Letter 14: The Synod of Old Epirus — John, Matthew, Constantine, Christodorus, Hilarius, Philippus, Julian, and Chrysippus — to...

COPY OF THE RELATION OF THE SYNOD OF OLD EPIRUS. TO OUR LORD, the most holy and most blessed father of fathers, fellow-minister, and chief of bishops, Hormisdas, the SYNOD [...] OF OLD EPIRUS: John, Matthew, Constantine, Christodorus, Hilarius, Philip, Julian, and Chrysippus. If we should attempt to use prefaces worthy of the matter, it would be necessary to compose our utterances with many tears. For very many of us were at Constantinople, in the reigning city, when your most holy vicars were staying there, the bishops Ennodius and Fortunatus, the presbyter Venantius, the deacon Vitalis, and the notary Hilarus, holding fast to the contest of piety that had been undertaken. With us also was our father and archbishop Alcison, now placed among the saints, who, using suppliant petitions with all earnestness before your beatitude, was made worthy to communicate with us in your apostolic see. But because suddenly He who holds power over all called him to Himself, we, held back by unrestrainable weeping, nevertheless came through to our homeland, in no way enduring error, thanks to the grace of God, but everywhere following your decrees. And while we were weeping and lamenting together with those fellow-ministers who were left with us in the diocese, [asking] who among the orthodox could rightly manage the sheep of Christ, He who consoles the humble consoled us also through your prayers, pointing out for the metropolitan city, in all respects, the most holy John, who from his boyhood was reared in the church without fault, indeed living in it in a praiseworthy manner, so that no one in this [church] surpasses him in character, and who yields to no one at all in zeal for orthodoxy in accordance with your apostolic admonitions. Him, therefore, by the providence of God, we have ordained as prelate of the most holy church of the Nicopolitans, and we ask that, according to the ancient custom, you too may embrace him with your fatherly affections, and that by the grace of God we, and he himself, may become, through your admonitions and teachings, weapons that cannot be overcome; and that, when we entreat you, you may incline your ear and find a disposition of concord, in accordance with the apostolic providence inspired in you from on high, so that in the peace which is dear to Him all the most holy churches, joined together, may be embraced in all piety and humility in Christ, weaving for you an unfading crown. As for the venerable deacon Rufinus, sent on account of this so necessary a cause, look kindly upon him as you have been asked, and send him back to us with speed, carrying your apostolic teachings. AND IN ANOTHER HAND: Pray for my safety, most holy father of fathers. I, John, bishop of Euroea, have reported this. Pray for my safety in the Lord, most holy and most blessed father of fathers. I, Matthew, bishop of Butrotum, have reported this. <I,> Constantine, bishop of Hadrianopolis, have reported this. Pray for my safety in the Lord, most holy and most blessed father of fathers. I, Christodorus, bishop of Anchiasmus, have reported this. I, Hilarius, bishop of Phoenice, have reported this. I, Philip, bishop of Phoenice, have reported this. I, Julian, bishop of Dodona, have reported this. I, Chrysippus, bishop of Corcyra, have reported this.

EXEMPLAR RELATIONIS SYNODI EPIRI UETERIS. DOMINO NOSTRO . CrXCTA SAXCTISSIMO AC BEATISSIXO PATRI PATRUM COMMIXISTRO AC PRIXCIPI EPISCOPORUM nORMlSDAE SYNODUS 1 qui o': quae V 3 seminum] desinit codicis V fol. 112, nisi quod in eimdem angulo infimo prinmm seqiieniis folii uocabulum radix prae- notatum est. ipsum fol. 113 ueteris scripturae excidit recentique folio saeculi 1 Gjl 7 suppletum {cf. Proleg. I) ; quare in hac quldemparte sequimur codicem a 3 radis a 5 perdito Eutycheti Bar. Acacius Bar, Coust.i acacii a discipulus Bar., discipulis Coust. 9 reuerent^s a, corr. et a man. post. 20 ivn a: xiii Coust.; cf. 'Beitriige . : p. 9 W decembriarum a Epist. CXVm 8 — CXIX 5. 527 VETERIS EPIRI lOHANNES MATTHAEUS COXSTANTIXUS CHRISTODORUS HILARIUS PHILIPPUS lULIANUS ET CHRYSIPPUS. Si dignis pro- oemiis uti teraptemus, necesse est niultis fletibus horum depromptiones efficere. plurimi namque ex nobis in regnante 2 b fuere Constantinopoli, cum uestri sanctissimi uicarii Ennodius et Fortunatus episcopi, Uenantius presbyter, Uitalis diaconus, Hilarus notarius degerent, pietatis agona susceptum tenentes. nobiscum autem fuit et inter sanctos factus pater atque archiepiscopus noster Alcison, qui cum omni praesumptione to supplicibus utens libellis apud uestram beatitudinem dignus efFectus est apostolicae sedi uestrae comraunicare nobiscum. sed quia repente, qui cunctorum retinet potestatem, hunc ad 3 se euocauit, nos inrefrenabili fletu retenti peruenimus tamen ad patriam nullo modo eiTorem propter dei gratiam sustinentes is sed ubique uestra decreta sectantes. flentibus autem nobis 4 atque lamentantibus cum his, qui nobiscum relicti sunt in paroecia comministri, quis possit de orthodoxis recte Christi oues transigere, qui consolatur humiles, consolatus est etiam nos per uestras orationes, demonstrans metropolitanae ciuitati 20 in cunctis sanctissimum lohannem, qui a pueritia in ecclesia sine culpa nutritus, immo laudabiliter in ea degens, ita ut neque eum in Iiac quisquam moribus antecellat, zelo autem circa orthodoxiam iuxta apostolicas ammonitiones uestras nulli omnino cedente. hunc ergo dei prouidentia ordinauimus 5 25 praesulem Nicopolitanorum sanctissiraae ecclesiae et rogamus, ut iuxta antiquam consuetudinem hunc quoque complectamini patemis uisceribus uestris nobisque atque ipsi dei gratia 1 iohannis matheus a 2 hylarius a crisippus a {>miis a 5 ue- stris a, corr. 7 hilarius o et a wan. post. 11 sedis a, corr. Bar. 13 recenti a, correxi: detenti Thiel 15 uobis a, corr. 17 paro- etia a 22 hac («c. ecclesia) a: his Bar. moribus scripsi: tempo- ribus a Bar. zelo] incipit rursus uettis scriptura V (fol. J14J 23 or- thodoxia F, corr. Thiel 24 cedente V\ cedens Bar. 25 praesule F, corr. ©2 XXXV pars 2. 34 528 Hormisda synodo Epiri neteris efficiamini arma inexpugnabilia commonitiouibus uestris atque doctrinis et precantibus nobis inclinetis aurem et pietatem concordiae reperiatis iuita inspiratam uobis diuinitus aposto- licam prouidentiam, ut in pace, quae est ei amabilis, cunctae sanctissimae ecclesiae coaptatae inmarcescibilem uobis coronam nectentes in omni pietate atque humilitate comprehendantur 6 in Christo. uenerabilem uero diaconum Kufinum propter hanc tam necessariam causam directum libenter rogati conspicite et ad nos sub uelocitate remittite portantem doctrinas uestras apostolicas. 7 ET ALiA MANu: Incolomcm me ora, sanctissime pater patrum. ego lohannes episcopus Euroeas retuli. Incolomem me ora in domino, sanctissime ac beatissime pater patrum. ego Matthaeus episcopus Butroiti retuli. <Ego> Constantinus episcopus Hadrianopoleos retuli. Incolomem me in domino ora, sanctissime ac beatissime pater patrum. ego Christodorus episcopus Anciasmu retuli. Ego Hilarius episcopus Fotices retuli. Ego Philippus episcopus Phoenices retuli. Ego lulianus episcopus Dodones retuli. Ego Chrysippus episcopus Cercyres retuli. 3 repperiatis V 4 ei] scilicet deo, quod ex diainituB sub^ plendum amabiles V, corr. o 5 cooptate F, conexi: cooptat^ inmaTcessibilem ex inmarcessibiles corr. V 6 comprehendamur F, corr. Bar. 11 et 14 patrum ex parum corr. V man. rec. 12 Euroeas {uel Eurias) scripsi (cf. Beitrdge 8): eursas F, rursus Car. 13 dno F^ corr. man. rec. 14 matheas V 15 ego inseruit Bar. haonano- poleos F, corr. Bar. 17 Anchiasmi Harduinus 18 illarius F 19 Phoe- nices HardtUnus: photicensis F 21 crisippus F Epist. CXIX 6 - CXX 4. 52d