Letter 135: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Of Pope Hormisdas, to all the bishops of Spain. 37. By what procedure the Greeks have been and are to be received into the communion of the Church, the appended formula itself sets forth. Hormisdas, to his most beloved brethren, all the bishops established throughout Spain. 1. Among the matters which our brother and fellow-bishop John has brought to our notice out of zeal for the welfare of the Church, he has also, out of devotion to the catholic faith and reverence for the apostolic see, sought our counsel on this point: by what procedure holy communion ought to be granted to those coming from among the clergy of the Greeks, on account, namely, of the case of Acacius, who was condemned by our predecessors for communion with heretics, in which case those too who do not separate themselves from his contagion are to be held excluded from our communion. We praise the resolve of a man fervent with this zeal for the faith and for the apostolic institutions, that he should not suffer anyone, not even through ignorance, to be plunged into the filth of another's error. This is a care worthy of the faithful, that with anxious diligence they should ever keep watch, and preserve themselves blameless from all perversity. For this is the very innocence of faith, that it should take precaution lest it be able to err even by chance. 2. Therefore, satisfying both the praiseworthy desires of the man mentioned and, as is fitting, mindful of our own office, and likewise taking up records from the archives of the church, we have directed [them] to your council for the instruction of the whole body, so that, learning more fully from them what has been done, you may separate yourselves from all kinship with those who err. For it is not a cause arising from personal hatred, but a sentence pronounced, by God's inspiring, against impious transgressors; in which cause indeed we ceased neither from preaching nor from entreaty, both by supplicating the emperor and by admonishing the priests and the peoples, that, absolved from the transgressors, they might turn themselves to the right faith both by love of God and by fear of judgment. But a pitiable obstinacy keeps them persisting, nor are the death-bearing poisons overcome by any means, the roots fixed by the evil seed sprouting into something worse. Therefore, most beloved [brethren], being suitably instructed in all things, preserve yourselves for the Church of God, and rejoice as joined to the apostle. 3. We, moreover, have sent a document, under [the terms of] which, if anyone of the Eastern clergy should request your communion, he may be admitted to it; according to which it is established that many already, from the regions of Thrace and Scythia and Illyricum, or of Old Epirus and also of Second Syria, have been received, rejoicing to flow together toward what is right and to have turned aside from the deviant paths. Whence with repeated insistence we command that all care and all solicitude keep watch. Now there is no place for ignorance; let no one make use of any excuse of past simplicity. For one who knowingly sins, his confession is [an admission]. It is necessary that he ascribe the error to himself, who does not keep to the road that has been shown him. Bonifacius, notary of the holy Roman Church, issued from the archive copies of the document. And there follows: 4. The first [means of] salvation is to keep the rule of the right faith and in no way to deviate from the ordinances of the fathers. And because the sentence of our Lord Jesus Christ, who says, "You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church," etc., cannot be passed over, these things which have been said are proved by the effects of facts, for in the apostolic see the catholic religion has always been preserved without stain. Desiring by no means to be separated from this hope and faith, and following the ordinances of the fathers, we anathematize all heresies, especially the heretic Nestorius, who was once bishop of the city of Constantinople, condemned in the council of Ephesus by the blessed Pope Coelestine of the city of Rome and by the venerable man Cyril, bishop of the city of Alexandria. Likewise also anathematizing both Eutyches and Dioscorus of Alexandria, condemned in the holy synod of Chalcedon, which we follow and embrace, [the synod] which, following the holy council of Nicaea, proclaimed the apostolic faith, we detest also Timothy the parricide, surnamed Aelurus [the Cat], and likewise his disciple and follower in all things, Peter of Alexandria. We condemn also and anathematize Acacius, once bishop of Constantinople, condemned by the apostolic see, their accomplice and follower, or those who shall have remained in the fellowship of their communion: for Acacius rightly merited a sentence in condemnation like that of those to whose communion he joined himself. We condemn likewise Peter of Antioch, with his followers and [the followers] of all those written above. We receive, moreover, and approve all the letters of the blessed Pope Leo which he composed concerning the Christian religion, as we have said before, following in all things the apostolic see, and proclaiming all its ordinances. And therefore I hope that I may deserve to be in one communion with you, which the apostolic see proclaims, in which is the whole and true and perfect soundness of the Christian religion: promising that in time to come I will not recite among the sacred mysteries the names of those who are separated from the communion of the catholic Church, that is, those who do not consent to the apostolic see. But if in anything I should attempt to deviate from my profession, I declare by my own sentence that I am an accomplice of those whom I have condemned. This my profession I have subscribed with my own hand, and I have directed it to you, Hormisdas, holy and venerable Pope of the city of Rome.

Hormisdae papae ad omnes episcopos Hispaniae. iV^Vv 37. Quo ordine Graeci ad Ecciesiae communionem recepti recipiendique sint, ipsa formula at^ecta significat. Dilectissimis fratribus universis episcopis per Hispaniam constitutis Hormisda. 1. Inter ea, quae notitiae nostrae Johannes frater et coepisco- pus noster studio ecclesiasticae utilitatis ingessit, hoc quoque pro affectu catholicae fidei et apostolicae sedis veneratione consuluit, quo ordine ex clero Graecorum venientibus tribui deberet sancta com- munio, propter causam scilicet Acacii, a decessoribus nostris pro haereticorum communione damnati, in qua ii*) quoque, qui se ab ejus contagione non dividunt, a nostra communione habeantur ex- cepti. Laudamus propositum viri hoc zelo circa fidem et apostolica instituta ferventis, ut nec per ignorantiam quidem quemquam coeno erroris alieni pateretur immergi. Digna haec cura fidelibus, ut sol- lieito studio semper invigilent, et inculpatos se ab omni perversi- tate conservent. Ipsa est enim fidei innocentia, ut praevideat, ne vel casu possit errare. 2. Satisfacientes igitur et laudabilibus desideriis memorati viri, et memores nostri sicut oportet officii, documenta quoque^) de eccle- siae scriniis assumentes, ad concilium vestrum pro generalitatis in- stnictione direximus, ut ex illis plenius quae sunt acta discentes, ab omni vos errantium cognatione^) separetis. Neque enim est perso- nalis odii causa, sed in impios transgressores dicta Deo inspirante sententia; in qua quidem causa neque*) praedicatione neque depre- »*) Ita i«. At |3 r Pas Agapiti v. c. era LXVI (F DLVr)', J» pc per per agapetium vc. Era DLVI; F** apirt post consolatum vc cohs. Ceteri per Agapi- ium (c* Agapeto II consule), atque his verbis epistolam claudunt. Ut haec epi- siola in superiori indicatur, ita superior in hac memoratur, adeo ut nullus sit dabitandi locus, quin eodem consule utraque cousignanda sit, adeoque in eram DLV conveniat. 26 *) Ita J 0^** |3 i*. Al. 0 c^ sq. omitt. ii quoque, moxque Laudo, ») Sic J i». Al. quaeque. Haec documenta e scriniis ecclesiasticis educta pariter memorantur epist. 24 n. 1. •) 0* c* c' c'** communione, c* contagione. Praeferimus cum J i* j3 0*^ cogna- tione, praesertim quum faveant ceteri, in quibus exstat cognitione (J^) , vel cogi- taiione (0'). (a 517.) catione cessavimus, et priucipi supplicando et sacerdotes et popoIoB adinoneiido; ut a^) transgressoribus absoluti^ ad rectam se fidem et atfectu J)ei et judicii timore converterent. Sed obstinatio miseranda perdurat^) illos, nec ullis modis mortifera venena vincimtur, malo semine fixis in deterius pullulante radicibus. Ergo, dilectissimi *>o -4 f^*^^^*s> ^^ omnia conipetenter instructi, servate vos Ecclesiam^) Dei, et apostolo exsultate conjuncti. 3. Nos autein libellum misimus, sub quo si quis communionem vestram de Orientalibus clericis poposcerit, ad eam possit admitti, secundum quem^) et de Tliraciae et Scytbiae Illyricique partibus vel Epiri veteris sed et secundae^) Syriae multos jam constat esse susceptos, gaudentes ad recta confluere et devia declinasse. Unde sub*^) repetitione mandamus, ut omnis cura et sollicitudo omnis iuvigilet. Jam*') nullus est ignorantiae locus, nullus utatur sim- plicitatis excusatione praeterita. Scientem*'*) peccare coufessio est ') Ita J |3 i'. Al. ed. et ecclesiam Dti ajwstoH exhortatione compuncti. Hispti- nis gaudcndum innuit, quod cum Potri scdc sint societate coi\juncti. Nicopolitanum : JAbeUum direximus, in quo eos oportet debere subsc7'ibere , guia et omnes sacerdotes vestrarum paitium, qui ad sedis apostolicae coMfnunionem rercrsi suntf in eadem professione subscripserunt. — Dcindc fi et de Thracia et Scicia. TrcB alii et de Thrucia et Scythia. Huc spectat, quod Hormisda epist. 124 n. 3 de Scythis monachiB scribit, eos discordiam apud Romanos coromoverc conatofff per quos adjutorio Dei de regionibus eorum est pulsa dissensio. Bul)8criptionem cjus expctitam jam fuisse palam indicant. '") c' seq. pro subreptione mandamus; emeudantur cx J'" J*' ^ i*. Scribant J* J'' J*-' J'** subreptione, J' subreptionem, J" sub praestitione ^ J'* sub trepidatwne, ") c* seq. Et ut jam nuflus sit ignorantiae locus, contra J O c' i*. Deinde etiam J'^ c' i' nullus utatur. J' ^ 0'^ utantur, quam lcctionem, praemisso ut, a* praetulit. Tum quidam libri praetcritis, fortasse pro praetcritis. '^) Ita 0'^^J'. Editi Scienti peccare necessaria eonfessio est„ Quamqi pro confessio est mallenius in confcsso est. Hoc enim sibi vult, com qui delinquit, peccato et culpae sine controversia csso obnoxium. BPISTOLA 26. 795 Necesse est ut errorem adscribat ^^) sibi^ qui monstrato HQn insistit (a. 517.) itineri. BonifiaciiiB notarias sanctae ecclesiae Eomanae ex scrinio edidit*^) exemplaria libellum. £t sequitur: 4. Prima salus est, rectae fidei regulam custodire et a consti- tutis patrum nullatenus deviare. Et quia non potest Domini nostri Jesu Christi praeterraitti sententia dicentis: Tu es Petrus et super^^^^- hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam etc; haec quae dicta sunt ' rerum probantur efiectibus, quia in sede apostolica citra ^^) maculam semper est catholica servata religio. De qua spe et fide minime separari cupientes et patrum sequentes constituta, anathematizamus onines haereses, praecipue Nestorium haereticum, qui quondam Con- stantinopolitanae fuit urbis episcopus, damnatum in concilio Ephesino a beato Coelestino papa urbis Romae et a venerabili viro Cyrillo Ale- xandrinae civitatis antistite. Similiter et anathematizantes *^) et Euty- chen et Diosconmi Alexandrinum, in sancta sjnodo, quam sequimur et amplectimur, Calchedonensi damnatos, quae secuta sanctum con- cilium Nicaenum fidem apostolicam praedicavit, detestamur et Timo- theum parricidam, Aelurum cognomento, discipuhim quoque ipsius et sequacem in omnibus Petrum Alexandrinum. Condemnamus etiam et anathematizamus Acacium Constantinopolitanimi quondam episco- pum ab apostolica sede damnatum, eorum comphcem et sequacem, vel qui in eorum commuuionis ^^) societate permanserint : quia.Aca- cius quorum se communioni miscuit, ipsorum similem jure meruit in damnatione sententiam. Petrum nihilominus Antiochenum danma- mus cum sequacibus suis et omnium^^) suprascriptorum. Suscipimus autem et probamus epistolas beati Leonis papae universas, quas de Christiana religione conscripsit, sicut praediximus, sequentes in omnibus apostolicam sedem, et praedicantes ejus omnia constituta. r '*) Ita ^^ ^'i alii autem analhematizamus ... Calchedonensi damnatum. *') c* seq. communione aut socielate permanserint. Qui Acacius; ac subinde habere meruii (pro jure meruii). , BectiaB /3 et omnium supra scriptorum. Clarius dictum esset cum sequacibus ejus ei omnium suprascriptorum. .517.) Et^^) ide« spero, ut in una communione vobiscum, quam sedes aj^^ stolica praedicat, esse merear, in qua est integra et verax Chriib^^' nae religionis et perfecta «oliditas: promittens in sequenti tempC^ sequestratos a communione Ecclesiae catliolicae, id est non cons^ tientes sedi apostolicae, eorum nomina inter sacra non recitan< esse mysteria. Quodsi in aliquo a professione mea deviare ten vero, his, quos d<amnavi, complicem me mea sententia esse profiteo^ Hanc auteni professionem meam ego manu mea subscripsi, et ti Hormisdae sancto ac venerabili papae urbis Itomae direxi.