without defect or confusion of our body, that in that same flesh the Son of God will come to judge the world, displaying to the eyes of all the marks of His wounds and nails, as it is written: And they shall look on Him whom they pierced. [Apoc. 1:7] Together with all the orthodox we likewise shun and abhor the most impious Nestorius and Eutyches, condemning and anathematizing both their persons and their doctrines, to be reckoned among detestable sacrileges, men who likewise either refused to know the divine dispensation and the remedies of human infirmity, or, having known them, blasphemed them. Such a purpose, then, concerning the faith the most high God instilled into the senses of our clemency from the beginning of our life; whence we believe that we also preserve our empire. 2. But we wonder why you wished to write certain things to us concerning the most blessed fathers who assembled at Chalcedon, since the things which were established by them are shown to have been confirmed by the manifold decrees of our predecessors; and since no other synod has been held by which the things ordained by that one should be rendered void, nor has any law proceeded from us by whose novelty the statutes of the aforesaid episcopal council should be dissolved: especially since that synod itself declared that whoever should wish to teach or to alter any other faith than that which the three hundred and eighteen venerable fathers established at Nicaea ought to be anathema. To this end also they condemned those whom we comprehended above, that is, Nestorius and Eutyches, whom we too [condemn]. For on this account the divine [imperial] letters also bear witness to us, sent to Alexandria not once but many times, in which we rebuked [the Alexandrians], asking why they did not think the direct doctrine of the faith could suffice them, withdrawing from the anathema of the Council of Chalcedon and of Leo the bishop of venerable memory. Whence no small care abides with us, and our purpose endures even in the present, that by a superfluous anathema we might be able to draw them away and join them to the holy universal Church. 3. But concerning the one chapter, which alone seems to remain, our serenity would perhaps yield to your petition for the sake of the unity of the churches, were we not to fear that other scandals would thereby be renewed against the venerable churches. Now weigh all the things that must be done, since our clemency judges it neither to be expelled from the venerable Church on account of living men, nor that the things which you write concerning this can be ordained without much shedding of human blood. Hoping all things from God, however, you will be able to act better through a council than through these men who, running through the provinces because of their errors, wish there to be discord, hostile to the holy gospels and to the churches. Therefore, that the unity of the churches, pleasing to the supreme majesty, [may come about], provide for it; for [...] you rightly reprove us. Yet in all things you will be able to know the purity of our will by the report of our legates. And we ask that your apostleship deign to pray for us: which we shall be able to know by this token above all that you do it with a willing mind, if God shall have deigned to grant us the perfect unity of the churches, with you so disposing it. For the voice of God commended and bestowed that great blessing upon those who love Him, when He declared: My peace I give to you, my peace I leave to you. [John 14:27]

nastasii iniperatoris ad Hormisdam papam per legatos ^e^j^^' sedis apostolicae missa. dei profefiione emiBBa Nestorinm et Eutychen damnat. lchedoneniii synodi constitnta maltis decessoram snomm decretis oonfirmata lec a se revocata esse. taeii aUorumque memoriam sine scandalo ezpungi non posse, qnare paci ecde- damm consnlendom. iplnm sacrae Anastasii AognBti HormiBdae papae per Ennodiom trtnnatom epiacopos, Venantium presbyterom, Vitalem diaconam et Hilarum notarium. l. Gratias omnipotenti I)eo referimus, quod sanctitas vestra ^liiiis coelestibus instituta, sicut poposcimus, legatos fidei En- im et Fortunatum venerabiles episcopos sed etiam viros religio- /^enantium presbyterum, Vitalem diaconum et Hilarum iiota- , quales poscebat cauiae su})limitas, destinavit; qui negotii litudinem implere possint ecclesiastiei luce sermonis, quique mte Deo ouinia subtiliter rcquirentes, quae ad rectam et veram ;tianorum pertinent fidem, et ipsi sicut decuit declararunt, et a ; sicut oportuit agnoverunt: quia ima est Ecclesia Dei, aposto- ubique firmata doctriuis. Unde quis audeat de Domini nostri Christi incarnatioue aliter quam babet veritas ipsa sentire, nisi mfiteatur, aequalem et consubstantialem Patri') Filiimi salutis •ae causa, juxta annuutiationem archangeli in utero virginis 3m ex eadem assumeiitem, hominem factum, et sicut ait aposto- in servili forma^ ut crucem pro nobis carne susciperetV De quoPhil.2,7. 18 Petrus apo.stohis Judaeis dicit: Vos petistis vohis dimitti virum Act. 3, cidam, auclorcm vero vitae interfecistis. De quo etiam legitur iul^etis. ') Ennodium scilicet ac socios in suiieriori epistola n. 3 mcmoratos. ') c*** effectuum. Mox L' incolumem custodiat fr. kme. ■) Ita L^; L«L^ c" //// Idus, ah ed. F/ Idus. I Ed. Patris. Mox c* c^ c*" assumendo, G' a* b assumente, Interpres gracce ir legisse „r6x» xriv aoLQHtt ano t^ff avr^s sUrnpota^*, latine convertisse n ex eadem assumentem, quum convertere potius debuisset carne ex eadem pta. a 51G. Puiilo apostolo : Facius obediens usque ad mortem, mortem auiemcruds, Phil 2 8 ... ... ' Confitemur eiiiiii, quod geuitrix Dei beata virgo Maria in vera came et auima ratiouabili et iutelligibili nobis Deuiu peperit Sal?aiiQrem. Quem homousiou Deo Patri et Spiritui sancto ante saecula, emiL- (lem nobis quoque homousiou praeter^) peccata nostra, in fine tem- porum credimus et probamus fuisse progenitum, sicut prophetaDa- Psalm. vid dicit : De ventre matris meae Deus meus es tu. Quae tamen ita 21 11 . ' sine defectu vel confusione uostri corporis est assumpta nostrasob- stantia^ ut in cadem carne Dei I^^ilius mundum examinaturus ad- veniat^ oculis omnium vulnerum et clavonun indicia repraesentans, Apoc. 1,7. sicut scriptum est: Et videhuntj in quem pupugermt. Cum omnibos etiam orthodoxis impiissinios Nestorium atque Eutychetem') vitamos pariter et horremuS; eorum coudenmaiitcs et anathematizant«8 et personas et dogmata^ detestabilibus sacrilegiis comparanda, qui dis* pensationem diviniun et humanae remedia infirmitatis simiUter aot nescire volueruut aut cognita blasphemare. Tale igitur circa fidem clementiae nostrae propositum summus Deus ab exordio vitae seiwi- bus nostris immisit: unde et imperium nostrum credimus custodire*). 2. Miranmr autem^ quamobrem de beatissimis patribus^ qui in Calchedone convenerunt, aliqua nobis scribere voluistis, dum ea quae ab his fuerant coustituta decessorum nostrorum multiplicibus decretis coiifirmata monstrantur ; et quum nec alia synodus facU fuerit, per quam quae ab illa disposita sunt redderentur infimw, nec lex a nobis processerit, cujus novitate statuta praefati episco- palis concilii solverentur: maxime quum ipsa synodus dixerit ani- thema esse debere, quicunque aliam fideni, quam apud Nicaeam trecenti decem et octo venerabiles patres constituenmt, docere fd imniutare vohierit. Ad hoc etiam eos, quos superius comprehendi- nuis, id est Nestorium et Eutychetem damnaverunt^ quos nos quoqw Anastasius pcrtinacissimus vindcx crat, apud Evagrium III, 14 peccati expff' (cevccfidQtritog) ex Dei (jenitrice incarnalio, scu ut inter|)retatur liiberatoi c. l^ sine peccato ex Dei qenitrice secundum veritatem incarnatw praedicatur. Poft ^ ccm homousion subintclligcndum cst et per omnia similem. Mox G' a' proi0^ (loco prohamus). nainus. Nam pro hac causa attestaiitur uobis etiam divinae ^) a. 516. rae, ad Alexaudriam uon semel sed multoties destiuatae, per objurgavimus, cur sibi uou arbitrarentur posse sufficere dire- L fidei doctriuam^); recedeutes ab auathemate Calchedouensis di vel veueraudae memoriae Leouis episcopi. Uude uou parvum !am apud uos et iuteutio iu praeseuti quoque perdurat^ quateuus iperfiuo^) auathemate eosdem possimus abstrahere et sanctae esiae uuiversali coujuugere. 3. De capitulo vero, quod solum videtur esse residuum, nostra itas petitioni vestrae fortasse propter unitatem ecclesiarum cou- rat^), uisi alia veuerabilibus ecclesiis ex hoc reuovari scaudala ?remus. Nunc uuiversa quae sint facieuda perpeudite, quia e esse clemeutia uostra judicat de Ecclesia venerabili propter uos vivos expelli, uec siue multa efi^usione humani sanguiuis us posse ea quae super hoc scribitis ordiuari. Omnia tameu a sperantes, per^) coucilium melius agere poteritis, quam ab his nibus, qui propter errores suos provincias percurrentes, inimi- evangeliis sauctis et ecclesiis volunt esse discordiam. Ergo ut ►lacens supernae majestati ecclesiarum uuitas, providete: quia ) H. e. iniperiales, quao modo divinae» sacpius sacrae vocantur. ) In Zenonis videlicet henotico expositam, quam non solum Alexandrinis )8uit, sed et ut a Romanis pontificibus susciperetur , Festi patricii opera, heodorus lector auctor est, tentavit. Deinde recedentes ab analhemate id desinentes anathema dicere Calchedonensi synodo ac Leoni. Ut enim Eva- III, 30 scribit, quum alii Calchedonensem synodum propugnarent, alii modo cam uon suscipcrent, verum etiam illam una cum Leonis epistola snb \emate damnarent, Anastasius ecciesiis exturbabatt si quem forte deprehendisset er locorum consuetudinem aut concUium Calchedonense praedicantem aut idem mathemate damnantem. ) Pro superfluo substituit Baronius suprasrripto, occultam, ut videtur, Ana- mentem uon satis assecutus. Quippc vafer ac periidus imperator haerens henotici sentcutiae: Scire vos volumus, nec nos nec eas guae ubique sunt ec- 8 aliud symbolum alienamve definilionem fidei aut fidem habuisse vel habere vei tros esse praeter symbotum CCCXyill palrum; paulo anto Calchedonensem lum ob id commendavit, quum ipsa dixerit anathema esse debere, quicunque fidem, quam apud Nicaeam CCCXVIH venerabiles patrcs constituerunty docere unutare voluerii; innuens, eamdem synodum Calchedonensem sibi ipsi, si, bi persuadebant, Nicaenam fidem immutasset, anathema dixisse, adeoque rfluum esse uovum ei anathoma adjicere. 0 b conveniret. Mox G' a' removeri^ quod cum b cc in renovari mutavimus. icit hic Anastasiua ad id, quod Hormisda epist. 8 n. 2 praecipit his verbis: ^uam in sanctarum ecclesiarum memoria Dioscori participis Eutychetis , Timothci ftri parricidarum commemoratio reviviscat . . . Acacius Petri tenebrarum filii com- ine poUutus habeat participes, quos delegit. ') Deest in G' a' per (G' conscilium)^ quod b cc sui^pleverunt. Hinc ct ora- 3 serics deindc quam per eos homines, non quam ab his hominibus postuhit. ICA S. HOUMISDAE PAPAE a 51G. bene iios arguit. Per omnia tamen voluntatis nostrae puritatem legatorum nostrorum") poteritis mirratione cognoscere. Petimm auteni, ut pro nobis apostolatus vester orare dignetur: quod vos libenti auimo facere, liac poterimus maxime ratioiie cc^oscere, si perfectam nobis ujiitat<;m ecclesiarum dignatus fuerit Deus robis disponeutibus condonare. Illani enim vox Dei magnam benedietioneia 1407 diligentibus se mandavit atque donavit, qua declaravit: Pacmmm do vohis, pacem meatn dimitto vobis,