Letter 153: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

[Heading, partly garbled in the source:] ... of the comes [count] ..., sent to Pope Hormisdas through the same ... The emperor's envoy, having been requested. [Argument:] He announces the emperor's concern for the concord of the churches, and asks that Hormisdas not delay either to betake himself to Constantinople in person or to dispatch legates. Justinian the comes to Pope Hormisdas. The longed-for time, which we have desired with our utmost prayers, the divine clemency, looking upon the sorrows of the human race, has deigned to grant, in which all who are catholic and perfectly faithful to God may be able to commend themselves to His majesty. For that reason I have directed these letters to your apostleship, the free liberty of doing so having now been granted to me by a heavenly benefit. For our most invincible lord the emperor, ever embracing the orthodox religion with the most ardent faith, and desiring to call the most sacred churches back to concord, as soon as he obtained the imperial diadem by the heavenly judgment, gave notice to the priests stationed here that the churches should be united according to the apostolic rules. And the greater part of the faith has indeed been settled, with God as its author; concerning the name of Acacius alone it remains to obtain the consent of your beatitude. For which cause our most serene lord [the emperor], (a. 518) the prince, has sent the eminent man Gratus, a man of one mind with me, my friend, with the august pages [the imperial letters] to your sanctity, that he [Hormisdas] may by all means deign to come to Constantinople for the settling of the remaining matters of concord. But we await your arrival without any delay; and if some slowness should perhaps hold it back, where it ought to take place, let him meanwhile hasten at least to dispatch suitable priests, because the whole world of our parts, turned toward unity, does not endure delays. Hasten therefore, most holy lords, lest in your absence those things be ordained which ought to be done with you presiding. For we know what the letters of your beatitude and of your predecessors, directed to the East, contain concerning this same cause. But that nothing may be passed over, on account of the cause so often mentioned, the business of religion also has been enjoined upon the most invincible king, [committed] to your son the eminent man Gratus, with our Lord Jesus Christ showing favor. [Editorial apparatus, scholarly note in the source:] That the name of Leo was removed from the sacred diptychs by Timothy is proved by this argument; for no one would believe that this impiety was committed by Macedonius, into whose see this Timothy had intruded. ... (Christ. vol. I p. 434 f.). Hence is confirmed what Pagi, at the year 518 no. 1, proves: that some persons in vain join Florentius as a colleague to Magnus. [Variant readings:] line 14: O and b omit "fidei" ["of the faith"]. [Running header:] LETTERS OF THE ROMAN PONTIFFS. I. 53

rustiiiiani comitis ad Hormisdam papam^ missa per eumdem ^^ g^e^^^f Oratum imperatoris legatum. De imperatoris soUicitudine pro concordia ecclesiarum nuntiat, utque Hormisda Constantinopolim vel ipse se conferre vel legatos destinare non differat, rogat. Justinianus comes Hormisdae papae. Desiderabile tempus, quod summis votis optavimus, divina cle- aentia; dolores generis humani respiciens, largiri dignata est, quo •rnnes catholici et Deo perfecte fideles majestati ejus se valeant com- aendare. Idcirco has ad apostolatum vestrum, libera licentia jam oihi beneficio coelesti indulta, direxi. Dominus etenim noster in- ictissimus imperator orthodoxam religionem semper amplectens brdentissima fide, cupiensque sacrosanctas ecclesias ad concordiam evocare, mox ut adeptus est coelesti judicio infulas principales, Acerdotibus hic positis denimtiavit, ut pro regulis apostolicis uniren- or ecclesiae. Et magna quidem pars fidei^) est composita Deo kuctore; de nomine tantummodo Acacii vestrae beatitudinis convenit »rdiri^) consensum. Quam ob causam dominus noster serenissimus ') Leonis nomen a Timotheo e sacris diptychis sublatum esse id argumento »t; nam hoc nefas a Macedonio, in crgus sedem is Timotheus invaserat, nemo rediderit admisBum. Thrist. tom. I pag. 434 sq.). Hinc confirmatur, quod Pagius ad annum 518 n. 1 >robat, frustra a nonnullis Florentium Magno coUegam a(^'ungi. 14 0 b omitt. fidei. EPI8T0LAB BOMAN. PONTIF. I. 53 (a. 518.) princeps Gratum yirum sublimem^ unanimem mihi amicum, cimi paginis augustis ad sanetitatem tuam transmisit, ut modis omnibus dignetur Constantinopolim ad reliqua concordiae componenda Tenire. Sed absque quadam^) dilatione vestrum exspectamus adventimi, quem si qua tarditas, quo fieri debet, forsitan retinuerit, interim vel sacerdotes idoneos destinare festinet, quia totus mundus partiiiin nostrarum conversus ad unitatem moras non patitur. Aceelerate ergo, domini sanctissimi, ne vobis absentibus, quae debent*) prae- sidentibus, ordinari. Scimus etenim litteras vestrae beatitudinis et antecessorum vestrorum ad Orientem directas, quid super hac eadem causa contineant. Ut autem nihil praetermittatur, propter causam saepius memoratam ad^) invictissimum regem religionis quoque ne- gotium filio vestro viro subUmi Grato est injunctum, favente Domino nostro Jesu Christo.